Four Of A Kind Poker
The odds of flopping Four of a Kind or better with a pocket pair is 0.24% or 1 in 416. Definition of Four of a Kind (also known as Quads) –. We hold four cards of equal rank. Example – AdAhAsAcKh Four of a Kind Aces is the strongest Four of a Kind hand in poker and is also referred to as “Quad Aces”. A Straight Flush is the best poker hand category, and the Royal Flush serves as an Ace-high Straight Flush. One rung beneath that is Four of a Kind. This poker hand. Four of a Kind Four of a Kind is one of the best poker hands that you can get. As the name implies, it is made out of four cards of the same kind, or rank. It is also called 'quads'. What Does It Mean in Poker? A hand comprised of four cards with the same value, or rank, and different suits. In Texas Hold’em, for example, you would have four-of-a-kind if you held 2♠2♣ and the board came 2♥5♣2♦J♦T♥. Also commonly referred to as “ quads.”.
Non-standard poker hands are hands which are not recognized by official poker rules but are made by house rules. Non-standard hands usually appear in games using wild cards or bugs. Other terms for nonstandard hands are special hands or freak hands. Because the hands are defined by house rules, the composition and ranking of these hands is subject to variation. Any player participating in a game with non-standard hands should be sure to determine the exact rules of the game before play begins.
Types[edit]
The usual hierarchy of poker hands from highest to lowest runs as follows (standard poker hands are in italics):
- Royal Flush: SeeStraight Flush.
- Skeet flush: The same cards as a skeet (see below) but all in the same suit.
- Straight flush: The highest straight flush, A-K-Q-J-10 suited, is also called a royal flush. When wild cards are used, a wild card becomes whichever card is necessary to complete the straight flush, or the higher of the two cards that can complete an open-ended straight flush. For example, in the hand 10♠ 9♠ (Wild) 7♠ 6♠, it becomes the 8♠, and in the hand (Wild) Q♦ J♦ 10♦ 9♦, it plays as the K♦ (even though the 8♦ would also make a straight flush).
- Four of a kind: Between two equal sets of four of a kind (possible in wild card and community card poker games or with multiple or extended decks), the kicker determines the winner.
- Big bobtail: A four card straight flush (four cards of the same suit in consecutive order).
- Flush: When wild cards are used, a wild card contained in a flush is considered to be of the highest rank not already present in the hand. For example, in the hand (Wild) 10♥ 8♥ 5♥ 4♥, the wild card plays as the A♥, but in the hand A♣ K♣ (Wild) 9♣ 6♣, it plays as the Q♣. (As noted above, if a wild card would complete a straight flush, it will play as the card that would make the highest possible hand.) A variation is the double-ace flush rule, in which a wild card in a flush always plays as an ace, even if one is already present (unless the wild card would complete a straight flush). In such a game, the hand A♠ (Wild) 9♠ 5♠ 2♠ would defeat A♦ K♦ Q♦ 10♦ 8♦ (the wild card playing as an imaginary second A♠), whereas by the standard rules it would lose (because even with the wild card playing as a K♠, the latter hand's Q♦ outranks the former's 9♠).
- Straight Flush House: Same as Flush House (see below), but all cards are in consecutive order.
- Big cat: See cats and dogs below.
- Little cat: See cats and dogs below.
- Big dog: See cats and dogs below.
- Little dog: See cats and dogs below.
- Straight: When wild cards are used, the wild card becomes whichever rank is necessary to complete the straight. If two different ranks would complete a straight, it becomes the higher. For example, in the hand J♦ 10♠ 9♣ (Wild) 7♠, the wild card plays as an 8 (of any suit; it doesn't matter). In the hand (Wild) 6♥ 5♦ 4♥ 3♦, it plays as a 7 (even though a 2 would also make a straight).
- Wrap-around straight: Also called a round-the-corner straight, consecutive cards including an ace which counts as both the high and low card. (Example Q-K-A-2-3).
- Skip straight: Also called alternate straight, Dutch straight, skipper, or kangaroo straight, Cards are in consecutive order, skipping every second rank (example 3-5-7-9-J).
- Five and dime: 5-low, 10-high, with no pair (example 5-6-7-8-10).[1]
- Skeet: Also called pelter or bracket, a hand with a deuce (2), a 5, and a 9, plus two other un-paired cards lower than 9 (example 2-4-5-6-9).[2]
- Little bobtail: A three card straight flush (three cards of the same suit in consecutive order).
- Flash: One card of each suit plus a joker.
