A three of a kind in poker is a hand consisting of three cards of the same ranking and any two other unpaired cards.
In Texas Hold’em, there is an important differentiation between a three of a kind made using a pocket pair, which is known as a set, and the one made using two community cards, which is usually referred to as trips.
| Poker Hand | Explanation | Example |
| #1. Royal Flush | Five highest cards of the same suit | AcKcQcJcTc |
| #2. Straight Flush | Any five consecutive cards of the same suit | JcTc9c8c7c |
| #3. Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank | 4c4s4d4hJc |
| #4. Full House | Three cards of one rank + two cards of another rank | 3c3s3d7h7c |
| #5. Flush | Five cards of the same suit | KdJd7d5d3d |
| #6. Straight | Five consecutive cards in different suits | 6s5s4d3d2h |
| #7. Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank | 7c7h7d2hJ2 |
| #8. Two Pairs | Two cards of one rank + two cards of another rank | QcQs2c2hJs |
| #9. One Pair | Two cards of the same rank | 8h8sAcKs5d |
| #10. High Card | Any other hand | AcQdJs4h3c |
Examples of a Three of a Kind Poker Hand
Three cards of the exact same ranking coupled with any two other unmatched cards constitute a three of a kind. Here are a few examples:
- Ks Kd Kc Ah 5d – three of a kind, Kings
- Js Jc Jd Qs 8c – three of a kind, Jacks
- 9h 9d 9s Js Th – three of a kind, Nines
- 5h 5s 5d 9s 7d – three of a kind, Fives
In community card poker variations, two players can have the same three of a kind hand.
When this happens, the remaining two cards, known as kickers, are used to determine the winner. More precisely, the player holding the highest kicker card of the remaining four cards will win the pot.
For example, if one player has 5s 5c 5h 8s Td and the other player has 5s 5c 5d 2c Qh, the latter player wins because the Qh is the highest kicker. If the first kicker is of the same ranking, the second card is compared.
What Beats Three of a Kind in Poker?
A three of a kind is a decently strong poker hand that beats all high card, one pair, and two pairs combinations.
However, compared to all possible combinations, a three of a kind is only the seventh-strongest hand, as it loses to all straights, flushes, full houses, four of a kind combos, straight flushes, and Royal Flushes.
When two players have a three of a kind, the player holding the higher-ranking three cards wins the pot. For example, three of a kind, Nines beats three of a kind, Sixes.
Three of a Kind Probabilities
There are two ways you can make three of a kind in Texas Hold’em. You can do it by combining your pocket pair with one of the community cards, or you can use one of your hole cards with two community cards of the same ranking to make the trips.
The table below shows the odds of making three of a kind on different streets when starting with a pocket pair and an unpaired hand.
| Flop | From flop to turn | From turn to river | |
| Pocket pair | 10.8% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
| Unpaired hand | 1.35% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
Here are a few more interesting facts about three of a kind hand in poker:
- When you start with AKo specifically, your odds of flopping a three of a kind or better are 1.78%
- When you hold a pair, you have a 20.3% chance to improve to a three of a kind or better by the river
- With T9s, your odds of flopping a three of a kind or better are 3.58%
How to Play Three of a Kind in Poker?
Although three of a kind can be a powerful hand that can win you big pots, it’s important to understand when you need to be careful with this particular combination and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Generally speaking, sets (three of a kind made with a pocket pair) are much stronger than trips made using two community cards. These hands are better disguised and will allow you to extract value from your opponents, which is why set mining is a good strategy when playing with deep stacks.
You should be careful playing three of a kind with boards with three cards to a straight or a flush, especially if other players seem eager to put chips into the pot. While trips are a decently strong hand, they’re by no means unbeatable, and you have to be very aware of the board texture in big pots.