Poker Basics: Poker Hand Rankings

Poker hand rankings determine the winner of a poker hand and are one of the first things every new player needs to learn. In standard high poker, hands are ranked from the Royal Flush at the top down to High Card at the bottom.

The same basic poker hand rankings are used in Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Five Card Draw, and many other poker variants. However, lowball and high-low games use different rules for determining the winning low hand.

This guide explains every poker hand in order from best to worst, provides examples of each hand, shows how ties are broken, and explains how hand rankings work across different poker variants.

Poker Hand Rankings From Best to Worst

There are ten standard poker hand categories. A higher-ranked category always beats a lower-ranked category, regardless of the individual card ranks involved.

When two or more players have the same type of hand, the ranks of the cards within those hands determine the winner. If their best five-card hands are identical, the pot is split.

Royal Flush

A Royal Flush consists of A-K-Q-J-10, all in the same suit. It is the highest possible hand in standard high poker.

A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥ is a Royal Flush, as are the equivalent five cards in spades, diamonds, or clubs. Suits have equal value at showdown, so no Royal Flush outranks another Royal Flush.

There are four possible Royal Flush combinations in a standard 52-card deck. The probability of receiving a Royal Flush as an exact five-card hand is approximately 0.000154%, or about 1 in 649,740.

Straight Flush

A Straight Flush consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit. The Royal Flush is technically an ace-high Straight Flush, although it is traditionally listed separately as the highest poker hand.

Straight Flushes are ranked according to their highest card. A K-Q-J-10-9 Straight Flush therefore beats a Q-J-10-9-8 Straight Flush.

The lowest Straight Flush is 5-4-3-2-A of the same suit, with the ace playing low. This is sometimes called a steel wheel.

Four of a Kind

Four of a Kind, also called quads, consists of four cards of the same rank plus one other card.

For example:

K♠ K♥ K♦ K♣ 3♥

When two Four of a Kind hands are compared, the higher set of four cards wins. Four aces beats four kings, four kings beats four queens, and so on.

If players have the same quads in a community-card game, the fifth card or kicker determines the winner when it differs. If both players have the same five-card hand, they split the pot.

Full House

A Full House consists of Three of a Kind plus a pair. Q-Q-Q-7-7, for example, is described as queens full of sevens.

Full Houses are ranked first according to the Three of a Kind. A-A-A-2-2 therefore beats K-K-K-A-A.

If the Three of a Kind is identical, the pair determines the winner. This situation can occur in community-card games where players share cards from the board.

Flush

A Flush consists of five cards of the same suit that do not form a Straight Flush.

For example:

A♠ J♠ 9♠ 6♠ 4♠

When two players have Flushes, the highest card is compared first. If those cards tie, the second-highest cards are compared, followed by the third, fourth, and fifth cards if necessary.

An ace-high Flush is the highest type of ordinary Flush. The term nut flush means the highest Flush possible given the cards currently available; it does not simply mean any ace-high Flush.

Straight

A Straight consists of five cards of consecutive rank. The suits do not matter unless all five cards have the same suit, in which case the hand is a Straight Flush.

The highest Straight is A-K-Q-J-10, commonly called Broadway. The lowest is 5-4-3-2-A, commonly called the wheel.

Straights are ranked by their highest card. A Q-J-10-9-8 Straight therefore beats J-10-9-8-7.

An ace can be used at the top or bottom of a Straight, but it cannot wrap around. K-A-2-3-4 and Q-K-A-2-3 are not valid Straights.

Three of a Kind

Three of a Kind consists of three cards of the same rank plus two other cards.

For example:

8♠ 8♥ 8♦ K♣ 5♠

The rank of the three matching cards determines which Three of a Kind is higher. If the trips are identical, the kickers are compared in descending order.

In community-card poker, players commonly distinguish between a set and trips. A set is usually made with a pocket pair and one matching board card, while trips are usually made with one hole card and a pair on the board.

Two Pair

Two Pair consists of two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and one kicker.

For example:

A♠ A♥ 7♦ 7♣ K♠

Two Pair hands are compared by the higher pair first. If those are equal, the lower pair is compared. If both pairs are identical, the kicker determines the winner.

A-A-7-7-K therefore beats A-A-6-6-K, while A-A-7-7-K beats A-A-7-7-Q because of the higher kicker.

One Pair

One Pair consists of two cards of the same rank plus three other cards.

