GUIDE · superace
Two full houses: compare the triple before the pair
When comparing two full houses in standard high-hand poker, compare the three-of-a-kind rank first. The pair only breaks a tie between equal triples. A pair of Aces does not overcome a lower triple.
For the topic overview, see Detailed guides.
Group the five cards before looking for the winner
PokerStars’ full-house rules, checked on 8 October 2026, define the comparison by triple first and pair second. All five cards belong to those groups, leaving no kicker. This article applies that standard high-hand comparison; it is not a guide to lowball or every variant’s overall ranking order.
Write a hand as “three of this rank, two of that rank.” That short description prevents the visually prominent pair from taking priority over the triple. You do not add card values or choose the highest single card.
Why tens full beats nines full of Aces
These are independent hypothetical five-card examples, not a record of a deal.
| Hand | Cards | Triple | Pair |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ A♣ A♦ | Nines | Aces |
| B | 10♠ 10♥ 10♦ 2♣ 2♦ | Tens | Twos |
Hand B ranks higher because tens outrank nines. There is no need to compare the pairs once the triples differ. Starting with the Aces in Hand A answers a different question from the one the ranking rule asks.
When the pair does matter
Consider a separate comparison: kings full of Queens versus kings full of Jacks. Both triples are Kings, so the first comparison ties. The Queens pair then outranks the Jacks pair. The second step is necessary here because the first step could not distinguish the hands.
A compact way to write the comparison is the ordered pair (triple rank, pair rank). Compare the first entry, and only if it is equal compare the second. The word “ordered” matters: reversing those entries changes the rule.
There is no sixth-card rescue
A full house already uses three cards plus two cards. There is no unused card within that five-card hand to act as a kicker. If a game offers more cards from which to make a hand, first identify the legal best five under that game’s rules. A card left outside those five does not become an extra full-house tie-breaker.
If the triple and pair ranks are both equal, this hand comparison is equal. Do not invent a suit tie-break from card colour or suit artwork. Actual pot distribution can involve eligibility and side pots, which are outside this five-card ranking exercise.
Card rank and reel position remain different ideas
The four-Aces and slot-symbol comparison explains why card-hand evaluation cannot be transferred to an ordered reel line. This article stays within poker: grouping a full house makes its ranking easier to read without changing the cards.
For a quick check, say the triple aloud before the pair. “Nines full of Aces” makes it harder to mistake the Aces for the controlling group. Continue through the game guide collection or the topic links on the superace homepage.
Source-based editorial research and original examples. Sources checked 2026-10-08.
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Texas Hold’em ties: compare the best five, not unused hole cards | superace