A Full House is a very strong five-card poker hand consisting of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. For instance, three Kings and two Eights would form a Full House, often called “Kings full of Eights.” It ranks as one of the top hands in poker, only beaten by Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush.
Example
Imagine you are playing Texas Hold’em. Your hole cards are A♥ A♦ (Pocket Aces). The community board runs A♣ 7♥ 7♦ 2♠ K♣. Your best five-card hand would be A♥ A♦ A♣ 7♥ 7♦, which is Aces full of Sevens. This is a very powerful hand that would likely win against most opponents.
Strategy Tip
When you hold a Full House, you almost always have one of the strongest hands at the table, making it an excellent opportunity to bet aggressively for value. On most board textures, you should aim to extract as many chips as possible from your opponents. However, always be mindful of extremely coordinated boards (e.g., a board with many high cards and suited possibilities) where a rare Four of a Kind or Straight Flush could potentially beat you. Generally, a Full House is a monster hand you should be confident in playing strongly.
FAQ
- Q: How do you determine the winner if two players both have a Full House?
- A: The Full House with the higher three-of-a-kind wins. If both players have the same three-of-a-kind, then the Full House with the higher pair wins. For example, Kings full of Aces beats Queens full of anything. Kings full of Nines beats Kings full of Fours.
- Q: Is it common to make a Full House in Texas Hold’em?
- A: While not an everyday occurrence, it’s significantly more common than in 5-card draw due to the use of community cards. If you start with a pair, your chances of hitting a Full House increase substantially, especially if the board pairs another card or gives you trips.
- Q: What hands are stronger than a Full House?
- A: Only two types of hands are stronger than a Full House: Four of a Kind and a Straight Flush (which includes the Royal Flush). All other hands, such as a Flush, a Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card, are weaker.