11 rows  Three of a kind. Three of a kind, also known as trips or a set, is a poker hand containing three.

• Rule Of Three Math
• Three Of A Kind Poker Rules Game

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: See Straight 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.
• Russ: Five cards of the same color.
• 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]

1. ^1897-1985, Gibson, Walter B. (Walter Brown),. Hoyle's modern encyclopedia of card games : rules of all the basic games and popular variations. ISBN0307486095. OCLC860901380.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
2. ^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.

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Introduction

Four Poker is a new poker variation invented by Roger Snow and marketed by Shufflemaster. The game is similar to Three Card Poker but as the title suggests, four cards are used instead of three. Also, there is no dealer qualifying hand and the player can raise up to three times his ante. However, the dealer gets one extra card to form his best hand.

Rules

1. Two initial bets are available: The Ante and the Aces Up.
2. All players get five cards each and the dealer gets six cards. One of the dealer cards is placed face up, and five face down.
3. Players making the Ante bet must decide to fold or raise.
4. If the player folds he forfeits his Ante bet. He may or may not forfeit his Aces Up bet, depending on casino rules. It shouldn't matter because if the player has a paying Aces Up bet, he shouldn't be folding anyway.
5. If player raises, then he must raise at least the amount of the Ante and at most, three times the Ante.
6. The player keeps his best four cards and discards one.
7. Following is the ranking of hands from lowest to highest: high card, pair, two pair, straight, flush, three of a kind, straight flush, four of a kind.
8. After all decisions have been made, the dealer will turn over his cards and select the best four out of six.
9. The player's hand shall be compared to the dealer's hand, the higher hand winning.
10. If the dealer's hand is higher, then the player shall lose the Ante and Raise.
11. If the player's hand is higher or equal then the Ante and Raise shall pay one to one.
12. If the player has at least a three of a kind, then he shall also be paid a Bonus, regardless of the value of the dealer's hand. Two different pay tables are available for the Bonus, as displayed below, and are based on the ante bet. Pay Table 1 is the only one I know of to be actually used.
13. Another bet is available (similar to the Pairplus in Three Card Poker), based only on the player's four card hand, called the Aces Up. Seven pay tables are available as indicated below. The only one I know of to be actually used is pay table 5.

Bonus Pay Table

Aces Up Pay Table

Of these pay tables for the Aces Up side bet, number five is the most popular. The only exceptions that I'm aware of are an unconfirmed report that that Tulalip in Washington uses pay table 4 and the Grand Casino Hinckley in Minnesota uses pay table 1.

Analysis

The following return table is based on optimal player strategy under the 2-20-25 Ante Bonus pay table. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 2.79%.

Return Table Based on Optimal Strategy

The average final bet under optimal strategy is 2.142342 units, making the element of risk, -0.027879/2.142342 = 1.30%. The standard deviation, relative to the original bet, is 2.71.

Beginner Strategy

A simple strategy to this game, first proposed by Stanley Ko, is as follows.

• Raise 3X with a pair of tens or higher.
• Raise 1X with a pair of twos to nines.
• Fold all other.

According to the second edition of 'Beyond Counting' by James Grosjean, this 'simple strategy' results in a house edge of 3.396%.

Intermediate Strategy

The following intermediate strategy was created to balance power and simplicity by our own JB.

• Pair of Aces or better: Bet 3X
• Pair of Js, Qs, Ks: Bet 3X if dealer's upcard is lower than your pair or matches a rank in your hand, otherwise bet 1X
• Pair of 9s, 10s: Bet 1X if dealer's upcard outranks your pair, otherwise bet 3X
• Pair of 8s: Bet 3X if dealer's upcard is a 2, otherwise bet 1X
• Pair of 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s: Bet 1X
• Pair of 2s or AKQ: Bet 1X if dealer's upcard matches a rank in your hand, otherwise fold
• All other: Fold

Against the 2-20-25 Ante Bonus pay table, the house edge is 2.8526% and the element of risk is 1.3233%.

Advanced Strategy

I'm proud to present the following advanced strategy, also created by my sidekick JB.

• Pair of Aces or better: Bet 3X
• Pair of Ks: Bet 3X, except bet 1X against an Ace and you don't have an Ace nor 4.
• Pair of Js or Qs: Bet 3X, except bet 1X if the dealer's card outranks pair your pair rank and does not match a singleton in your hand.
• Pair of 9s or 10s: Bet 3X, except bet 1X if dealer card outranks your pair rank.
• Pair of 8s: Bet 1X, except bet 3X against a 2
• Pair of 4s thru 7s: Bet 1X
• Pair of 3s: Bet 1X, except fold against a Jack if your highest kicker is a 10 or lower
• Pair of 2s or AKQ: Fold, except bet 1X if dealer card matches a rank in your hand
• AKJT: Fold, except bet 1X against a Jack
• AKJ9 or lower: Fold

Rule Of Three Math

Against the 2-20-25 Ante Bonus pay table, the house edge is 2.8498% and the element of risk is 1.3216%. Here is a house edge comparison of various known strategies.

• Simple: 3.396%
• Intermediate: 2.853%
• Advanced: 2.850%
• Optimal: 2.788%

To put it another way, here are the cost of errors:

• Simple: 0.606%
• Intermediate: 0.065%
• Advanced: 0.062%
• Optimal: 0.000%

Aces Up Analysis

The next table shows the probability of each hand and the return under pay table five of the Aces Up side bet. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 3.89%.

Return for Aces Up Pay Table 5

The next table shows the house edge according to all four Aces Up pay tables.

Aces Up House Edge

Three Of A Kind Poker Rules Game

Note: There is also a similar game called Crazy Four Poker.

Acknowledgments

I would like to recognize:

• JB for the analysis of the optimal strategy.
• Stanley Ko for the simplified strategy.
• James Grosjean for the unpublished advanced strategy.