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Quads – Four cards of the same rank, frequently referred to as “four of a kind.”
Poker hands can be ranked in strength from the weakest hand, seven high, to the strongest, a royal flush. Near the top of these
rankings, just below a royal flush, and above a full house, is four of a kind, which is also known as “quads.” There are thirteen
different cards in the deck for each of the four suits, making thirteen different possible ways to make quads. The four of a kind
hands are ranked in strength from quad deuces at the bottom to quad aces at the top.
Quads is a rare and powerful hand to make. When you make quads, you will almost always win the pot regardless of what your opponents
make. It is rare enough to hold quads that your opponent may not give you credit when you represent it, especially if they themselves
are holding a strong hand, like a full house. If you make quads at the same time that one or more of your opponents also has a strong
holding, you may win a very large pot. If you sense that your opponent has a strong holding when you have quads, you probably
shouldn’t slowplay the hand, or get too fancy with the betting, or you will likely miss an opportunity to get as many bets as possible
into the pot. Save your slowplays for times when it will be harder to get paid off, because you need your opponent to catch up.
On rare occasions, when you have made quads, your opponent may also make a stronger four of a kind or a
straight flush. Because it is so rare to
lose with quads, this is referred to as a “bad beat.”
This can be a wonderful thing, because if the poker room you are playing in offers a bad beat jackpot, this type of bad beat may
trigger it, if other conditions are also met. If you take a bad beat which triggers the bad beat jackpot, you stand to win a
substantial amount of money, often several thousand dollars. For this reason, poker jackpots have become very popular among players,
especially those who have been fortunate enough to participate in them.
In addition to
bad beat jackpot, poker rooms frequently offer
other promotions which incentivize play. One frequently used promotion id the Monte Carlo board. The Monte Carlo board usually posts
every way to make quads and every way to make a straight flush. Next to each possible hand, a corresponding cash bonus is listed. If
you make quads or a straight flush, you win the amount posted next to your hand. Each amount is progressive and will increase daily
until capped or hit, at which point it will be reset at the minimum amount. Because of statistical variations, some Monte Carlo board
hands will go long periods without being hit, while other may hit multiple times in the same day. This promotion can be offered in
lieu of a bad beat jackpot or in addition to it, but the funding for it is typically player generated, and taken from the jackpot drop.
Usage: Made Quads, Hit Quad Aces On The River, Quads Over Quads
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