What is Three Of A Kind in Poker and How Does This Hand Rank?

The three of a kind poker hand is not uncommon, and can be a strong hand depending on the position you are occupying at the table. If you are in the button position, then you can bet aggressively with this hand after the flop.

Having a high pair pre-flop and then getting trips after the flop puts a player in a strong position. In this guide, we’ll discuss the strategy of playing this hand and explain which hands it beats and which hands are stronger. You will also learn about probabilities and how to play the hand in certain situations.

What Does Three Of A Kind Look Like in Poker?

Poker Three Of A Kind

3 of a kind cards are exactly what the name implies: three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated cards. There are 242 possible 3-of-a-kind hands in a 52-card deck.

What are the Odds and Probability of 3 of a Kind in Poker?

In basic terms, odds are the chance of something happening, while probability represents its likelihood. The probability of getting a poker three-of-a-kind hand when playing online poker or live at a casino is 2.11% or 1 in 47.

Where Does a Three Of A Kind Rank in the Poker Hand Ratings Chart?

Good knowledge of poker hand hierarchy helps you know when to hold or fold. The 3-of-a-kind poker hand ranks seventh on the poker hand rankings chart.

What Does a Three-of-a-kind Beat in Poker?

Ranking seventh, the 3-of-a-kind poker hand is lower in the pecking order of poker hands when playing Texas Hold’em and Omaha Poker.

Three Of A Kind Beats the Following Poker Hands

Three of a Kind beats two pairs and one pair, but does it beat the high card hand in poker?

❌ This hand does not beat a Royal Flush
❌ This hand does not beat a Straight Flush
❌ This hand does not beat Four Of A Kind
❌ This hand does not beat a Full House
❌ This hand does not beat a Flush
❌ This hand does not beat a Straight
✔️ This hand beats Two Pairs
✔️ This hand beats One Pair
✔️ This hand beats a High Card

Does Three Of A Kind Beat A Royal Flush in Poker?

This Hand Does Not Beat A Royal Flush

Of course not. A royal flush is the unbeatable hand, with odds of 649,739 to 1. Compare this with 47 to 1 for three-of-a-kind in poker.

Does 3 Of A Kind Beat a Straight Flush?

This Hand Does Not Beat A Straight Flush

Again, no. A three-of-a-kind cannot beat a straight flush in poker. Just consider the odds. You can expect to get a straight flush once in 72,193 hands.

Does Three Of A Kind Beat Four Of A Kind?

This Hand Does Not Beat Four Of A Kind

No, Four of a Kind is a much stronger poker hand. Just look at the 3 of a kind examples and odds and probabilities, and you will see why. As mentioned earlier, the odds of getting three of a kind in a 52-card deck are 1 in 47 hands, compared to 1 in 4,164 for four of a kind.

Does 3 Of A Kind Beat a Full House?

This Hand Does Not Beat A Full House

Not a chance. Three-of-a-kind poker hands cannot beat a full house, which is made up of 3 of a kind and a pair. With odds of one in 695 hands, a full house is a higher-ranking poker hand.

Does a Three Of A Kind Beat a Flush?

This Poker Hand Cannot Beat A Flush

No. Three-of-a-kind does not beat a flush in poker. Again, considering 3-of-a-kind probability, it’s easy to see that at 1in 509 hands, a flush is rarer than three-of-a-kind.

Does a 3 Of A Kind Beat a Straight?

3 Of A Kind Does Not Beat A Straight

What beats three-of-a-kind in poker? A straight with odds of 1 in 254 hands. While 3 of a kind is a good hand, it cannot beat a straight in poker.

What Other Hands Do Three Of A Kind Poker Hands Beat?

You have learned what a three-of-a-kind is in poker and what beats it. Let’s now look at what falls to this hand. Here, we refer to two pairs, one pair, and the high card.

