Open Face Chinese Pineapple – How a Fruity Twist Changed The Game
Since The Festival's first outing back in 2022, Open Face Chinese has been a staple on the schedules across Europe. The game seems to be increasing in popularity, as evidenced by consistent turnouts at OFC events in recent outings. Here is more information on the background of this growing game and how it is becoming a fan favourite at The Festival Series.
What is Open Face Chinese
Open Face Chinese is a game where players receive 13 cards. They need to make two five-card hands and one three-card hand. The bottom hand must be the strongest, the middle the second strongest, and the third the weakest. The two five-card hands are the bottom and the middle, and the three-card hand goes up top. The game is played with a points and chip system, with each part of each player's hand being worth different points depending on hand strength. To learn more about OFC, click here.
The game originated in Finland in the mid-2000s, but not in the 'Pineapple' format that is more common today. One man who influenced that change was Finland’s Risto Pönniö, who was working as a poker dealer in Helsinki at the time. He and his colleagues would often play Mixed Games together during their downtime, and Pönniö would later introduce cards being turned over one at a time.
In a conversation with The Festival's Melvin Schroen, Pönniö said: “My fellow dealers from Casino Helsinki and I used to play all kinds of poker variants, so traditional Chinese Poker was a bit boring, and we started to play it with open cards.”
Over the next couple of years, others further evolved the game, with players starting with five cards for the initial draw and three cards per round after, with one being discarded per three cards. Royalties and Fantasyland requirements were also fine-tuned with the discard dynamics.
It is now how the game is most commonly played today. Pönniö has been referred to by The Festival founder Martin “Franke” von Zweigbergk as an OFC God, and his fellow dealers at Casino Helsinki have made an indelible mark on this poker format.
The Key Differences
For those new to Open Face Chinese, the differences made by Pönniö involved the discard aspect and the open cards. To start, players will receive five cards, which can be placed in each of the three rows in any combination. From then on, players receive three cards. They have to play two and discard one. This repeats until all players have a 13-card board of two five-card hands and one three-card hand. The addition of discards and viewing other players' hands definitely enhances the game's tactical nature, as sometimes it is better to play to survive than to chase monster hands and foul.
OFC at The Festival Series
The Festival Series has included OFC in almost all of its previous live stops. The largest turnout came at the last Festival stop in Bratislava, where 92 total entrants took to the felt. This pipped the previous best set in Rozvadov, where 91 total entrants took to the tables at King's Resort. Both tournaments were won by the same man, Krzysztof Kordus of Poland, who regularly attends The Festival for the OFC action. He is one of the few dual Festival Series Winners in the OFC streets. Another is OFC Specialist Fabian Bartushk, who won the High Roller events in Rozvadov and Bratislava this year, as well as the 250 in Malta.
The numbers have fluctuated over the course of The Festival's lifespan. The €250 buy-in tournaments in Rozvadov and Bratislava, attracting 91 and 92 entrants respectively, show there is a growing appetite for OFC. It is quickly emerging as one of the most popular standalone games to play at The Festival outside of the usual suspects of No Limit Hold'em and PLO, and is even rivalling fields seen in H.O.R.S.E.S and 8-Game. Here is a look at the numbers.
Entrants and Prizepools OFC Tournaments
| Year & Festival Stop | Event & Buy‑in | Entrants | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 – Tallinn | OFC Pineapple (€330) | 37 | €10,656 |
| 2022 – Tallinn | OFC Pineapple (€1,050) | 10 | €9,600 |
| 2022 – Bratislava | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 45 | €9,619 |
| 2022 - Bratislava | OFC Pineapple (€1,100) | 6 | €5,700 |
| 2023 – Bratislava | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 54 | €11,542 |
| 2023 - Bratislava | OFC Pineapple (€1,100) | 15 | €14,250 |
| 2023 – Nottingham | OFC Pineapple (£230) | 23 | £4,462 |
| 2024 – Rozvadov | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 57 | €12,183 |
| 2024 – Rozvadov | OFC Pineapple High Roller (€1,100) | 9 | €8,550 |
| 2024 - Malta | OFC Pineapple High Roller (€1,100) | 17 | €16,150 |
| 2024 - Malta | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 65 | €13,893 |
| 2024 – Bratislava | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 62 | €13,252 |
| 2024 – Bratislava | OFC Pineapple High Roller (€1,100) | 17 | €16,150 |
| 2025 – Rozvadov | OFC Pineapple High Roller (€1,100) | 18 | €11,220 |
| 2025 – Rozvadov | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 91 | €19,110 |
| 2025 – Malta | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 56 | €11,704 |
| 2025 – Malta | OFC Pineapple High Roller (€1,100) | 23 | €21,850 |
| 2025 – Bratislava | OFC Pineapple (€250) | 92 | €19,320 |
| 2025 - Bratislava | OFC Pineapple High Roller (€1,100) | 23 | €21,850 |
Trending Upward
The total entrants per year have been increasing rapidly across the €250 level. The €1,100 buy-ins have shown a steadier rate of increase, but are still trending up. Below is a graph showing total entrants in OFC events per year across all stops at both buy-in levels.
Total Entrants Into OFC Events Per Year
What's Next?
As OFC continues to grow across Europe, The Festival will help spread awareness of the game, and, most importantly, get people at the tables playing this interesting and nuanced game of skill, strategy and luck. It appears to this poker writer that OFC is here to stay and grow even more. With seven live stops next year, there will definitely be more OFC action at The Festival Series 2026.
That's all for now, folks. Until next time.
