Four of a Kind, often simply called “Quads,” is a very powerful poker hand consisting of four cards of the same rank, along with any fifth card (the kicker). For instance, four Aces (A-A-A-A-K) or four Fives (5-5-5-5-J) would both be Four of a Kind. This hand ranks as the second-strongest in poker, only beaten by a Straight Flush or Royal Flush.
Example
Imagine you’re playing Texas Hold’em. Your hole cards are A♠ A♣. The community cards (the board) come out as A♥ A♦ 7♠ K♣ 2♥. Your best five-card hand would be A♠ A♣ A♥ A♦ K♣. Here, you have Four of a Kind (four Aces) with a King as your kicker. This hand is almost certainly a winner.
Strategy Tip
When you hold Four of a Kind, you almost always have the best hand possible (the “nuts” or very close to it). Your primary goal should be to extract as much value as possible from your opponents without scaring them away. Consider the board texture: if there are no obvious draws (like a straight or flush draw that could complete into a straight flush), you might bet strongly for value. If there are draws that could theoretically beat you or make opponents want to call, a more measured approach, like a check-raise or slow-play on earlier streets, could encourage more chips into the pot. However, be cautious not to slow-play too much on a dangerous board where a straight flush is possible.
FAQ
- Q: How does Four of a Kind rank against other poker hands?
- A: Four of a Kind is the second-strongest hand in most poker variants, ranking above a Full House and below a Straight Flush (or Royal Flush). It’s an extremely rare and valuable hand.
- Q: What happens if two players have Four of a Kind in the same hand?
- A: The player with the higher-ranked Four of a Kind wins. For example, four Queens would beat four Jacks. If the Four of a Kind is on the board (e.g., the community cards are 8-8-8-8-K), then the player with the highest kicker card wins the pot.
- Q: How rare is it to get Four of a Kind in Texas Hold’em?
- A: Four of a Kind is a very rare hand. The probability of being dealt or making Four of a Kind by the river in Texas Hold’em is approximately 0.168% (or about 1 in 595 hands). This rarity is why it holds such a high rank in the poker hand hierarchy.