Best Hands In Poker Ranked & Explained
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Interested in learning about the top poker hands and how they rank? This poker hand ranking guide covers every possible hand from the royal flush down to a simple high card. Learn how to read poker hands and to determine what beats what in poker using the hand rankings definitions on this page.
CONTENTS:
- Poker Hands Ranking Chart
- Royal Flush: The Pinnacle of Poker Hands
- Straight Flush: Second Best Hand
- Four of a Kind: Dominating the Table
- Full House: A Strong Contender
- Flush: Five Cards, One Suit
- Straight: Five Consecutive Cards
- Three of a Kind: Triple Threat
- Two Pair: Double Trouble
- One Pair: Common but Competitive
- High Card: The Last Resort
- Poker Hand Probabilities
- Tie-Breakers and Kickers
- Download Our Free Poker Cheat Sheet
- What Beats What in Poker?
- Summary
POKER HANDS RANKING CHART
The poker hand rankings chart serves as an essential tool for clearly delineating the order of poker hands from strongest to weakest. This structured ordering is consistent across various types of poker, including Texas Hold’em, which is very popular among both casual and professional players. The ranking chart proves indispensable in assessing the strength of each hand during gameplay.
Here is a breakdown of what beats what in poker:
- A royal flush beats a straight flush.
- A straight flush beats a four of a kind.
- A four of a kind beats a full house.
- A full house beats a flush.
- A flush beats a straight.
- A straight beats a three of a kind.
- A three of a kind beats two pair.
- Two pair beats one pair.
- One pair beats a high card hand.
Each card combination brings with it its own strategic power and rarity. When no pair is present, the hand's strength is determined by its highest card, and this is called a "high card hand".
In poker games like No Limit Texas Hold'em or Pot Limit Omaha where community cards are on display, it is useful to determine how many poker hands from the chart above are possible. Players must consider both the strength of their hand and the potential strength of their opponent's hand when making decisions at the poker table.
Knowing poker hands is also very important in video poker. Find out how to play video poker online today!
ROYAL FLUSH: THE PINNACLE OF POKER HANDS
At the pinnacle atop the best poker hands sits the royal flush, an ace high straight flush composed of an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten all within the same suit. The royal straight flush is the best hand in poker, beating other straight flush hands due to it being comprised of the five highest card values possible. For players who indulge in this game of skill and chance, coming across a royal flush is extremely rare and will occur only sparingly throughout their card-playing days.
The scarcity of holding a royal flush makes this incredible hand something that most players never forget. Ironically, despite their strength, royal flushes don't always result in winning big pots. In Texas Hold'em, it may be tough for your opponents to have a hand strong enough to call your bets with since you hold all of the high suited cards in the hand.
STRAIGHT FLUSH: SECOND BEST HAND
A straight flush sits just below the royal flush in the hierarchy of poker hands, presenting an exceptionally strong combination that features five cards in sequence, all from identical suits. Take for instance a queen high straight flush like the Q-J-10-9-8 of clubs. The straight flush defeats all hands besides the royal flush, making it the second best hand in poker.
In the realm of poker hand rankings, the strength of a straight flush cannot be overstated. If two players have straight flushes in the same hand, the player with the higher sequence of cards wins. For example, a K-Q-J-10-9 straight flush beats a J-10-9-8-7 straight flush.
FOUR OF A KIND: DOMINATING THE TABLE
Holding four of a kind, also known as quads, means you have four cards with identical values in your hand. This formidable combination is the third best hand in poker and showcases remarkable power across multiple poker game variants. Four aces is the best possible four of a kind hand, followed by four kings, four queens, and so on.
In the hierarchy of poker hand rankings, four of a kind holds an esteemed position just below two prestigious hands: the royal flush and straight flush. Players tend to win massive pots in Texas Hold'em and other poker games when they hold a four of a kind against an opponent's full house, as the player with the full house is very unlikely to fold such a strong hand.
FULL HOUSE: A STRONG CONTENDER
A full house is a powerful poker hand made up of two different sets: three cards sharing the same rank and another pair of cards with a different rank. For instance, a K-K-K-Q-Q full house is made up of three kings and a pair of queens. Full houses are often described with the three of a kind "full of" the one pair, so the full house in this example would be referred to as kings full of queens.
When comparing full houses between two players, the winner is determined by whoever has the highest ranking trio. Should those trios be equal in rank, then it’s down to whose pair ranks higher. A full house is only possible in Texas Hold'em when there is at least one pair showing on the board.
