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Every poker player has probably imagined winning a game with a royal flush, but this does not happen that often. In fact, the truth is the opposite, as it is frequently that lower-ranking hands such as full house win the pot.
It occurs because the number of poker hand variants is limited, and the more players play, the less likely it is that you’ll get a royal or a straight flush. But it is important to know how the hands rank, and if you wish to delve deeper, learn the probability of the separate poker hands. Our experts discuss the full house, the middle-to-high strength winning hand that uses all five cards in a poker hand.
- Full house ranks as the fourth strongest poker hand.
- The odds of getting a full house are about 1 in 693 hands.
- When two players have a full house, the winner is the player whose first three cards ranked stronger.
- The strongest full house hand consists of Aces full of Kings.
What Is a Full House Poker Hand?
A full house poker hand consists of three cards in one rank and two cards in another rank. The full house is also known as the boat or full boat. If you have a poker hand-off, let’s say, 4-4-4-10-10, you have “fours over tens” – there are three 4s in your hand and two 10s. If you have 10-10-10-4-4, then it is the opposite, or “tens over fours.”
You can get a full house hand in various ways, depending on the poker variant you play. In Texas Hold ‘em, you can be dealt a pair of cards as your hole cards and use three of the community cards. In another case, you can use your pair of cards and pick up the third card and the pair from the community cards.
Or you can have one of your hole cards meeting with the rest of the community cards. There is another way to get a full house, and that is for the dealer to deal the five community cards as a full house. This case is called playing the board, and this situation usually ends poorly, especially if you have very poor hole cards.
How Does a Full House Hand Rank?
The strength of a full house hand is primarily ranked by the value of its three-of-a-kind, and after that, the ranking of its pair is considered. Said plainly, the higher ranking three-of-a-kind wins, but if these cards are the same, then it’s the turn of the pair’s rank to proclaim the winner.
For example, if you get a hand consisting of a K♠ K♦ K♣ 8♦ 8♥, and another player’s holds J♥ J♣ J♠ 10♦ 10A♠, you win because Kings are stronger than Jacks. The strongest full house hand you can get is A-A-A-K-K, or aces over kings, or aces full, as poker players refer to it.
Odds of Getting a Full House
Because there are only 52 cards in 4 suits in the deck, there is a limited number of full house combinations or 3,744 possible combinations. The probability of hitting a full house varies in different poker varieties; in seven-card poker games like Texas Hold ‘em poker or Seven Stud, it is about 0.1441%, and the odds are 693 to 1.
This mathematical breakdown of the probability shows how rare it is to obtain a full house in poker. Signaling that it’s necessary to implement a strategic approach when playing poker and having a dose of luck.
| Full House Probabilities in Texas Hold’em | |
|---|---|
| Pre-Flop | 0.14% |
| Flop | 0.09% |
| Turn | 12.77% |
| River | 19.57% |
Credit: 20Bet
How to Play a Full House Hand
Here are a few tips to boost the potential of a full house hand:
- Full House is a strong combination, allowing you to place aggressive bets and pressure weaker hands to fold. However, do not get too aggressive, only if the circumstances permit.
- Do not ignore the possibility of an opponent holding a higher-value hand and beating you. Play the field with caution.
- Be patient when playing your full house hand, and try to force opponents to make aggressive bets. That way, you will trick them into adding more money to the bank.
- Use poker training apps to master advanced poker theory and strategies when playing with a full house hand. Technology enables you to attain more expertise.
- Control your emotions, and do not overestimate your poker positions. Make informed decisions when playing the field.
Other Poker Hands Rankings
To be a good poker player, you need to know all the poker hands by heart and learn how to make combinations and predictions on possible hands.
It will help you make an educated guess on the hand your opponents have based on their gameplay. That is why our experts prepared the following table with all the poker hand rankings and their probabilities and odds in seven-card poker games:
| Hand name | Cards | Number of possible combinations | Probability | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 10-J-Q-K-A in the same suit | 4 | 0.000154% | 649,739 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | J-10-9-8-7 – any five consecutive cards in the same suit | 36 | 0.00139% | 72,192 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | Four of the same card plus a fifth card | 642 | 0.02401% | 4,164 to 1 |
| Full House | Three cards of one rank and two cards in another rank | 3,744 | 0.1441% | 693 to 1 |
| Flush | Five cards in the same suit, no matter the sequence | 5,108 | 0.1965% | 507 to 1 |
| Straight | Five cards in a sequence, no matter the suit | 10,200 | 0.3925% | 253 to 1 |
| Three-of-a-Kind | Any three cards of the same rank plus two other cards | 54,912 | 2.1128% | 46 to 1 |
| Two Pair | A hand with two distinct pairs plus a fifth card | 123,552 | 4.7539% | 20 to 1 |
| Pair | A hand with a pair of cards and three other cards | 1,098,240 | 42.2569% | 1.36 to 1 |
| High Card | A five-card hand that does not fit any of the hands above | 1,302,540 | 50,1177% | 0.99 to 1 |
FAQs
What Are Poker Odds, And What Are Good Poker Odds?
The poker odds are the ratio of the number of ways not to draw a hand to the number of ways to draw the hand. This is the statistical measure of a particular outcome, and in the case of poker, the odds show how much money you could win if a hand wins. Good odds refer to the higher chance of success, and these are based on the equity of your particular hand; the higher the odds in your favor, the better the chances of you winning, and vice versa.
How To Calculate Poker Odds Quickly?
To be capable of quickly calculating the poker odds, you need to gain knowledge of the number of outs you have to complete the poker hand. The out is an unseen card that will improve your hand or one that has high winning chances if it is drawn. Because there are 4 cards of every value and 13 cards in every suit, this is not hard to do. Still, many experienced poker players use long-time experience and intuition to calculate their poker odds and decide on an action.
Which Poker Hand Should I Play?
The average poker player folds most of their hands pre-flop, as not every hand has the same winning odds. But here is where knowledge and experience come through, and as a rule of thumb, you can play a hand with premium pairs like A-A, K-K, or Q-Q, or even medium pairs like 10-10, 7-7, and big suited cards like A-K. In general, you should consider how you can play the hand against your opponent.
Do Poker Odds Change by Adding More Players?
Yes, the poker odds change as more players join the game; the more players play the game, the lower your chances of winning. Because there are more players in the game, the variables change, and each player has a certain chance of winning, which affects the pre-flop and post-flop odds.
Which Hands Does a Full House Beat?
The full house beats a flush, a straight, three-of-a-kind, two pair, pair, and high card.
What Is the Most Common Winning Hand in Texas Hold ’em Poker?
Even though these don’t sound so spectacular, the most common winning hands in Texas Hold ‘em poker are two pairs that win the pot about 31% of the time, and a pair usually wins about 27% of the time. The statistics also show that three-of-a-kind hands can win at about 12% of the games, and straight hands get about 9% winning chances. The other hands have far fewer winning chances.
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