What is a four of a kind and how to play it

Every poker player dreams of collecting a royal flush - the biggest poker hand. But no less coveted for many is the four of a kind combination in poker. It consists of four cards of the same face value.

The drop chance of a four a kind in poker is small. According to statistics, it is one four of a kind per 10,000 hands. That's why the four of a kind is the third strongest hand, following only the royal flush and the straight flush.

Meaning and description of the four of a kind combination in poker

The strongest combination is four of aces, the weakest is four of twos combination. If two players have four of a kind, the one with the more valuable cards in the combination wins. For example:

Aces will beat kings;
kings outplay queens;
queens beat jacks, and so on, according to the standard rules.

If both participants of the deal have four of a kind, the winner of the pot is the one with the higher value of the kicker. If the fifth card on the table is bigger than both kickers, the pot is divided equally.

Four of a kind drop chance in poker

This is a rare hand and the chance of getting a four of a kind is very low. Some poker rooms even pay prizes to poker players who manage to collect 4 aces in poker. According to mathematical statistics, the probability of seeing four of a kind in poker is as follows:

The chance of collecting four of kind on the flop with two cards of different values is small and amounts to 0.01%, which is one time per ten thousand hands;
it's easier to collect four of a kind on the flop with two cards of the same value, the chance rises to 0.25%;
If there are three cards of the same rank on the flop, there is a 2% chance of getting four of kind on the turn and a 4% chance on the river;
the same 2% chance of catching four of kind on the river if three cards of the same rank are on the river.

Chances of catching four of kind in different types of poker are as follows:

Hold'em. The chance of catching four of kind on the flop without a pair in your pocket is 0.25%, if you have a pair it is 2%. Having a set on the flop or turn increases chances to 4%

Omaha. If there are three cards of the same rank, chance remains between 2% and 4%. If there are only two cards or not even a pair, the chances are 0.09 to 0.017%.

Draw poker. If there is a set and two cards are exchanged, there is a 4% chance of catching a four of kind. In other cases, the chances do not exceed 0.2-0.4%.

Stud. Here the drop chance is 2.3-3.6%.

It's hard and unlikely to make a four of a kind in poker. But anything is possible and many players have managed to take a big pot thanks to this coveted combination.

How to Play a four of a kind on the Flop

If four of a kind is gathered on the flop, you need to take control of the game. Make sure that every next bet is a big one. But don't put too much pressure on your opponents so they don't recognize your tactics.

Expert players recommend using the "trap" strategy. Its essence is to stimulate a weak hand. It is not difficult, if there is already a set on the flop, those who have a senior kicker in their pocket will play aggressively. You need to bluff here, showing that you have that particular card.

Call your hands, support raises, and you can make a big raise on the last streets, to which your opponent will respond with a stack.

The main thing is to get to the late rounds of the hand, where even tight poker players support raises and raise.

How to get the most out of four of a kind

Once you get a four of kind in poker, don't rush to celebrate your victory. It's hard to beat this combination, but still, you need to keep your emotions in check and think about how to get the most out of such a strong monster.

There are unspoken rules of the playing four of a kind poker, which will help to get a good profit:

Force your opponents to play actively and form a big pot;
Don't play aggressively and don't show that you have a strong combination;
Try to keep as many players in the game as possible until the river;
Raise the bets on the river.

The more you play, the better your chances of getting a four of kind. The key to a successful and effective game is to choose the right venue. One of the best rooms for users from Ukraine is Pokerbet. There are a lot of tournament deals, a great variety of cash tables, high traffic, and a weak field. Both a beginner and an experienced poker player will be able to make money at Pokerbet.