
Poker Hands Ranked In Order
Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and knowing when to make the right calls. But at the heart of the game lies hand rankings - the hierarchy of poker hands that determines who wins each showdown. Whether you're playing Texas Hold'em, Omaha, or Seven-Card Stud, understanding poker hand rankings is essential to your success at the table. You can't know when to draw, call, hold, or fold if you don't understand the value or potential of your hand and those around you. This guide breaks down all poker hands from highest to lowest, explaining their importance and the order in which they beat each other.Understanding Poker Hands
Before you place your next bet or determine the direction of your hand, it's crucial to know how poker hands are ranked and why these rankings matter.The Basics of Hand Rankings
In poker, hands are ranked based on rarity and probability. The less likely a hand is to occur, the higher its rank. The standard ranking system applies to most variations of poker, including Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and Five-Card Draw.Importance of Knowing Hand Rankings
Knowing the rankings of poker hands helps you make smarter betting decisions. You will be better equipped to strategize based on the current and potential strength of your hand, enabling you to avoid costly mistakes, especially in high-stakes games. Knowing hand rankings also ensures that you don't misread your hand in a crucial moment.Now, let's dive into each poker hand ranking in order from strongest to weakest:
The Royal Flush
The Royal Flush is the best possible hand in poker. A Royal Flush consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 of the same suit. This is the rarest and most powerful hand in poker.What Beats a Royal Flush?
Nothing. A Royal Flush is an unbeatable poker hand.
The Straight Flush
A Straight Flush is a sequence of five consecutive cards in the same suit, such as an 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 of hearts. It's a mighty hand, second only to a Royal Flush.What Beats a Straight Flush?
A Straight Flush with higher card values
- A Royal Flush
- Four-of-a-Kind
What Beats a Four-of-a-Kind?
- Straight Flush
- Royal Flush
- Full House
What Beats a Full House?
- Four-of-a-Kind
- Straight Flush
- Royal Flush
Flush
A Flush is a poker hand where all five cards share the same suit, but they are not in consecutive order. For example, you could have an Ace, a Jack, an 8, a 5, and a 2 of clubs. If two players have a Flush, the player with the highest card in the Flush wins.What Beats a Flush?
- Full House
- Four-of-a-Kind
- Straight Flush
- Royal Flush
Straight
A Straight consists of five cards in a row, but they do not have to be of the same suit. The face value of the cards is what matters. If two players have a Straight, the Straight with the higher-ranking cards wins.What Beats a Straight?
- Flush
- Full House
- Four-of-a-Kind
- Straight Flush
- Royal Flush
Three-of-a-Kind
Also known as "trips" or "a set," this poker hand consists of three matching cards of any suit. Suppose two players have Three-of-a-Kind, the higher three wins.What Beats a Three-of-a-Kind?
- Straight
- Flush
- Full House
- Four-of-a-Kind
- Straight Flush
- Royal Flush
Two Pair
Two Pair consists of two sets of matching cards, such as two Kings and two 10s. If two players have Two Pairs, the highest pair wins. If those are equal, the second-highest pair wins.What Beats a Two Pair?
- Three-of-a-Kind
- Straight
- Flush
- Full House
- Four-of-a-Kind
- Straight Flush
- Royal Flush
One Pair
One Pair is a simple but common poker hand consisting of two matching cards of any suit. If multiple players have a pair, the pair with the highest value wins.What Beats One Pair?
- Two Pair
- Three-of-a-Kind
- Straight
- Flush
- Full House
- Four-of-a-Kind
- Straight Flush
- Royal Flush
High Card
This hand consists of no matching cards, no sequence, and no flush. If no player has a ranked hand, the winner is determined by the highest individual card in their hand.
What Beats a High Card?
- Any ranked poker hand (Pair or better)
Poker Hand Ties and Kickers
Though it may not seem likely, and it doesn't happen often, two players can have tied poker hands. They won't have the exact same cards, but they can have the same value hand, such as each player having a pair of 5s.Handling Ties in Poker
When two players have the same hand, the kicker - the highest side card - determines the winner.Take these two hands for example:
- Player 1: K♣ K♦ Q♠ 10♣ 7♥
- Player 2: K♠ K♥ J♣ 10♠ 8♦
In the rare event that all five cards in two players' hands are identical, the pot is split evenly between them.
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