Poker Hand Rankings: Every Hand From Best to Worst
Poker hands are ranked in one fixed order. A hand higher on the list beats every hand below it, at every table and in every form of Hold’em. Learn the order once and you can read any showdown.
The ten hands, strongest first
Royal flush: ace, king, queen, jack and ten of one suit. It is the highest straight flush and cannot be beaten.
Straight flush: five cards in a row, all of one suit. Four of a kind: four cards of one rank. Full house: three of one rank with two of another. Flush: five cards of one suit in any order.
Straight: five cards in a row of mixed suits. Three of a kind: three cards of one rank. Two pair: two different pairs. Pair: two cards of one rank. High card: none of the above, so the highest card plays.
How ties are broken
When two players hold the same kind of hand, the ranks inside it decide. A pair of kings beats a pair of queens. A king-high flush beats a jack-high flush. A full house is compared by its three of a kind first, then by its pair.
If those ranks are equal, the kickers decide. A kicker is a card outside the made hand. With a pair of aces each, the player whose next card is higher wins. Only five cards ever count, so a sixth card never breaks a tie.
If all five cards are equal in rank, the pot is split. Suits do not break ties in Hold’em.
Why a flush beats a straight
The order follows how rare each hand is. With five cards from a full deck, a flush comes up less often than a straight, and a full house less often than a flush. The rarer the hand, the higher it ranks.
Rarity is also why three of a kind beats two pair, a point new players often reverse.
Reading the board in Hold’em
Your hand is the best five cards from seven: your two hole cards and the five on the board. The board is shared, so first ask what it gives everyone. Three cards of one suit on the board mean a flush is possible. A paired board means a full house is possible.
A common mistake is counting a pair on the board as your own strength. If the board shows two nines, every player has that pair. What matters is what your hole cards add to it.
Another is missing the ace playing low. Ace, two, three, four, five is a straight, the lowest one. An ace cannot sit in the middle: queen, king, ace, two, three is not a straight.
Related
FAQ
What is the best hand in poker?
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A royal flush: ace, king, queen, jack and ten of one suit. It is the highest possible straight flush.
Does a flush beat a straight?
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Yes. A flush is rarer than a straight, so it ranks higher. A full house beats both.
Does three of a kind beat two pair?
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Yes. Three of a kind ranks above two pair.
What is a kicker in poker?
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A card outside your made hand that breaks ties. With a pair of aces and a king, the king is your kicker.
Are suits ranked in Texas Hold’em?
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No. Suits are never compared. Two hands with the same ranks split the pot.