FLUSH: FIVE CARDS, ONE SUIT
A flush is recognized as a potent hand composed of five cards that all belong to the same suit. This differs from a straight flush in which the cards must be consecutive. The power of a flush is assessed by the rank of its highest card. If there’s an impasse between hands, it’s this top card that will break the tie. For instance, a Q-high flush like Q-J-5-4-2 of clubs would beat a 10-high flush.
Unlike full houses and other hands higher on the poker hand rankings chart, flushes are fairly common in poker. Holding a flush will often make you the winning player in the hand, especially if it's the ace-high flush. Texas Hold'em players should always be aware that one of their opponents might have a flush if there are three or more cards of one suit among the community cards.
STRAIGHT: FIVE CONSECUTIVE CARDS
A straight is made up of five cards that follow each other in sequence, regardless of whether they are all the same suit. It’s the top-most card within a straight that decides its strength. The highest straight possible is the ace-high straight of A-K-Q-J-10, which is called "Broadway" by poker players.
An ace can also be used to make the low end of a straight. As such, the lowest straight five cards possible is the five-high straight of 5-4-3-2-A, which is called a "Wheel". In situations where two straights clash, the highest card's value will be used to determine the winner.
THREE OF A KIND: TRIPLE THREAT
Holding three cards of identical value is known as a three of a kind. The terminology used to describe a three of a kind in Texas Hold'em is different depending on what combination of cards you use to make your hand. A three of a kind made up of one card in your hand and two among the community cards is called "trips", while a three of a kind with a pair in your hand and a matching card on the board is called a "set". For example, if you hold 4-4 and the flop comes K-6-4, you have a three of a kind fours, which would be called a set of fours in this instance.
Sets are very powerful hands in Texas Hold'em and other poker games with community cards. This is due to the fact that the strength of your hand is well-concealed, unlike a flush for example which may be more obvious for an opponent to anticipate with lots of the same suit on the board. The odds of flopping a set while holding a pair in your hand are roughly 7.5-to-1.
TWO PAIR: DOUBLE TROUBLE
A two pair hand consists of two separate pairs along with an additional card that doesn't match either pair. While a 7-7-7-2-2 hand would be a full house, a 7-7-2-2-9 hand is a two pair with sevens and twos.
In scenarios where both participants hold a two-pair hand, the player who has the superior top pair comes out on top. Should their highest pairs match, then it’s the strength of their second pair that acts as tiebreaker. And in cases where even those are identical, it’s down to the unpaired card, also known as the kicker, to determine who wins.
ONE PAIR: COMMON BUT COMPETITIVE
One pair is a winning hand in poker that features two cards with the same value, accompanied by three additional cards that do not match. The highest pair wins in a showdown between two pairs. If players have pairs of equal value, the winner is decided by whoever has the highest card outside of their pair. The second or third highest card may also be used as tiebreakers if both the pair and top kicker are the same.
In Texas Hold’em games, one pair is the most common top hand. Even though it occurs quite often, this type of hand still offers strong competition when formed using high-value pairs such as kings or aces. This is why A-K, also known as "Big Slick", is such a popular starting hand; flopping an ace or a king will give you top pair and top kicker.
HIGH CARD: THE LAST RESORT
Defined as lacking pairs, straights, or flushes, a high card hand relies on the highest single card for its value. To determine the victor among high card hands, one compares the topmost cards. If these are equivalent, subsequent higher cards settle any ties.
An ace-high stands as the most formidable of all high card combinations. Six-high is the worst possible hand in poker, as five-high is only possible in a five-high straight. Despite being clearly weaker than one-pair hands, there are still instances in which a high card hand is strong enough to take down the pot.
POKER HAND PROBABILITIES
Understanding the likelihood of various poker hands can improve your game strategy. Being dealt a royal flush is exceptionally rare, while starting out with just a high card hand happens about 50% of the time. Here are the probabilities of being dealt a specific hand in five card draw or making a hand on the flop in Texas Hold'em:
- High Card: 50.1177% or 0.995 to 1
- One Pair: 42.2569% or 1.37 to 1
- Two Pairs: 4.7539% or 20.0 to 1
- Three of a Kind: 2.1128% or 46.3 to 1
- Straight: 0.3925% or 254 to 1
- Flush: 0.1965% or 508 to 1
- Full House: 0.1441% or 693 to 1
- Four of a Kind: 0.0240% or 4,164 to 1
- Straight Flush: 0.00139% or 72,192 to 1
- Royal Flush: 0.000154% or 649,739 to 1
TIE-BREAKERS AND KICKERS
In the game of poker, when players hold hands of equal rank, kickers and tie-breakers become essential in determining the victor. By assessing cards that follow in descending order of value, a kicker helps break ties. For instance, in Texas Hold’em, a player’s highest card outside of a pair can act as a kicker by strengthening their hand over an opponent with an equivalent pair.
