Casino
Poker Hand Rankings: Everything You Need To Know
To succeed at poker, whether you are playing online or in a brick-and-mortar casino, the starting point is to recognize the strength of your hand and, in turn, how it might hold-up against the hands of your opponents.
If you want to learn how to play poker, schooling yourself on how many poker hands there are, the strength of each hand and what the combinations of cards mean all add up to starting in the right place.
So, as they say at the World Series of Poker, let’s “shuffle up and deal!”
Poker Hands Ranking Order
Royal flush
A royal flush (A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit) is the strongest poker hand, with only 4 possible combinations in a standard deck.
If you get a royal flush once in your life, you are pretty lucky. Holding a royal flush, you are pretty much guaranteed to win the hand and should bet accordingly.
Straight flush
A straight flush (any five cards in succession – from A – 5 to 9 – K, all of the same suit) is the second strongest hand, bested only by a royal flush.
The higher the run of cards, the stronger a straight flush is. With that holding, you are extremely likely to be a favorite against your opponents.
Four of a kind
A four-of-a-kind hand (any four-cards of the same value; say, 9, 9, 9, 9 with a king kicker) is the third strongest hand.
Once again, when you are dealt these cards, also known as “quads,” you are a very strong favorite to win the hand.
Full House
A full house (three of a kind plus two of a kind; say, three 7s and two 10s) is the fourth strongest hand. It is often a winning hand, though you should beware of opponents set up to make any of the above three hands or a better full house.
This hand is also known as a “boat” or a “full boat.”
Flush
A flush (five non-sequential cards, all of the same suit; say 2, 6, 9, 10, J of clubs) is the fifth strongest hand.
It is considered a strong holding, but that is relative to the hands made possible by other cards turned up on the table.
Straight
A straight (five cards, not all suited, in sequence; say, 2 of hearts, 3 of clubs, 4 of clubs, 5 of diamonds, 6 of spades) is the sixth strongest hand.
The higher the final card in the sequence, the stronger the hand is.
Three of a kind
Three of a kind (any three cards of the same denomination; say three 6s and two unmatched cards) is the seventh strongest hand.
Because multiple people in a game of Texas Hold’em can have the same hand, the winner is determined by the strength of his cards outside of the “trips,” which three of a kind is also known as.
Two pair
Two pair (one pair and a second-pair of different cards; say, two 8s and two 3s with an unmatched fifth card) is the eighth strongest hand.
If two people have the same hand, the winner is determined by the strength of their fifth card.
Pair
A pair (two cards of the same denomination; say, a 10 of clubs and a 10 of spades with three unmatched cards) is the ninth strongest hand.
If two people have the same hand, the winner is determined by the strength of the remaining three cards.
High card
When none of the above hands materialize, players simply focus on the highest card in their hand.
Believe it or not, there are occasions when a simple high card takes the pot.
Poker Variations
While Texas Hold’em currently reigns as the most popular form of poker, there are plenty other ways for one to satisfy a card-playing itch – and sometimes it in involves going for the lowest hand. Here are some games to be on the lookout for and how to play them.
What is Lowball Poker?
In this poker variant, you go for the lowest hand. As seen below, there are different versions of the game, which lead to variations in regard to what constitutes a low hand.
Ace-to-Five Lowball
Also known as “California Lowball,” in this version of the game, 5 to ace, also known as “the wheel,” is the best possible hand. The second best hand is 6, 4, 3, 2, A. Flushes and straights are immaterial in this game (in other words, they can count as low hands).
Deuce-to-Seven Lowball
Also known as “Kansas City Lowball,” this is a version in which straights and flushes do exist and are undesirable, as they are considered high hands in a game where you are aiming for the low. Additionally, aces count as high cards. Hence, the best hand in Deuce to Seven is 7, 5, 4, 3, 2. The second-best hand is 7, 6, 4, 3, 2.
Omaha Hi-Lo
In this poker variation, players receive four cards and use two of them. On the board, as with Texas Hold’em, five community cards are dealt out. The idea is to either get a high hand – with rankings that are described above or to get a low hand. The best high hand and the best low hand split the pot. What you really hope for is what’s known as “the wheel:” A, 2, 3, 4, 5. This is the best low hand and might also win as the high hand, since it is a straight. If it happens to be suited, then you have a straight flush and the winningest low. Bet the ranch!
Seven Card Hi-Lo
This game has the same mechanics as seven card stud: Players receive three cards, with the third card turned up and they bet. There is additional betting when players receive the fourth, fifth and sixth cards, all turned up. The seventh card is dealt down before a final round of betting. The pot is split between the lowest hand and the highest hand. From there, hand rankings tend to be the same as in Omaha Hi-Lo, described above.
Frequently asked questions about poker
What is the best hand in poker?
The best hand in poker is a royal flush. That is 10 – ace, with all cards of the same suit. It is unbeatable.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes, a flush beats a straight. That makes sense when you consider that flushes come up less often than straights do.
What beats a full house?
There are only three hands that beat a full house: In ascending order, they are royal flush, straight flush and four of a kind. A full house is the fourth best poker hand.
How many poker hands are there?
In a game of high-only poker, there are 10 possible poker hands. These range from the top tier royal flush to the bottom-shelf high card.
