Explanation of Three of a kind
We form three of a kind when our hand contains three cards with the same rank.
Board: T♠T♣5♦
Hand 1: K♦T♥
Hand 2: A♦T♦
In the earlier illustration, both hand 1 and hand 2 consist of three of a kind Tens. If three of a kind results from using just one of our hole cards, it is commonly referred to as 'trips'.
In the situation where both players hold the same rank of three of a kind , the outcome is decided by the kicker. Hand 1 shows trip Tens combined with a King kicker, whereas hand 2 displays trip Tens with an Ace kicker. As a result, Hand 2 is victorious due to the higher kicker.
Board: T♠9♣5♦
Hand 1: 9♦9♥
Hand 2: 5♣5♥
Again, both players possess three of a kind . When three of a kind is formed using a pocket pair, it is often known as a 'set'. If players create three of a kind with varying ranks, the player with the highest rank wins the pot.
Board: ThTsTd4c5c
Hand 1: AdQd
Hand 2: AhKh
In this scenario, both players achieve trips using only the board cards. Since neither player’s hole cards contribute to the formation of three of a kind , these hands are often informally labeled as 'Ace high'. Technically, both hands consist of three of a kind Tens with an Ace kicker. Initially, it might seem like these hands would tie, but remember, we must use five cards to create a full hand, allowing us to include a second kicker for a tiebreaker. Hand 1 has trip Tens with an Ace and a Queen kicker, while hand 2 contains trip Tens with an Ace and a King kicker. Thus, Hand 2 takes the pot because of the stronger second kicker.
Example of Three of a Kind used in a sentence -> Three of a kind created from a pocket pair is usually called a 'set'.
Incorporating Three of a kind into Your Poker Strategy
In Hold'em, distinguishing between 'trips' and 'sets' is crucial. Trips occur when only one of our hole cards is used to create the three-of-a-kind of our hand. In contrast, a set involves forming three of a kind with a pocket pair from our hole cards.
While three of a kind is generally a strong hand in Hold’em, sets tend to be even more formidable than trips for several reasons.
a) Sets maintain a level of concealment, whereas the existence of two identical rank cards on the board often reveals that a player may have trips.
b) Holding a top set usually means we have the best possible hand on many board textures. Conversely, with top trips, we risk facing a full house formed by an opponent’s pocket pair.
c) There are typically concerns regarding kickers when holding trips, but this consideration is not as significant when we have a set.
In many situations, having a set is sufficiently powerful to justify committing chips post-flop when participating in 100bb cash games. That said, there are exceptions, especially on boards that hint at possible straights or flushes. Not all sets warrant an all-in for 100bb.
When holding trips, it’s essential to approach with more caution, and our decision to commit fully will often depend on the quality of our kicker.
While sets are relatively strong in Pot Limit Omaha, their strength does not match that in Hold’em. Special care is advised with bottom and middle sets, as these can lead novice PLO players into tricky situations. Such hands often lack strength for committing 100bb, particularly when there are no relevant redraws.
See Also
High Hand , Two Pair , Trips , Set , Straight , Flush , Full House , Quads , Straight Flush , Royal Flush , Hold’em , Omaha , Cash Game , Effective Stacks