Trips is short for triplets, meaning three cards of the same rank. In Texas Hold’em, trips typically means flopping a pair and hitting another on the board, or holding a pocket pair that makes three on the board. Trips is one of poker’s most powerful middling hands.
Trips often represents the turning point where a speculative hand becomes a big winner. The term is used constantly at poker tables and is essential vocabulary for discussing hand strength.
How Strong Is Trips?
Trips ranks seventh in hand strength, below full boats and four of a kind. However, trips frequency matters. You’ll see trips much more often than full houses, making it a practical hand for daily poker. Trip strength depends heavily on board texture and kickers.
A set (pocket pair turned trips on the board) is generally stronger than trips made with a flop pair, because set strength is better hidden from opponents. Split pairs (trips with both pair cards on the board) are vulnerable to straights and flushes on later streets.
Trips vs Set
Set is trips made from a pocket pair. Trips is the broader term for any three of a kind. A set is usually much stronger because opponents can’t easily see it. Both require no kicker value; the three matching cards win.
Key Facts
* Flopping trips with a pocket pair (set) is approximately 12% of the time you hold a pocket pair.
* Trips can be vulnerable on later streets to straights and flushes, so don’t assume you can check down.
* When the board has a pair, trips made from your pocket pair is stronger than trips made from your hole card pair.
Hear It at the Table
“Nice trips” one player compliments another for hitting three of a kind.
Key Takeaway
Trips is a strong holding that wins most pots but isn’t invincible. Play trips aggressively early in betting rounds, but monitor the board for straights and flush draws that can beat you.
