Poker Dictionary – Full Boat

Having nicknames for starting hands in poker is a common phenomenon. Today we’ll look into a term that is used to define one of the strongest hands in Texas Hold’em. We shall discuss the term called Full Boat.

What is a Full Boat?

Full boat is slang for a full house in poker. Full House is having three of a kind (three cards of the same rank) and a pair (two of the same rank). It is also commonly known as a ‘boat.’

For example, you are dealt with a pocket of aces. Everyone raises and the flop opens as A-Q-Q. The game turns in your favour since now you have A-A-A-Q-Q i.e. a full house with three of a kind and one pair. In other words you have a full boat or a full house.

How is a Full Boat named?

Full boats are usually named in the format of “X’s full of Y’s”, where X is the three cards of a kind and Y is the pair. That means, in the above scenario, you have “A’s full of Q’s” or “Aces full of Queens.” Similarly if you have a hand K-K-K-2-2, you have “Kings full of Deuces”.

Why ‘Full Boat’?

The real reason why a full house got nicknamed as full boat is unknown. However, one theory suggests the name must have come from riverboat gamblers. They used the term full boat instead of full house, because they played on boats.

How to play Full Boat?

A full house is considered to be a strong hand in poker. But, it also depends on the variant of the game and the exact cards of the full house in question. A full boat is more stronger in Texas Hold’em than in Omaha because it’s difficult to get a hand like that in the Hold’em variant of the game.

A full house is ranked fourth among the hand rankings in poker, it is one of the strongest hand that could win you the game. Since they are strong in Texas Hold’em, it is advisable to play full boat aggressively in the game. However, it’s important to be careful when a full boat is made with cards of smaller rank, because there is a possibility that your opponent may have a full house of a higher rank.

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Amarylisa Gonsalves

Amarylisa Gonsalves is a Content Writer at Gutshot Magazine. Advancing from a marketing background, she found her calling in writing. She takes delight in exploring genres and is a curious learner. Patient and ambivert, she believes in letting her work speak for itself. Apart from content writing, she finds solace in writing poetry by expressing herself through words. Additionally, she adores indulging in anything that satisfies her creative self, like drawing and DIY crafts.