Poker is a rather complex game. It has many betting rounds in a single game, many types of hands that can be played, various denominations of Poker chips, and the progressively increasing complexity of the game do not help. But the single biggest thing new players struggle to get a hold of is the Poker hand ranking. Not only is a player required to remember the hand rankings, but they also need to understand what they are and what they can turn into. So today, we will tackle the sixth one on the list of Poker hand rankings — Three-of-a-kind.
How many Poker Chips Constitute Three-of-a-kind Worth?
A Three-of-a-kind looks exactly what it sounds like — three cards of the same rank or denomination. Thus, the name makes it extremely easy to recognise.
However, confusion arises when players need to distinguish between Sets and Trips, which are both types of Three-of-a-kind hands. A set is created when the player has a pair in their hand that matches with a card on the board. For example, if you have a pair of 6’s in your hand and there’s a 6 on the board, then it’s called a Set.
A Trip, on the other hand, is made when the pair is on the board and you hold the third one in your hand. So if there are two 10’s on the board and you have one in your hand, then it’s called a Trip.
It is said that Sets win money and Trips lose money since they are exposed and apparent to other players. Thus, if you have a Trip, don’t feel too confident about your Poker chips on the table.
How is a Three-of-a-kind Hand Ranked?
In a standard 52-card deck, there are a whopping 54,912 possible Three-of-a-kind combinations along with 858 distinct ranks the Three-of-a-kind hands. When comparing two Three-of-a-kind hands, the hand rank or the denomination is considered.
The Three-of-a-kind of Aces is the highest in the rank, which means whether it’s a Set or a Trip, your Poker chips are safe against other Three-of-a-kinds. If the Three-of-a-kind hands being compared are of the same rank, then, the kickers come into play.
How Good is a Three-of-a-kind Hand?
In the Poker hand ranking system, Three-of-a-kind is the 6th possible hand. The straight ranks directly above it and there are only three cards hands that rank beneath it. In the sequence, Three-of-a-kind ranks just above the Two Pair.
It has various probabilities in the different phases of the game. While you may be feeling confident with your Poker chips during the Flop, your chances of winning only drop after that phase. In the final River phase, it’s probability increases again, but this time very slightly.