Correctly understanding the rank of poker hands is a vitally important skill in all forms of poker. Once you have mastered the rank of poker hands you will be able to begin the journey towards becoming a profitable poker player – whether you play in a home poker game, casino or online.

Poker Hands Ranked below are in order from the strongest to the weakest.

Royal Flush

The royal flush is the strongest poker hand possible, this is the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten all of the same suit. This is essentially a ‘Straight Flush’ with the highest possible cards.

Straight Flush

A straight flush is any straight that is all of the same suit. The highest straight flush is the Royal Flush as outlined above, Ace-2-3-4-5 of the same suit is the lowest possible straight flush.

4 of a kind (Quads)

Next in the poker hand rankings comes 4 of a kind. This is only beaten by a straight flush. 4 aces is the highest 4 of a kind hand.

Full House

A Full House is a hand that contains 3 of one type of card and 2 of another. For example K-K-K-4-4 is a full house known as ‘Kings Full of 4′s”. Where there are 2 full house hands make the hand with the highest card making the 3 component will win. For example 7-7-7-3-3 would beat 5-5-5-K-K

The Flush

A flush is made up of 5 cards of the same suit and will beat all the hands below. In the event of two players making a flush the one with the highest single card is the winner. For example if player 1 has 6-9-10-J-K of one suit he would lose to a player with 3-4-7-8-A of one suit – the ace high flush beating the K high flush regardless of the rank of the remaining cards.

The Straight

A straight is 5 cards in order, for example 5-6-7-8-9 regardless of suits. Aces can make low or high straights (A-2-3-4-5 or 10-J-Q-K-A). Straights do not wrap around from high to low, for example Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight!

3 of a kind (Trips)

Any 3 of the same cards are known as trips. Where 2 players end up with the same trips the rank if the remaining cards is taken into account. For example if both players end up with 9-9-9 but one holds an Ace while the highest card the other holds is a ten then the player with 9-9-9-X-A would win the hand.

2 pairs

2 pair hands are fairly low in the poker hand ranking chart and are beaten by all of the hands mentioned above. Again when 2 players have the same 2 pairs the one with the higher unpaired card will win the hand. In a game with community cards such as texas Holdem the highest card may already be on the board leading to a split pot. Remember to compare the best 5-card hands in this situation.

1 Pair

Single pairs are near the bottom of poker hand rankings – as with 2 pair and trips hands kickers (highest unpaired cards) may come into play where 2 or more players hold the same pair.

High Card Only

In the unusual event of reaching a showdown with no players holding any of the hands above the highest card wins. If (for example) both players hold an Ace then the next highest card is taken into account. Once again remember that in community card games such as holdem the best 5 card hand wins – for example if the board were 7-8-9-K-A and both players held just Queen-high then the pot would be split if both players other card was 9 or below.

Gl at the Tables.

Mark

By: Mark R. Holland

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