Three of a Kind

Many studies in psychology have dealt with the relationship between thought and language. One generally accepted conclusion from these studies is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to think about something for which there is no word in your vocabulary or language. Supposedly, Eskimos have 20 different words for snow. This enables them to think about a variety of types of snow, and to develop strategies for dealing with them. Those of us who live in Las Vegas don’t have a lot of words for snow, because we seldom have to deal with it.

Beginning players who have just learned the hand rankings know that three of a kind is better than two pair and worse than a straight. They also learn that if two players have three of a kind, the higher three of a kind beats the lower one. Players who play draw or stud poker don’t need to know anything more. These players often refer to three of a kind as trips.

Players who play hold’em or Omaha often refer to three of a kind as a set. There is an important distinction that they should learn to make. Three of a kind can occur in two different ways. To enable us to distinguish the two variations, let’s make a slight refinement to the definitions. When there is a pair on the board and you have a matching card, you have trips. For example, if the flop is 7♠ 4♥ 4♦ and you have a 4 with any other card except a 7, you have trips. When there is no pair on the board and you have a pocket pair that matches one of the cards on the board, you have a set. For example, if the flop is 7♠ 4♥ 2♦ and you have two fours, you have a set. In both cases, you have three of a kind, but there is a big difference. Many inexperienced players fail to realize how much difference there is between trips and a set, and may even refer to them both by using the same term. (I am not the first person to emphasize the difference between trips and sets, but many players are still not exactly clear on the implications of this difference.)

Is there really much difference? After all, aren’t trips and a set both three of a kind? To see how huge the difference is, let’s examine specific cases to see how many hands could be ahead of your hand if you were in the big blind in an unraised pot. You have gotten to see the flop for free. Your hand is the 4♠ 4♦, and the flop is 7♠ 4♥ 2♦, so you have flopped middle set. The only hands that are ahead of you are those that make top set: 7♥ 7♦, 7♥ 7♣, or 7♦ 7♣. Only three possible hands are ahead of your three fours. Let’s trade the 4♦ and 2♦. Now, you have the 4♠ 2♦, and the flop is 7♠ 4♥ 4♦, so you have flopped middle trips. The three hands composed of a pair of sevens are still ahead of you. Now, you also are behind all of the hands that have the 4♣ combined with any card higher than a deuce. There are 43 of these hands, and three more hands that tie yours. Your middle trips are behind 14 times as many hands as your middle set. Now that’s a lot worse!

In a way, I was unfair to the trips. I gave them the worst possible kicker. I also counted some hands that your opponents would never play, like 8-4 offsuit. In real life, the trips may be only four or five times as likely to be behind. But being behind is not the only problem with trips. When there is a pair on the board, it is much tougher to win a lot of chips. Your opponents see the pair. Somebody with a big pair, A-7, or even 6-5 may lose a lot on a flop like 7-4-2. That same player will be a lot more careful when the board is 7-4-4. If the stacks are deep, it is going to be almost impossible to get him to commit his whole stack.

In summary, sets are much better than trips. They are less likely to lose, and more likely to win a significant pot. If you flop trips and your opponent doesn’t seem worried, you would do well to start worrying a little yourself, especially if your kicker is low. ♠

Steve “Zee” Zolotow, aka The Bald Eagle, is a successful games player. He currently devotes most of his time to poker. He can be found at many major tournaments and playing on Full Tilt, as one of its pros. When escaping from poker, he hangs out in his bars on Avenue A — Nice Guy Eddie’s at Houston and Doc Holliday’s at 9th Street — in New York City.