Boat

"Boat" is a popular nickname for a Full House in poker - a hand consisting of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. It's the fourth-highest ranking hand in standard poker, beaten only by Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush.

Key Points

Alternative name for Full House
Fourth-best hand possible
Three of a kind plus one pair
Named by higher ranking three of a kind

Hand Rankings

Higher Trips: Determines overall hand strength
Higher Pair: Used as tiebreaker
Example: K♠K♣K♥2♦2♣ beats Q♠Q♦Q♣A♥A♣
Best Possible: Aces full of Kings

Common Scenarios

Flopped Boat: Starting with pocket pair, board pairs
Turn/River Boat: Improving two pair
Counterfeited Boat: Board pairs higher than your trips
Cooler Situations: When multiple players make boats

Example Hands

Flopped Boat: You hold 8♠8♣, board comes 8♥K♠K♦ giving you Eights full of Kings

Turn Boat: You hold K♠J♠ on K♥J♦2♣J♣ board, making Kings full of Jacks

Playing Boats

Value Betting: Usually can bet for three streets
Stack Preservation: Be cautious of higher boats
Board Reading: Consider possible better full houses
Position Play: Can slow play in position

Common Mistakes

Overvaluing small boats
Not considering higher boats
Playing too fast with weak boats
Missing value with strong boats

While a boat is a very strong hand, it's important to consider the board texture and possible stronger full houses. Pay attention to whether your three of a kind or pair is higher ranked, as this significantly affects your hand's strength relative to other possible boats.