4 of Kind

A Straight Flush is the best poker hand category, and the Royal Flush serves as an Ace-high Straight Flush. One rung beneath that is Four of a Kind. This poker hand includes 4 cards of equal rank.

As you might imagine, 4 x Aces form the strongest possible 4 of a Kind.

When evaluating this poker hand, it’s the denomination of the card that is important. Any 4 of a kind other than 4 x Aces will lose to the above hand. However, if you’re holding 4 x Queens, that hand can be beaten by 4 x Kings and 4 x Aces.

Here are several other examples of Four of a Kind:

Based on the above combinations, are you able to determine which 4 of a Kind would beat 4 of a Kind 9s?

Remember that when evaluating this hand, the suits don’t matter (hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs); it’s the denomination/rank that matters.

How to Rank 4 of a Kind Hands?

There are 624 potentials 4 of a Kind hand combinations in a 52 card deck. There are also 156 unique ranks of 4 of a Kind. Given that poker hands comprise 5 cards, the kicker (the fifth card) will matter.

If we compare 2 x 4 of a Kind hands each made up of 5’s, which one will win?

The answer is the 4 of Kind with 5s and a King kicker.

It gets a little trickier when comparing two different Four of a Kind hands with kickers. For example, which and is stronger?

The answer is the Four of a Kind with 4 x Kings. Remember, it’s the rank of the quads and not the kicker that determines the winner when different Four of a Kind hands are compared.

As you ascend the ladder from 2 – Ace, the higher-ranked cards always beat the lower-ranked cards in this combination.

How Does 4 of a Kind Compare to Other Hands in Poker?

Now you know that Four of a Kind is the second best hand you can form in poker. A Straight Flush is a better hand, and the best Straight Flush is a Royal Flush. When you’re playing Texas Hold’em poker, this is one of the strongest possible hands you can form. It’s interesting to note that it is hardly ever beaten on the River card.

There are several hands that rank lower than 4 of a Kind. The next hand under 4 of a Kind is a Full House. The strongest Full House you can form is Aces filled with Kings. Since the suits are equal, it’s the rank that will determine the winning hand.

What Are the Probabilities of Forming 4 of a Kind in Poker?

Let’s look at the various stages of poker play, including The Pre-Flop Stage, the Flop, the Turn, and the River. The probabilities associated with forming 4 of a Kind in Texas Hold’em and Omaha Poker are revealed.

Probabilities of forming 4 of a Kind in Texas Hold’em

Probabilities of forming 4 of a Kind in Omaha

That’s everything you need to know about 4 of a Kind. Let’s move on to the next hand on the list – a Full House!

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