When identical hands occur and players draw from communal cards on the board, it is possible for the deciding kicker also to come from those shared cards. In such cases where both contenders have matching kickers or when one community card stands out as highest among all others played by either party involved, then they are left splitting the pot between them.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE POKER CHEAT SHEET
Enhance your poker prowess with our complimentary poker cheat sheet, designed to deepen players’ grasp of poker hand rankings and elevate their gameplay. This simple yet effective tool is particularly beneficial for those playing at lower stakes. For additional insights, refer to our extensive FAQ on poker hand rankings below.
Our cheat sheet offers charts and tactics serving as a convenient quick reference to aid in making strategic choices during play. It’s completely free and can be obtained without submitting any personal details. Secure your copy now on our Ultimate Poker Cheat Sheet page!
WHAT BEATS WHAT IN POKER?
The hierarchy of best poker hands is crucial to know while playing poker. These include Royal Flush at the top, followed by Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and finally High Card as the lowest. Understanding which ranked poker hand outmatches another is key to success in poker.
It is also important to remember the tie-breaking procedure when two players hold hands of the same value. The highest value card is used to determine the winner, such as an ace-high straight beating a nine-high straight or a pair of eights beating a pair of fives. If both players hold hands of equal rank, kickers are used as a tiebreaker.
LEGAL STATES FOR ONLINE POKER
Currently, online poker players can sit at virtual tables and play in competitive online poker tournaments in only a handful of states. While online poker continues to gain popularity among online casino players, experts believe the number of states that offer legal online poker will rise in the coming years. However, poker players in Michigan, West Virginia, Nevada, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
With Pennsylvania poised to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) in the coming months, its clear that state legislatures are realizing the potential for legalized online poker in their state. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The best poker hands ranking chart organizes hands from highest to lowest, making it essential for recognizing what hand wins in poker games.
- Understanding hand combinations like straight flushes, four of a kinds, and full houses can significantly increase your chances of winning at the poker table both in person and at online casinos.
- Tie-breakers and kickers are necessary for determining winners when players have the same hand rank, showcasing the importance of knowing the next highest cards.
SUMMARY
In summary, understanding poker hand rankings is fundamental to mastering the game. From the unbeatable royal flush to the humble high card, each hand has its place in the order of poker hands. By familiarizing yourself with these rankings, you can make more informed decisions and improve your chances of winning.
As you continue your poker journey, remember that knowledge is power. Use the insights gained from this guide to enhance your strategy and outplay your opponents. With practice and persistence, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a winning poker player.
POKER HAND RANKINGS FAQ
WHAT IS THE HIGHEST-RANKING POKER HAND?
At the pinnacle of poker hand rankings sits the royal flush, which is composed of an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten that are all identical in suit.
HOW OFTEN CAN I EXPECT TO GET A STRAIGHT FLUSH?
Straight flushes are very rare in poker. The odds of being dealt a straight flush in your first five cards are 72,192 to 1.
WHAT IS A KICKER IN POKER?
When players possess hands of identical rank, the next highest card serves as the tiebreaker. This card is known as the kicker. For example, if one player holds A-A-9-7-2 and the other holds A-A-8-6-5, both players have a pair of aces, but the first hand wins due to the nine kicker being higher than the eight.
HOW IS A TIE RESOLVED IN POKER IF BOTH PLAYERS HAVE TWO PAIRS?
In the event that two poker players each hold a hand with two pairs, the winner is determined by the highest pair. If those are the same, the lower pair is used as a tiebreaker. And if there is still no difference at this stage, then it is the higher kicker (the last remaining card) that will break the tie and decide who claims victory.
WHAT IS THE PROBABILITY OF FLOPPING A FULL HOUSE?
The odds of flopping a full house in Texas Hold'em are 693 to 1. The full house is a rare and strong hand that is very often good enough to win the pot.