In most poker variants, your goal is to create the best five-card hand possible. Understanding poker hand rankings before you ante up will help you know when to fold and when to go all-in.
Whether you’re playing Texas Hold’em, Omaha, or another variant, here’s how these ten possible hands stack up.
1. Royal Flush
A royal flush is the best possible hand in poker, and includes the Ace, King, Jack, and 10 card of the same suit. It gets its name because it contains the “royal” face cards and the highest numbered card of the suit (for example, A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠).
If you’ve got a royal flush, you’ve got the strongest hand in the game. No other hand can beat this hand, either; the only chance other players have is if they also have a royal flush, which is extremely unlikely, and would only split the pot between two players.
It might be tempting to bet aggressively once you’ve got a royal flush, but this could scare off other players, limiting your winnings. Play it slow, and try and lure out other players’ bets to make the most of this hand.
2. Straight Flush
A straight flush is a hand made up of five consecutive cards of the same suit and is the second-strongest poker hand possible. For example, 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ 10♥ J♥ (also known as a jack-high straight flush) constitutes a straight flush.
Despite the strength of this hand, it is possible for other straight flushes to beat it if an opponent’s hand has higher card values. As an example, a 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ 10♥ J♥ would beat a 3♥ 4♥ 5♥ 6♥ 7♥.
3. Four of a Kind (Quads)
Also known as quads or four cards, four of a kind refers to hand made up of four cards of the same rank, such as four kings. This is the third-strongest hand in poker, and like a straight flush, it can be beaten by other four of a kind hands if they have higher card values.
In some cases, the community cards might contain a four of a kind. In these rare occasions, every player has the same hand, so it falls to the remaining hole cards (the kicker) to determine who wins.
Consider this example: the community cards show 7♦ 7♥ 7♠ 7♣ 2♠, with two players left in the mix. Player A’s highest hole card is a 9♠ while Player B’s highest hole card is J♣. Player B wins because their jack outranks Player A’s nine as the fifth-card kicker.
4. Full House
A full house is any combination of three cards of the same rank plus a pair, and is the fourth-strongest poker hand possible. Despite this, the full house is a very common poker hand, and it’s that unusual to see two full houses in a showdown.
In this situation, the three-of-a-kind ranking dictates the winner, not the pair. For example, a Q♦ Q♥ Q♠ 2♣ 2♠ (or a full house, queens over twos or full house, queens full of twos) would beat an 8♣ 8♥ 8♠ A♣ A♠.
With that in mind, don’t start placing larger-than-life bets if your three of a kind is made up of low-ranking cards. If your three of a kind contains Q, K, or A, you can play bolder.
5. Flush
A flush is any combination of five non-sequential cards of the same suit, and is the fifth-best poker hand possible. Flushes land square in the middle of poker hand rankings, and are a reliable mid-strength hand.
In the event that multiple players have a flush at the final reveal, the hand containing the highest card wins. If the highest card is the same for both players (i.e. it’s in the community cards), then the second-highest card decides the winner.
Say the community cards show A♦ 3♦ 6♠ A♣ 5♦. Because an ace is the highest-ranking card and both players have access to it, it’s time to look at the second-highest card. For Player A, that’s a Q♦ but for Player B, it’s a 10♦. In this case, Player A wins.
Pay attention to your highest hole card to decide how freely you bet. If you’re holding an ace, you can play more confidently; if it’s on the lower side, proceed with caution.
6. Straight
A straight is any sequence of five consecutive cards of different suits, and is the sixth-best possible poker hand.
If several players have a straight in a showdown, the highest card breaks the tie. For example, a 4♥ 5♦ 6♠ 7♣ 8♦ beats a 2♦ 3♣ 4♠ 5♣ 6♥ hand because 8 is higher than 6.
7. Three of a Kind
Like the name suggests, three of a kind refers to any hand with three cards of the same rank plus two additional cards. If the two additional cards are also paired, the hand becomes a full house.
In the event of a tie, the highest-value trio determines the winner. Specifically, a J♥ J♦ J♠ 3♣ 7♦ would trump an 8♣ 8♦ 8♠ A♦ 2♠.
Remember: only the values of the three of a kind matter. So, even though the second hand has the highest card (an ace), it still loses because its trio value is lower.
8. Two Pairs
Two pairs is any two cards of the same rank and another two cards of the same rank. The fifth and final card stands on its own and is known as the kicker, just like in a four of a kind.
Again, in this context, card value is important. If multiple players have two pairs, then the highest pair decides who wins. If they’re equal, the second pair decides the winner. If both pairs are of equal value, then it comes down to the kicker.
For instance, say one player has A♠ A♣ 6♦ 6♠ 10♠ and another has A♦ A♥ 6♥ 6♣ 2♠. The former’s kicker card is higher, so they win the pot.
9. Pair
A pair is any two cards of the same rank, and is a very common and easy-to-beat hand. When two players both have a single pair, the highest-ranked pair comes out on top.
As one of the weakest hands, you need to be careful if you only have a pair. Although two kings might feel strong, things can shift as the flop, turn, and river come out. Those new cards could transform your opponents’ hands, potentially giving them the power to trump you. Play based on the board and pay close attention to your competitors’ behaviours.
10. High Card
The weakest of all poker hand rankings, a high card is a hand made up of a single card, no kickers, and is determined by the highest-value card either in your hole cards or the community cards.
Sometimes, the community cards don’t work for anyone, meaning everyone’s relying on their highest card. In these scenarios, bluffing is your best friend. A strong bet on the river could convince your opponents you’ve got the goods and scare them into folding.
See Poker Hand Rankings in Practice at Ignition Poker
To recap, poker hand rankings from best to worst are as follows:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pairs
- Pair
- High Card
While studying poker theory is a great start, the best way to absorb poker hand rankings is to actually play. With firsthand experience, it’s easier to remember the strength of different hands. Plus, more practice will allow you to avoid common missteps associated with each of these hands.
Put your skills and knowledge to the test with Ignition Poker.