Four of a kind is four cards of the same rank plus one extra card, like Q♣ Q♦ Q♥ Q♠ 7♦. Players usually call it quads. It’s the third-best hand in poker, and only a straight flush or a royal flush beats it.
In Texas Hold’em you’ll make four of a kind about once every 595 times you see all seven cards. With a pocket pair, you’ll flop quads about 1 in 408 times.
When I coach students on quads, the question is never whether they’re good. It’s how to get paid, because a board that gives you four of a kind often scares everyone else away.
Poker hand rankings
What Beats Four of a Kind?
2 hands beat four of a kind (a royal flush and a straight flush). It ranks #3 of 10 and beats the 7 below it.
- #3 of 10Hand ranking
- 7Hand types it beats
- 1 in 595Texas Hold’em hands
- 1 in 4,165Five-card deals
- 1Royal FlushA, K, Q, J and 10 of one suitA♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥Beats four of a kindWhat beats 4 aces?
- 2Straight FlushFive cards in a row, all one suit9♠8♠7♠6♠5♠Beats four of a kindDoes a straight flush beat four of a kind?
- 3Four of a KindFour cards of the same rankQ♣Q♦Q♥Q♠7♦You’re here
- 4Full HouseThree of a kind plus a pairK♠K♦K♣4♥4♠Loses to four of a kindDoes four of a kind beat a full house?
- 5FlushAny five cards of one suitA♦J♦8♦6♦3♦Loses to four of a kind
- 6StraightFive cards in a row, mixed suits10♣9♦8♠7♥6♣Loses to four of a kind
- 7Three of a KindThree cards of the same rank7♠7♥7♦K♣2♠Loses to four of a kind
- 8Two PairTwo different pairsJ♥J♣5♦5♠A♣Loses to four of a kind
- 9One PairTwo cards of the same rank9♣9♥A♠Q♦4♣Loses to four of a kind
- 10High CardNo pair or better, highest card playsA♠J♦8♣5♥3♠Loses to four of a kind
Good to knowWhen two players have four of a kind, the higher four wins. If all four are on the board, the best fifth card decides the pot.
Four of a Kind Examples (What It Looks Like)
Any four cards of the same rank make four of a kind. The fifth card is the kicker.
- A♠ A♥ A♦ A♣ K♠ is four aces with a king kicker, the best quads possible
- Q♣ Q♦ Q♥ Q♠ 7♦ is four queens with a seven kicker
- 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ 9♣ 3♥ is four nines with a three kicker
- 2♠ 2♥ 2♦ 2♣ A♣ is four deuces with an ace kicker, the weakest quads
In Texas Hold’em there are two very different ways to get there. You can hold a pocket pair and find the other two on the board, or all four can land on the board for everyone to share.
Quads With a Pocket Pair
You hold 7♠ 7♥ and the board runs 7♦ K♣ 7♣ 2♠ J♥. Your four sevens are hidden, and nobody else at the table can have quads on that board. That’s the version that wins big pots.
It’s also one reason small pocket pairs earn a place in solid preflop ranges, even though they usually miss.
Quads on the Board
The board reads J♠ J♥ J♦ J♣ 5♠. Every player still in the hand has four jacks, so the fifth card decides everything. More on that in the next section.
Which Four of a Kind Wins?
When two players both have four of a kind, the higher four wins. Four kings beat four queens, and the kicker doesn’t matter at all.
That can happen in Texas Hold’em when the board shows two pairs. On K♠ K♥ 9♦ 9♣ 2♠, a player holding K♦ K♣ has four kings and beats a player holding 9♠ 9♥ with four nines.
If both players share the same quads, the kicker decides the pot.
| Board | Player A | Player B | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| J♠ J♥ J♦ J♣ 5♠ | A♦ 3♣ | K♥ Q♥ | Player A, the ace kicker plays |
| J♠ J♥ J♦ J♣ K♠ | Q♦ Q♣ | 8♥ 4♥ | Split pot, both play the king on board |
| J♠ J♥ J♦ J♣ K♠ | A♣ 2♦ | Q♦ Q♣ | Player A, the ace outranks the board king |
Here’s the rule I teach students. With quads on the board, you only win if you hold a card higher than the board’s fifth card. Anything else is a chop at best.
