Full House in Poker
It is very important for every players to assess their poker hands in order to understand the chances of winning. Poker hand strength always played a crucial role in the game process, especially for those who made poker their main source of income. However, the element of luck is also a part of success.
Knowing poker combinations, you can easily realize whether it is worth continuing the play if there is a possibility that your opponent's combination is much stronger than yours.
In this article we will talk about full house poker combination that is considered one of the strongest hands in poker. The given combination consists of five cards: three cards of the same value and a pair. (In simpler words: a pair and a set). For example: Q-Q-Q-9-9.
In the early stages of poker career, the beginners can get confused about combinations ranking. For example, they are able to wonder: “Does a straight beat a full house?” or “Who will be the winner: full house vs flush?”. We can please the beginners by saying that full house beats both straight and flush.
However, this hand is not equal in strength to four of a kind, straight flush and royal flush, and an experienced player knows how to correctly use full house during his play and squeeze the most out of it.
Full House ranking
When both players hit full house, then the strength of given combination is determined by the three of a kind. For example, K♠-K♣-K♦-5♠-5♥ will be stronger than Q♣-Q♠-Q♦-J♠-J♥. In extremely rare cases, the rivals will hit three of a kind of the same rank. If this happens, the pairs are compared. If they are equal, the money is shared equally between the opponents.
Full House in Hold'em is formed with any cards: common cards on the board and pocket cards.
The obviousness of your combination for the opponents depends on the way of hitting it. When hitting full house, it is necessary to correctly assess its prospects and chances of winning.
The probability of hitting a full house
If a player has two pair on the flop in Hold'em with a standard deck of 52 cards, the probability of hitting a full house (full house odds) on the turn is 8.5%, and 16% on the river. If we flop a set, then our probability to hit the necessary combination on the turn is 13%, and 30% on the river. However, if we hit a set on the turn, our probability to get a full house on the river is reduced to 19%.
The probability of full house in Omaha
Hand | Probability in percentage correlation |
---|---|
Pocket pair | full house on the flop – 1% |
Two pocket pairs | full house on the flop – 2% |
Four different cards | full house on the flop – 0.3% |
Three of a kind on the flop | full house on the turn – 27% |
Three of a kind on the flop | full house by the river – 52% |
Three of a kind on the turn | full house on the river – 34% |
Two pairs on the flop | full house on the turn – 9% |
Two pairs on the flop | full house by the river – 17% |
Two pairs on the turn | full house on the river – 9% |
How to play full house in poker
Don't whip up tension before hitting the desired combination. The players make mistake by actively raising and betting before hitting the necessary hand. You can invest a lot of money into the pot and get to showdown, but full house won't be formed. As a result, you will give money for someone's pockets.
Don’t apply aggression. If you hit the given combination, don't demonstrate it. Make standard moves and wait for activity from the other players. Calculate your rivals' odds, because there is a chance to hit a full house with our opponent simultaneously. Someone may have four of a kind or flush, and this player will be sure of his victory.
Despite the fact that full house is one of the strongest combinations, its availability does not guarantee the victory. Choose correctly the tactic of play. The comprehensive assessment of your opponents and board will allow you to avoid big investments in the pot when there are high risks of losing and, conversely, get a good jackpot when you are in a win-win situation.



