Holdem Poker Flop Strategy - Playing with a Pair and a Three-of-a-kind Flop

A three of a kind flop is when the flop contains three of the same cards of different suits, A Q Q Q, for example. This is a less common Holdem poker flop than drawing a pair Flop. Here we will discuss how to play different Texas Holdem poker variations, when the flop is three of a kind or a pair flop, and how you should use your poker flop strategy to make your move with these flops.

Three of a Kind Flop Strategy

The odds of getting a three of a kind flop is 1 of 425 hands.

If, with the Holdem poker flop strategy, you have a hand of four of a kind, you should use the strategy of slowplaying, thus accumulating a large pot with almost no raises. The other player, watching you call or check, will not be as certain about the fact that you have a four of a kind.

Even though getting three of a kind flop seems like a good thing for the novice Texas Holdem poker player, more advanced players know it just means trouble, and it can turn the flop strategy into a hard to make process. If your hand isn't great, you should usually avoid betting on a three of a kind flop. This is because it is very easy for any player on the table to reach an excellent and strong hand.

A High Pair Flop

Even though playing with this flop strategy is less dangerous than getting trips, a high pair is also dangerous because it is easily played by other players during the Holdem poker flop.

You hold a full houseIn order to play with somewhat assurance you will need a full house or three of a kind flop, at the least, in order to play a high pair correctly.

You hold a two pair flop - If you have two pairs, you should stay in the game and gamble, unless you think one of the players have trips.

If there are a lot of players on the table, playing the two pairs should be made cautiously.

You hold a Flush/Straight draw - This is a risky flop strategy to play with because it is beaten easily with a full house. Trips are also at a risk of beating you, so be careful when playing those hands with a high pair flop. It might seem strange to fold with a flush or draw, but sometimes it is the wiser choice.

A Low Pair Flop

The difference between a low and a high pair is that with a low pair players will usually not be satisfied by the pair itself, and will want a stronger hand to play. This means that a player that raises in a low pair flop probably has a nice combination with the hole cards he has. There is also another trick you can use. If a player had raised during the pre-flop, it means he probably has high cards. Then with a low card Holdem poker flop it is actually reasonable that his hand is not highly ranked because it consists of high cards and a low pair. This means you can implement your flop strategy as if you would have known that he had a low ranked hand.

Matthew Pilarski - Staff Correspondent