Four of a Kind Odds (How Often You’ll Make It)
Four of a kind is rare, but it’s far more common in Hold’em than in five-card games because you get seven cards to work with.
| Situation | Odds | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Five random cards (five-card draw, video poker deal) | 1 in 4,165 | 0.024% |
| Seven cards (Texas Hold’em, seeing the river) | 1 in 595 | 0.17% |
| Holding a pocket pair, flopping quads | 1 in 408 | 0.24% |
| Holding a pocket pair, making quads by the river | 1 in 122 | 0.82% |
| Flopped set, hitting quads on the turn | 1 in 47 | 2.1% |
| Flopped set, hitting quads by the river | 1 in 23.5 | 4.3% |
Every pocket pair has the same chance of flopping quads. Pocket deuces flop four of a kind exactly as often as pocket aces, they just win smaller pots against them.
These numbers are also a good reminder for hand reading. If you’re putting an opponent on quads every time the board pairs, you’re giving them a hand they almost never have. Count the poker combinations they could really hold before you fold.
How to Play Four of a Kind
Quads are nearly always the nuts. Your job is to choose between fast-playing and slow-playing based on what your opponent is likely to hold.
Play Fast When They Have a Full House
The best spot for quads is a double-paired board where you hold the lower pair. On K♠ K♥ 9♦ 9♣ with 9♠ 9♥ in your hand, any opponent with a king has a full house and will put a lot of money in.
In that spot, bet and raise every street. A player with kings full won’t fold, so give them every chance to pay.
Slow Down When They Have Nothing
On a dry board like 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ 2♣ with the last seven in your hand, there’s not much your opponent can have. Big bets fold out everything.
Here I’d check or bet small to give them a chance to bluff or pick up a pair. Let the hand develop, then build the pot on the river when they finally have something to call with.
Use Your Stack Depth
How fast you play quads also depends on how much money is behind. With a low stack-to-pot ratio, you don’t need to rush, because one or two bets will get the stacks in anyway.
With deep stacks, you need to start building the pot earlier. Waiting until the river with 200 big blinds behind usually means winning a fraction of what you could have.
Don’t Make These Four of a Kind Mistakes
Slow-Playing Against an Obvious Strong Hand
If the board is paired and your opponent is raising, they likely have trips or a full house. That’s when you want chips in fast. Calling down and hoping they bet the river costs you value they’d have given you earlier.
Underplaying a Winning Kicker on Board Quads
When four of a kind is on the board, everyone has it and the kicker is the whole hand. I see players with an ace check the river timidly against someone who has a worse kicker and would call a bet.
If you hold the best possible kicker, you have the nuts. Bet it like the nuts.
Giving Opponents Credit for Quads Too Often
A paired board doesn’t mean someone has four of a kind. Most of the time they have trips, a full house, or nothing. Think about their poker ranges, not the scariest hand you can imagine.
Four of a Kind FAQ
What does it mean to have four of a kind?
It means four of your five best cards share the same rank, like four queens. The fifth card is called the kicker.
What is 4 of a kind called in poker?
Most players call it quads. Four aces are often called quad aces, and four kings quad kings.
What beats four of a kind?
Only a straight flush, a royal flush or a higher four of a kind. See what beats 4 aces in poker for how that plays out with the best quads possible.
How do you play 4 of a kind?
Focus on value. Play fast when your opponent likely has a full house or trips, and slow down on dry boards where they have little to call with.
Does the kicker matter with four of a kind?
Only when both players share the same quads, which in Hold’em means all four are on the board. Then the highest fifth card wins, and if it’s on the board, the pot is split.
Does anything beat 5 of a kind?
Five of a kind only exists in wild card games, where it usually ranks as the top hand. Standard poker with a 52-card deck doesn’t have it, so always check the house rules first.
How often will you get four of a kind?
About 1 in 595 times in Texas Hold’em if you see all seven cards. With a pocket pair, you’ll make quads by the river about 1 in 122 times.