  • Two Pairs – A poker hand with two different pairs and a fifth unrelated card
  • One Pair – This hand has one pair and three unrelated cards
  • High Card – This just represents the highest-ranking card according to poker ranking rules. It’s useful when no one at the table has any of the hands listed in this guide or you are playing a bluff.

Who Wins if Both Players Have a 3 Of A Kind?

In this situation, the player with the highest-ranking three related cards wins. Let’s consider an example where one player has AAA84 and another KKKQJ. Aces trump kings, so the first hand wins.

What is the Difference Between a set and vs Trips?

Our iGaming expert, Djordje Bogdanovic, explains the difference.

Djordje Bogdanovic
iGaming Writer
Trips and Sets
Trips and sets are both 3 of a kind examples, but differ in how the hands are constructed. A set is a pocket pair plus one same-ranking community card, while trips can be constructed with one card from your hand and two same-rank community cards. Set – Get K, K, and then combine with another K from the community cards. Trips – You have J, K in your hand, and then get J, J, and 4 from the community cards

What Are The Odds Of Hitting Trips With Any Pocket Pair?

The odds of hitting trips in poker with any pocket pair are 0%. Trips can only be constructed when you are not starting with a pocket pair.

However, you can hit a set on the flop when you start with a pocket pair, and the odds of that scenario playing out are 11.8%

3 Of A Kind ProbabilityPocket AcesPocket Aces, Kings, Queens, or JacksAny other pocket pair
Pre Flop Odds0%0%0%
Post Flop Odds11.8%11.8%11.8%
After The Turn Odds15.64%15.64%15.64%
After The River Odds19.31%19.31%19.31%

What is the Best Site to Learn Poker Hands?

CoinPoker is an excellent choice for new players learning poker. It includes various guides and learning materials on poker topics, such as card ranking and playing strategies. These guides make learning easy because they are prepared by experts with beginners in mind.

Conclusion

This guide is a fantastic starting point for new players learning about this hand in poker and the intricacies of the 3 of a kind poker hand. We have covered what the three-of-a-kind hand is and how to identify it. We have also looked at the different hands that beat 3-of-a-kind and their probabilities.

In addition, you will now have learned information like:

  • What is 3 of a kind in poker? – 3 of a kind is a hand that has three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated cards
  • Probability of 3 of a kind – The probability of getting a poker 3-of-a-kind hand is 2.11%, or 1 in 47, so now you understand the odds.
  • What is stronger between a 3 of a kind and a pair? You now know that this hand is the seventh strongest poker hand and will always beat a pair
  • Odds of hitting trips on flop – You now understand the difference between trips and a set, which are both three-of-a-kind poker hands.
  • What beats 3 of a kind in poker? – Royal flush, straight flush, four-of-a-kind, full house, flush, and a straight will beat a 3-of-a-kind in a showdown, as you have now learned from this guide

But this is just the beginning. We have guides covering more advanced poker topics below, and also make sure to check out our page about famous poker players; you are sure to pick up some more solid training on that page.

Related Poker Guides

Three-of-a-Kind FAQs

Does 3 Of A Kind beat three pairs in poker?

What are the odds of hitting trips on the flop?

What are some 3-of-a-kind examples?

How should you play a Three-of-a-kind poker hand in Omaha poker tournaments?

What is the best site for learning how to play poker?

What is the difference between a set and trips?

Responsible Gambling

One of the best ways to protect yourself when playing online is to educate yourself about responsible gambling. Several resources are available, but we have listed some of the most popular ones here to help you get started.

National Council on Problem Gambling
Responsible Gambling Council
American Gaming Association Responsible Gambling

References

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Djordje Bogdanovic
iGaming Writer

Djordje is your go-to guru in the iGaming world. He’s an English language major with over six years of digging deep into casino news and sports betting secrets. Djordje has a unique talent for uncovering the juicy details that other writers might miss, making his insights invaluable. When he's not unveiling the latest industry scoops, you might find him playing Hold’em with his friends on a Saturday night.