Both players fairly new to OFC

Villain sets first:

Top - none
Middle - 9h 9d
Bottom - Ah 4d 2s

Hero pulls Js Jh 7s 5h 4s

Two options come to mind. Appreciate feedback on merits of each, also any options Hero should consider.

Option 1
Top - none
Middle - 5h 7s 4s
Bottom - Js Jh

Option 2
Top - none
Middle - Jh 5h
Bottom - Js 7s 4s

With option 2, I'm very likely to make a flush at the bottom, which would win the point there as Villain is aiming for a straight. I think it is 85% to fill my flush. Is that correct? This seems like the safe route to avoid fouling, avoid getting scooped and possibly pick up 10 points if villain fouls.

Option 1 is more aggressive, hoping for full house on bottom and straight in middle. Not sure how to calculate the odds of that. Missing boat on bottom increases risk of getting scooped IF villain makes his straight, as his 99 in middle currently has me dominated.

All thoughts and criticisms welcome.

Is there a penalty for fouling?

Option 1 is very aggressive. Maybe to aggressive for me.

Option 2 is the way I would go.

Penalty for fouling is that you cannot win any points on the hand, including royalties.

Villains set is really bad. Yours should be JJ5/47. You know V isn't tossing a 5, leaves open flush possibility for the middle, leaves middle open for ace or King, just way more options than trying to make a FH and straight. If you get dealt a pair like 22 or 88 you can set it in the middle. If you use set 1 it should be to make double two pair and a FL pair up top.

Flushes are generally not optimal since three of the flush cards block your FL possibility and making a double flush is hard. Using set two you also have one less pair out in the middle.

Agree w all this. It's hard to overstate how bad villains set is

Spoiler: went with option 2, partly due to villain's weak set. Flush wins bottom for sure. I did make the flush, he fouled, and I'm happy with +10.

As played, JJ5/47 would not have done any better, although I see the greater flexibility esp if villain had set his differently. He puts 99 at bottom, I def put JJ there to cover.

I only ask because I think there should be an extra penalty when you foul.

My friends and I play 2 extra points for a foul.

You will get to FL way more often with option 1 or the JJ5/47 set, which far outweighs the 4 points you get from making a flush and scooping. Don't you want a boat and QQ+ up top instead of a flush?

Still learning. But shouldn't I consider villain's initial set in determining my strategy for the hand? If I go for FL and end up fouling, and villain also fouls, I have missed out on some easy points. On this particular hand, it seemed like there was a low risk / medium reward approach.

Not arguing… just trying to learn how much weight to put on villain's initial set when it is poor.

If V is setting poorly, you will absolutely crush him with FL's. He's not always going to foul so it's not a guaranteed 10 points. Yes you should consider V's initial set, but the +EV of FL is huge compared to making a flush.

In general, Pineapple is a game of maximizing royalties (and hence FL) whereas regular OFC is much more a game of hand comparison. With the exception of dead cards, I wouldn't worry too much about what kind of hand your opponent has - can swing really close spots and things like that but generally you just play your cards for max points.