- Blaze: Also called blazer, all cards are jacks, queens, and/or kings.
- Bobtail flush: Also called four flush, Four cards of the same suit.
- Flush house: Three cards of one suit and two cards of another.
- Bobtail straight: Also called four straight, four cards in consecutive order.
Some poker games are played with a deck that has been stripped of certain cards, usually low-ranking ones. For example, the Australian game of Manila uses a 32-card deck in which all cards below the rank of 7 are removed, and Mexican Stud removes the 8s, 9s, and 10s. In both of these games, a flush ranks above a full house, because having fewer cards of each suit available makes full houses more common.
Cats and dogs[edit]
'Cats' (or 'tigers') and 'dogs' are types of no-pair hands defined by their highest and lowest cards. The remaining three cards are kickers. Dogs and cats rank above straights and below Straight Flush houses. Usually, when cats and dogs are played, they are the only unconventional hands allowed.
- Little dog: Seven high, two low (for example, 7-6-4-3-2). It ranks just above a straight, and below a Straight Flush House or any other cat or dog. In standard poker seven high is the lowest hand possible.
- Big dog: Ace high, nine low (for example, A-K-J-10-9). Ranks above a straight or little dog, and below a Straight Flush House or cat.
- Little cat (or little tiger): Eight high, three low. Ranks above a straight or any dog, but below a Straight Flush House or big cat.
- Big cat (or big tiger): King high, eight low. It ranks just below a Straight Flush House, and above a straight or any other cat or dog.
Some play that dog or cat flushes beat a straight flush, under the reasoning that a plain dog or cat beats a plain straight. This makes the big cat flush the highest hand in the game.
Kilters[edit]
A Kilter, also called Kelter, is a generic term for a number of different non-standard hands. Depending on house rules, a Kilter may be a Skeet, a Little Cat, a Skip Straight, or some variation of one of these hands.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^1897-1985, Gibson, Walter B. (Walter Brown) (2013-10-23). Hoyle's modern encyclopedia of card games : rules of all the basic games and popular variations. ISBN978-0307486097. OCLC860901380.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- ^Stevens, Michael (November 3, 2018). '15 Poker Hand Names That Will Make You Smile (And Where Those Names Came From)'. gamblingsites.org. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
Poker hands can be ranked in strength from the weakest hand, seven high, to the strongest, a royal flush. Near the top of these rankings, just below a royal flush, and above a full house, is four of a kind, which is also known as “quads.” There are thirteen different cards in the deck for each of the four suits, making thirteen different possible ways to make quads. The four of a kind hands are ranked in strength from quad deuces at the bottom to quad aces at the top.
Quads is a rare and powerful hand to make. When you make quads, you will almost always win the pot regardless of what your opponents make. It is rare enough to hold quads that your opponent may not give you credit when you represent it, especially if they themselves are holding a strong hand, like a full house. If you make quads at the same time that one or more of your opponents also has a strong holding, you may win a very large pot. If you sense that your opponent has a strong holding when you have quads, you probably shouldn’t slowplay the hand, or get too fancy with the betting, or you will likely miss an opportunity to get as many bets as possible into the pot. Save your slowplays for times when it will be harder to get paid off, because you need your opponent to catch up.
On rare occasions, when you have made quads, your opponent may also make a stronger four of a kind or a straight flush. Because it is so rare to lose with quads, this is referred to as a “bad beat.” This can be a wonderful thing, because if the poker room you are playing in offers a bad beat jackpot, this type of bad beat may trigger it, if other conditions are also met. If you take a bad beat which triggers the bad beat jackpot, you stand to win a substantial amount of money, often several thousand dollars. For this reason, poker jackpots have become very popular among players, especially those who have been fortunate enough to participate in them.
In addition to bad beat jackpot, poker rooms frequently offer other promotions which incentivize play. One frequently used promotion id the Monte Carlo board. The Monte Carlo board usually posts every way to make quads and every way to make a straight flush. Next to each possible hand, a corresponding cash bonus is listed. If you make quads or a straight flush, you win the amount posted next to your hand. Each amount is progressive and will increase daily until capped or hit, at which point it will be reset at the minimum amount. Because of statistical variations, some Monte Carlo board hands will go long periods without being hit, while other may hit multiple times in the same day. This promotion can be offered in lieu of a bad beat jackpot or in addition to it, but the funding for it is typically player generated, and taken from the jackpot drop.
Usage: Made Quads, Hit Quad Aces On The River, Quads Over Quads
Previous Poker Term: Protect