What is Three of a Kind in Poker? (August 2023)

Three of a kind is a rare poker hand that defeats lots of other hands. It is one of the stronger hands you can have in poker, so you can play confidently. However, keep an eye on what is happening on the table, as it is outdone by a straight or flush.

What is a Three of a Kind Poker Hand

Three of a kind is a 5-card hand in which you have three nonsuited cards of matching rank, alongside two other cards. There are three different types of this hand. You can have a pair in your hole cards, and the third card is amongst the communal cards. This is the strongest three of a kind and it is called a Set. Another type is when there is a pair amongst the communal cards, and you have the third card. This is called Trips. The last type is when all three matching cards are amongst the communal cards. This last one is the worst, as any of the players can use the hand.

Here are some examples of three of a kind hands.

• 7 of Diamond, 7 of Hearts, 7 of Clubs, 8 of Clubs, Jack of Spades

There are three 7s in this hand, and the highest ranking card is a Jack

• 4 of Spades, 4 of Clubs, 4 of Hearts, 5 of Diamonds, 9 of Spades

The hand comprises three 4s and has a 9 high card

• 9 of Spades, 9 of Clubs, 9 of Diamonds, 10 of Hearts, Queen of Hearts 

There are three 9s and the high card is a Queen

• King of Spades, King of Diamonds, King of Clubs, Jack of Diamonds, 10 of Spades

There is a three of a kind in Kings, and the King is also the high card

• Jack of Hearts, Jack of Spades, Jack of Clubs, King of Diamonds, Ace of Hearts

The hand has three Jacks and the high card is an Ace

What Beats Three of a Kind?

The following hands can beat three of a kind.

1. Royal Flush
2. Straight Flush
3. Four of a Kind
4. Full House
5. Flush
6. Straight

Should two players both make three of a kind, then the winner is the player with the higher three of a kind. It is possible that both players have the same three matching cards. This can only happen if there are two of the three matching cards in the communal cards. Then, the players each have a matching card in their hole cards. If this is the case, then the player with the highest ranking card in their hand wins.

Otherwise, if one player has a pair and the third card is in the communal cards, then no other player can make the same three of a kind. Imagine you have 2 Kings and the third is in the communal cards. It is possible that another player also has a King, but there are only 4 in a deck, so they cannot have two. Therefore, they can only make a pair of Kings, whilst you have three of a kind.

Possibility of Forming Three of a Kind

There are 54,912 different three of a kind hands, and the odds of getting one are 46.33 to 1. In terms of probability, this is 2.11% which is extremely low. You are most likely to get a three of a kind hand after the flop is dealt. However, there is also an outsiders chance to make this hand on the turn or the river.

How to Optimise Your Three of a Kind Hand

It all depends on when you can form that three of a kind. If you get it nice and early, then you can start raising the pot confidently. The only thing is you will need to be wary of any potential straight or flush that may beat your hand.

Preflop

If you are dealt a pocket pair in the preflop, then your chances of making three of a kind are increased exponentially. A pocket pair is a good hand in itself, especially if it is a high ranking one. Anything from a pair of Jacks upwards is good to start your betting on the front foot. A pair of 7s through to 10s are considered medium-strength pairs. A pair of 2s-7s are not considered strong pairs, but if you can make three of a kind then this does not really matter, as you beat all one pair and two pair hands.

If you do not get a pocket pair in the preflop, then go only as far with your bets as you value your high cards.

Flop

Landing a three of a kind here is good, but with conditions. The most tricky is if you have a pocket pair that matches up with a communal card. If the other 2 communal cards give the possibility for a straight or a flush, then you need to observe your opponents carefully. They may start playing aggressively even if they do not have a flush or straight, but are a card short.

If the three of a kind is formed using 2 communal cards, you are better off. This is because there are at least 2 cards that are unsuited and not in a sequence. Therefore, players cannot have the straight or flush yet, and they will bank heavily on what is drawn next.

Turn

Carrying on from the last scenario, if you see that the next card can fit into a straight or flush, then be cautious. An opponent may make a sudden raise to throw you off.

If you did not have a three of a kind in the flop but only after the turn, it can work in your favour. Analyse what is on the table, and with your new three of a kind, you can start to raise the betting.

River and Showdown

After the last card is dealt, you will have the chance to get the best value for your three of a kind. Should you see no possible opposition, you can raise the bets in increments, forcing your opponents to increase the pot size. As mentioned before, if you have a Set, you are far better off than if you have Trips.

Best Case Scenario

The best Set you can land is a pocket pair of Aces, and then for another Ace to be drawn among the communal cards. The best Trips is if you have an Ace in the hole, and a pair of Aces are drawn in the communal cards. This opens the possibility of a draw – so the best second card to have in the hole is a King.

Worst Case Scenario

The worst three of a kind is when you have a Trips of 2s. It will beat a pair of Aces or even a two pair hand of Aces and Kings. Though it is the worst three of a kind hand, you can still do plenty of damage with a Trips of 2s.

Conclusion

This hand is probably one of the most tricky to play with. Just as much as it plays to your advantage, someone can still beat you. You are most likely to get outplayed by a straight or flush. Though it is mentioned a lot, these are the biggest dangers. Someone can beat you with a full house (three of a kind + one pair), and even with a four of a kind. But there is a small chance of a round bringing both a three of a kind and four of a kind. Therefore, play carefully and when you feel that your hand is unbeatable, raise big.