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Poker Hand Rankings
Here we start with the best possible Poker Hands and work our way down
Straight Flush
A straight flush contains 5 sequential cards of the same suit, the best being the royal flush. The straight flush with the highest ranked top card beats a straight flush with a lower ranked top card, for example, a queen high straight flush beats a jack high straight flush because the queen is a higher ranked card than the jack. |
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Four of a kind
Four of a kind is comprised of 4 cards all of a particular rank plus another card to be used as a kicker. A higher ranking four of a kind beats a lower ranking four of a kind, for example, four aces beat four kings. If both hands feature the same four of a kind, the kicker card is used to determine the winning hand. Four of a kind jacks with a nine kicker beats four of a kind jacks with a seven kicker because the nine outkicks the seven. |
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Full House
A full house contains three cards of a particular rank plus two paired cards of a different rank. The full house with the highest ranking 3 cards beats a full house with a lower ranking 3 cards, for example a full house queens full of jacks beats a full house fives full of aces. When both full houses contain the same 3 cards of equal rank, the pair of cards of a different rank are used to determine the winner. A full house aces full of queens beats a full house aces full of jacks because the pair of queens beat the pair of jacks. |
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Flush
A flush is comprised of 5 non sequential cards of the same suit. The flush with the highest ranked card wins the pot, for example, an ace high flush beats a king high flush. Although impossible in many popular forms of poker, including Texas Hold'em, two flushes of equal rank but of different suits would split the pot because suits have no value in the overwhelming majority of cases; it is still, however, best to enquire about the specific rules of the game you intend to play in as regional variances may apply. |
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Straight
A straight features five consecutive sequentially ranked cards of mixed suits. The straight with the highest ranked top card beats a straight with a lower ranked top card, for example, a nine high straight beats a seven high straight because the nine is a higher ranked card than the seven. Two straights that share the same rank of top card would split the pot, a king high straight splits the pot with another king high straight. |
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Three of a kind
Three of a kind contains three cards of the same rank plus two unpaired cards of different rank. Higher ranking three of a kinds beat lower ranking three of a kinds, for example, three of a kind aces beats three of a kind sevens. When competing hands use the same rank three of a kind, the hand with the highest kicker card wins; three of a kind jacks with a king kicker beats three of a kind jacks with a queen kicker. If both hands use the same kicker aswell as using the same three of a kind, the next kicker will be used to determine the winner; three of a kind sevens with king and jack kickers beats three of a kind sevens with king and nine kickers because the jack outkicks the nine. |
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Two Pair
Two Pair consists of two cards of the same rank plus another two cards of the same rank but from a different denomination from the first pair plus one unpaired card. Two pair kings and queens loses to two pair aces and fives because the hand containing the highest top pair wins. If both hands use the same top pair, the lower pair is used to decide the winner, for example, two pair kings and queens beats two pair kings and jacks because the pair of queens outrank the pair of jacks. If both hands use the same two pair, the kicker card is used to determine the winner; two pair kings and queens with an ace kicker beats two pair kings and queens with a jack kicker. |
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One Pair
A pair is comprised of two cards with the same rank plus three other unpaired cards. The higher the pair, the better the hand. A pair of aces beats a pair of queens. Where both parties have the same pair, the kicker cards are used to decide the winner. The best one pair hand is aces. |
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High Card
Consists of 5 unpaired cards that are'nt all the same suit and are'nt all consecutive in order. In the image below, the 8 is the high card. If another opponent also has 8 high, the second highest kicker card would be used to decide who wins the pot. The third, fourth and fifth highest kicker cards would be used in the same way to determine the winner in the event of both parties holding the same higher cards. The ace high hand with the king kicker would win against the ace high hand with the jack kicker. Both ace high hands would beat the 8 high hand. |
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