A three of a kind in poker is exactly what the name suggests: a poker hand that contains three cards of the exact same rank, accompanied by two unrelated side cards (kickers).
Ranking 7th in the official Texas Hold'em poker hand rankings list, this hand is considered a strong holding. While it is not a premium hand like a Flush or Full House, it is not easy to get and can often be the absolute best possible hand on boards where there are no obvious draw completions.
Here are a couple of examples of valid Three of a Kind poker hands:
- K♠ K♥ K♦ J♣ 3♠ (Three Kings)
- Q♣ Q♠ Q♥ 7♦ 2♣ (Three Queens)
- 8♦ 8♣ 8♠ A♥ 5♠ (Three Eights)
- 2♥ 2♦ 2♣ 9♠ 6♥ (Three Deuces)
The card rank of the three matching cards determines the absolute value of your hand. For example, J-J-J-5-4 is much stronger than T-T-T-A-K.
However, if both players have the same denomination of Three of a Kind (which usually happens when the trips are on the community board), you have to look at the kicker. The player who has the highest side card takes down the pot. For example, J-J-J-A-6 is better than J-J-J-K-Q because the Ace kicker outranks the King.
Three of a Kind Odds and Probabilities
Three of a kind is a more common poker hand than its stronger rivals, so you will have better odds of hitting it. Here are the most important probabilities to remember:
- The odds of hitting a Three of a Kind is 2.11% with any random poker hand.
- The odds of flopping a Three of a Kind is 10.8% when you have a pocket pair as a starting hand (flopping a Set).
- The probability of flopping it with an unpaired starting hand is only 1.35% (flopping Trips).
- You have a 4.2% chance to improve a One Pair hand to a Three of a Kind from the flop to the turn.
- The probability of improving your One Pair hand to Three of a Kind from the flop to the river is 8.4%.
Because you have the best odds to hit a Three of a Kind when you hold a pocket pair, these starting hands are quite valuable and profitable to play.
What is the difference between Trips and Sets?
While both “Trips” and “Sets” have the exact same mathematical value and both rank as a Three of a Kind, they differ entirely by the way they are made:
- Trips: This is a hand you make using one of your hole cards and a pair on the board. For example, when you hold A-K, and the flop comes K-K-5, you have “trip Kings”.
- Set: This is a much more disguised (and profitable) poker hand where you hit Three of a Kind by holding a pocket pair in your starting hand and finding a third matching card on the board. For example, if you hold 6-6 and the board comes K-9-6, you have a “set of sixes”.
What beats Three of a Kind in poker?
Since Three of a Kind only ranks 7th in the hand strength list, there are quite a few premium poker hands that beat it. It loses to a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, 4 of a Kind, Full House, Flush, and Straight beats Three of a Kind.
What can a Three of a Kind beat?
A Three of a Kind beats all the lower-ranking hands. It is stronger than:
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