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This is why Three of a Kind beats Two Pairs

As one of the creators of the EasyPoker app I often get asked about which hands are stronger in texas hold’em poker. The most frequent question is by far if Three of a Kind beats Two Pairs. The question is often stated like “How does three 3’s beat my two pairs of Kings and Jacks?”. This seems confusing for a surprising number of people. 

The answer is of cause that three of a kind ALWAYS beats two pairs. No matter the cards.

It’s in the math

Math behind three of a kind

Yes, this might sound boring for non mathematicians but it’s a simple question of math. Actually poker is built on math (you probably already knew that).

Getting a strong hand in poker means beating the odds. The smaller the statistical probability of getting the hand, the bigger the chance of winning. The all-time strongest hand in hold’em poker is the Royal Straight Flush. The chance of getting this hand is 649,739 to 1. That is a probability of 0.000154%. For comparison, the chance of getting a single pair is 49.9%.

So far so good.

Three of a Kind vs. Two Pairs

It might sound crazy that, say, three 2’s will beat a Pair of Aces and a Pair of Kings – but it’s not. The odds of getting any two pairs are actually 20:1. In a game of poker with a deck of 52 playing cards, the cumulative probability of this happening is 7.62%. The chance of getting any Three of a Kind is 2.87%.

So there you have it. The reason why any Three of a Kind beats any Two Pairs is in the math. Bring this info to your next poker night and you will be a genius among your poker-noob friends.

Complete poker hand ranking guide

If you’re interested you can visit our complete poker hands ranking guide to get up to date on all hold’em poker hands.

20 free things to do with friends

Looking for fun and free things to do with friends? Are you guys bored out of your mind and yet have no money to spend? We know the feeling all to well. Suddenly it feels like everything fun cost money, especially when you’re broke. 

But not to worry! We’ve got you covered. Here is a list of my 20 favorite free things to do with friends. Hope you find my activities interesting. 

1. Go sightseeing

This might be weird, but it can be fun to see and learn something new about your neighbourhood. Go on Google and treat your local area like you were a tourist. I’ve been doing this for the last couple of years and now it’s one of my favorite free things to do with friends.

2. Play poker

Is there anything better than beating your friends in a game of poker? No. So go play poker with your buddies now!

Oh wait. You have no chips or cards? No problem. Download the EasyPoker app for iOS and Android. The app handles everything for you and it’s so simple a toddler can use it. You’re welcome!

3. Take a swim

Of course this depends on the season. But if it’s summer go take a dip in a lake, ocean or in your rich neighbor’s pool. I love swimming so much that this get’s a top spot on our free things to do with friends list.

4. Go for a hike

Hiking is fun year around. Especially if you live anywhere in the word except Denmark (my contry). Get closer to our lovely nature and maybe shoot a couple of cool pics for the gram.    

5. Play video games

One of my favorite things to do with friends is playing video games. It can be either the newest FIFA or old games to bring up a nostalgic feeling. So fire up or dig out your old Playstation or Nintendo and get going!  

6. Watch a movie

Find an old DVD on the shelf or turn on Netflix for a fun movie day/night. If you don’t have a Netflix account you can sign up for a free trial month.    

7. Go to the local library

But not just to read free books, comics and magazines. Most modern libraries also have games, music, events and cultural-arty-things. All for free!  

8. Make a funny YouTube video

For most of my childhood I created YouTube videos with my friends. It’s really fun talking about ideas, writing jokes, shooting and editing stuff. Most of you guys have smartphones with great video and editing capabilities, so no excuses. And maybe your videos go viral and you become a millionaire? Who knows.   

9. Try out geocaching

Geocaching is the world’s biggest treasure hunt. Fun. Free. Kills time. 

10. Have a yard sale

Get out all the old stuff that you don’t use and set up a yard sale. It’s fun and you and your friends can make some money as well.  

11. Binge watch a TV series

A fun, relaxing and free thing to do with friends is to binge watch a great TV series. My recommendations are Silicon Valley (HBO), Breaking Bad (Netflix), Modern Family (Netflix) and Brooklyn Nine Nine (netflix).  

12. Go to a lecture

If you live near a big or medium sized city you can probably find lots of free lectures and events happening right now. Make some searches on Google, Meetup or Facebook and be amazed by everything happening near you. 

13. Talk about business ventures

I bet you would like to be your own boss (and rich)? Talk about your dreams and ideas for the next big thing. It can be apps, websites, stores, soups – anything! Maybe it can become a reality some day.

14. Go for a bike ride

This of course depends on you both having a bike. But if you do then take out your metal horse and see the world in a slightly faster pace. Or go mountain biking (without breaking your necks, please). 

15. Play sports games (or invent your own)

One of my favorite things to do with friends is playing football, frisbee, baseball, soccer or whatever you like to play. If you don’t have the necessary equipment, then invent your own game with the stuff you have. 

16. Listen to live music

Go on Facebook, Google or whatever and find a local place that have live music. I bet there’s a bar near you that plays live music tonight (for free). 

17. Go camping

If you have the essentials (and nice weather) then go camping. Open fields, mountains, fresh air and a campfire won’t cost you a dime.

18. Go to an open mic event

Most big cities have free comedy nights a couple of times a week. Here young (and sometimes famous) comedians perform and test out new jokes for upcoming shows. So you’ll get free comedy entertainment and help the comedians practice. Win Win.  

19. Rock climbing

If you live in a country with mountains and cliffs you should go rock climbing. It’s fun, healthy and dangerous (cool). And please make sure not to kill yourself.  

20. Go urban exploring

One of my favorite things to do is urban exploring, also called urbexing. Here you explore old buildings, malls and warehouses in your city. It’s really fun, creepy and deserves a spot on our free things to do with friends list. Oh, and if you decide go urban exploring, please make sure not to get hurt or fail like these guys:

 

 

Are you ready for the digital poker table?

Tech is changing everything. And now it’s changing how we play poker in the traditional casino. At least that’s the vision of the company ‘Jackpot Digital’. Their new digital poker table enables up to ten players to play texas hold’em. They call it Jackpot Blizz.

Digital Poker Table

Jackpot Blizz’s digital poker table features an 84-inch 4K resolution touch screen. The table supports gestures we know from online poker. I have not tried it yet but it looks very intuitive. Take a look for yourself.

The whole experience is virtual. The cards are dealt by the computer. You see your cards, call, bet and raise by tabbing on the screen. Seems cool. 

Gimmick or Solid Tech

Jackpot Blizz’s digital poker table has both pros and cons. It’s perfectly designed for cruise ships and small casinos. It has a faster gameplay, needs no dealer and it is impossible to cheat. But will this be enough to replace the traditional poker table or is it just a gimmick?  

Are Digital Poker Tables the Future?

Personally I really enjoy playing poker in a casino. Interacting with other players and the dealer, feeling the cards and playing around with the chips makes me feel like James Bond. It’s something that I can’t do when playing on my phone or computer.

I don’t see Jackpot Digital’s digital poker table replacing traditional poker anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place in the market.

When we created EasyPoker we weren’t trying to replace traditional poker or even online poker. We simply wanted to make face to face poker more accessible in spontaneous situations. Allowing poker fans to play a game of social, face to face poker – anytime, anywhere.
The social experience of traditional poker, with the convenience we know from online poker.
Therefore, we can certainly appreciate Jackpot Digital’s attempt to shake up and rethink the way we play poker. 

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