Set (cards)

Not to be confused with Set (card game).

In card games, a set or group is a scoring combination consisting of multiple playing cards, usually of the same rank.^[1] Depending on the game, a set may consist of two cards of equal rank (a "pair") as in Bieten, three of a kind as in poker, or more.

A set of threes

Description

Sets are one of the two types of meld that may be used in games where melding is part of the play; the other being a run or sequence. A set or group comprises 3 or 4 cards of the same rank and, usually, different suits. A prial, pair royal, gleek or triplet is a set of 3 cards of equal rank and a quartet or, in some older games, a mournival, is one of four cards of the same rank.^[2]

Usually a pair (2 cards of the same rank but different suits) is not counted as a "set"; but some games, such as Bieten or Perlaggen do include pairs as sets. A wild set is one containing wild cards – that is, those cards designated in the rules as being wild, for example, the jokers in Rommé. On the other hand, a natural set is one consisting entirely of 'natural cards'.^[3]

In Texas Holdem poker, a set refers to a three of a kind where the player has a pocket pair. This is contrasted with trips which is when a player only has one hole card that matches with two board cards.

Examples

French suited cards

Pair (may not count as a set)
Prial or triplet
Wild triplet
Quartet

German suited cards

Pair (may not count as a set)
Prial or triplet
Quartet

See also

• Run or sequence
• Straight (poker)