Does 3 of a kind beat a straight? Poker basics you need to know

Do you love gambling? Do you enjoy playing poker? Do you want to win every game you play, but you’re always defeated by someone better than you? If you answered yes, then this is the guide for you. Poker is a well-known game that is played all around the world. It can be played in a variety of variations, and players can choose which one they want to play. Poker can even be played online. There are several good websites that allow you to play poker online. Starters want to win hit the jackpot straight away, which is why they regularly pose questions like Can three of a kind beat a two pair? Does 3-of-a-kind beat a straight? and such questions as these. Beginners must be aware of everything there is to know about the game. Knowing the game’s tricks will tremendously assist them in playing and winning.

We’ll learn about the different hand rankings in Poker and if 3 of a kind can beat a straight, in this guide. So without any further ado, let’s hop into it.

Types of Hand Rankings in Poker

Before answering the question, does 3 of a kind beat a straight, we must first grasp the concept of poker hand rankings. When we talk about hand rankings in poker, we’re referring to the numerous hands that a player can play. Knowing about poker hands is highly important for any poker player. They are significant because punters base their gaming strategy on them, which is harmful to winning.

Poker players who do not use an effective game strategy will not only lose the game but also the money they have invested in it. In some of the most popular poker variants, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hold’em, these hands are extremely important. In these games, players can choose from a variety of poker hands to beat their opponents, such as 3 of a kind or 4 of a kind, or the dealer can choose from a variety of poker hands to face the opponent, such as a 2 pair or royal flush in some games.

Starting with the poker hand which is considered to be the strongest, the Royal Flush is at the top of the list. It’s quite rare to get this flush. Nonetheless, it is capable of defeating any poker hand. It’s important to note that getting this flush is quite unlikely. It is made up of five cards in total, all of which are of the same suit and include a King, Queen, 10, Ace, and Jack. Following the Royal Flush, the Straight Flush is another powerful poker hand, followed by 4 of a kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, 3 of a kind, 2 Pair, One Pair, and the weakest of all, the High Card.

Now that you have learned about poker hand rankings, let’s look at what 3 of a kind and a Straight are, and does 3 of a kind beat a straight or not?

What is 3 of a Kind?

Can we say that a three-of-a-kind beats a two-of-a-kind? If that is the case, how can it be justified? Let’s learn a little more about 3 of a kind before we answer this question in detail. Before answering the question does 3 of a kind beat a straight? it is important that we discuss in detail what 3 of a kind actually is.

Three-of-a-kind is a poker hand that is made up of five cards in total. Out of these 5 cards, three cards have the same suit. They belong to the same suit. The other two cards, on the other hand, may or may not be of the same suit. Let’s have a look at the example below.

4♦ 4♠ 4♣ K♠ 3♥

It’s clear that three of the cards are of the same suit. The remaining two cards, on the other hand, are unique. Not only are the suits different, but so are their ranks. Oftentimes, punters ask questions like does 3 of a kind beat a straight or does 3 of a kind beat a flush, etc. But they don’t even know all about 3 of a kind. This poker hand is highly recognizable due to its distinctive name “3 of a kind”. When someone hears the name 3 of a kind, they immediately start to think of a combination of three cards, all belonging to the same suit. Furthermore, if we were to calculate the number of different possibilities of three-of-a-kind poker hands in a regular deck that contains a total of 52 cards, we would be surprised to find out that there can be a total of approx 55,000 possible combinations. Besides, there are close to 860 possible ranks of three of a kind that can be formed.

What is a Straight in Poker?

A Straight is basically a combination of five cards in total. These 5 cards must be in sequential order. However, they may or may not belong to the same suit. That does not matter. For a better understanding, let’s have a look at the example below.

9♣ 8♠ 7♠ 6♥ 5♥3

In Poker hand rankings, the Straight lies above the three of a kind and below the flush.  It is a strong poker hand because it can beat a number of other poker hands including high card, pair, and two pair, etc. Although Straight is a strong poker hand, it is not stronger than a flush. Many punters often get confused thinking if a straight could beat a Flush. It should be noted that it is not possible for a Straight to beat a Flush. A Flush is a stronger combination than Straight and thus it can in fact beat a Straight. The probability of forming a Straight is lower compared to a Flush. On the other hand, the probability of forming three of a kind is high compared to a Straight. Now that we know what a Straight is, it is time to get to the main question which is does 3 of a kind beat a straight? Let’s find out the answer.

Does 3 of a Kind Beat a Straight?

No, 3 of a Kind does not beat a Straight. Based on poker hand rankings, a Straight is a stronger one compared to 3 of a kind. 3 of a kind lies lower than the Straight on the poker hand rankings chart. That means it is certainly not possible for 3 of a kind to beat a Straight. When we compare the probability of forming a Straight and 3 of a kind, we will notice that the probability of forming 3 of a kind is higher than the Straight. And in poker, the lower the probability of forming a hand is, the stronger it will be.

The Bottom Line: 3 of a kind does not beat a Straight

The bottom line is that 3 of a kind cannot beat a Straight in a game of poker. In the discussion above, we found out the reasons behind it one of the major ones was because of the poker hand rankings. Because a Straight is a stronger poker hand compared to 3 of a kind, therefore, it is simply not possible for 3 of a kind to beat it.

FAQs

Does 3 of a kind beat a two pair?

Yes, 3 of a kind is a strong poker hand and it can beat a two pair.

Does 3 of a kind beat a flush?

Although 3 of a kind is a strong poker hand, it does not beat a Flush. A Flush is a stronger poker hand compared to 3 of a kind.

What likely are you to form 3 of a kind?

In poker, the possibility of forming 3 of a kind is approx 2%. The percentage is quite low.