When it comes to playing poker, there are many different hands that you can have. Some are more powerful than others, and some can even win you the game. One of the strongest hands is three of a kind, which consists of three cards of the same rank. However, some players might be confused about which hands beat which. Some may wonder if two pairs beats three of a kind, or if there are any other hands that can beat this hand. To help you answer these questions, here is a brief look at the rules and math behind poker hand rankings.
The first thing to remember about poker hand rankings is that Triple (also known as trips) beats two pairs. The reason for this is simple: it’s statistically less likely to hit trips than two pairs. This is true whether you’re holding a pair in your starting hand and hitting the third card on the board to make trips, or you’re just holding a pair in your starting hand and another player hits the board with the same pair to give you trips.
Another question that many people have is whether or not two pair beats a straight. This is a bit trickier to determine than the previous question because it depends on what cards are on the board and what cards are in your own hand. In general, though, a straight beats any hand that isn’t a pair. This includes two pairs, three of a kind, and high card.
To answer the question, let’s take a look at what each of these hands is. A pair is two matching cards of the same rank, for example, a pair of kings. A three of a kind is a hand that contains three cards of the same rank, and it can be improved with a kicker, which is a card of a different rank than your pair. A straight is a poker hand that consists of five consecutive cards in order of value from 10 through to ace.
Two pairs are the second highest hand in the poker hierarchy, ranking below one pair and above high card hands. While it is not as strong as a three of a kind or a straight, it can still be a winning poker hand if your opponent is holding a low pair or a high card. If you’re playing with a friend and have both two pairs, the one with the higher kicker will win. However, if both players have the same kicker then they’ll split the pot evenly.