For example:

J♠ J♥ 10♦ 8♣ 4♠

The higher pair wins when two One Pair hands are compared. If both players have the same pair, their remaining cards are compared from highest to lowest until a difference is found.

For example, K-K-A-10-8 beats K-K-Q-J-10 because the ace is the highest kicker.

High Card

High Card is the lowest standard poker hand category. It applies when the five-card hand contains no pair, Straight, Flush, or stronger combination.

For example:

A♠ K♥ Q♦ 9♣ 7♠

High Card hands are compared from the highest card downward. A-K-Q-9-7 beats A-K-J-10-8 because the queens are compared before any lower cards.

The lowest possible five-card High Card hand in standard high poker is 7-5-4-3-2 with at least two suits represented. A 6-5-4-3-2 combination would be a Straight and therefore would not qualify as High Card.

Poker Hand Probabilities

The frequency of poker hands helps explain the standard rankings: rarer five-card hands generally rank above more common hands.

The following probabilities apply when selecting exactly five cards from a standard 52-card deck. There are 2,598,960 possible five-card combinations.

These figures describe five-card combinations, not the probability of making each hand in Texas Hold’em after seeing seven available cards. Hold’em probabilities are different because a player can make the best five-card hand from seven cards.

How to Break Ties in Poker

When players have hands from different categories, the higher category wins. A Flush always beats a Straight, for example, regardless of the ranks of the cards in the Straight.

When players have the same hand category, use these tie-breaking rules:

• Straight Flush: Compare the highest card.
• Four of a Kind: Compare the rank of the quads, then the kicker if necessary.
• Full House: Compare the Three of a Kind first, then the pair.
• Flush: Compare the highest card, followed by each remaining card in descending order.
• Straight: Compare the highest card.
• Three of a Kind: Compare the trips, followed by the kickers.
• Two Pair: Compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the kicker.
• One Pair: Compare the pair, then each kicker from highest to lowest.
• High Card: Compare the cards from highest to lowest.

Only the best five-card poker hand matters. Extra cards beyond those five cannot break a tie.

In Texas Hold’em, for example, if the board is A-K-Q-J-10 and neither player can make a higher-ranking hand, every remaining player has the same Broadway Straight and the pot is split.

Suits are not used to break ties between poker hands at showdown. A Flush in spades does not beat an otherwise identical Flush in hearts.

Suit rankings can, however, be used for procedural purposes. For example, Seven Card Stud rules may use suit order to determine which player posts the bring-in when exposed cards have the same rank.

Do Poker Hand Rankings Change Between Games?

Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, and Five Card Draw normally use the standard high-hand rankings shown above.

However, not every form of poker uses the same objective.

In Ace-to-Five Lowball games such as Razz, players try to make the lowest hand. Aces are low, and Straights and Flushes generally do not count against the low hand. A-2-3-4-5 is therefore the best possible five-card Razz hand.

In Deuce-to-Seven Lowball, aces are high and Straights and Flushes count against the player. The best possible hand is 7-5-4-3-2 with at least two suits represented.

In high-low split games such as Omaha Hi-Lo Eight or Better and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Eight or Better, the standard poker rankings determine the high half of the pot while a separate low-hand ranking determines the low half.

For an Eight or Better low, a qualifying hand must contain five different cards ranked eight or lower. If no player makes a qualifying low, the high hand wins the entire pot.

Common Poker Hand Ranking Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes is forgetting that only the best five cards count. In Texas Hold’em, players do not necessarily use both hole cards. They can use both, one, or neither to construct their best five-card hand.

Omaha works differently. Players must use exactly two of their hole cards and exactly three community cards. Having an ace of hearts in your hand when four hearts appear on the board does not give you a Flush in Omaha unless you have a second heart among your hole cards.

Another common mistake involves kickers. A kicker matters only when it is actually part of the best five-card hand. If the board itself already provides five cards that both players use, unused hole cards cannot break the tie.

Players also sometimes misread Straights involving an ace. Aces can be high in A-K-Q-J-10 or low in A-2-3-4-5, but Straights cannot wrap around. K-A-2-3-4 is not a Straight.

Flushes can cause similar confusion. Six or seven cards of the same suit do not create a special higher-ranking Flush. Only the best five suited cards are used.

Finally, suits do not determine the winner at showdown. Spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs have equal value when comparing poker hands.

Poker Hand Rankings FAQ

What are the poker hands in order?

From highest to lowest, standard poker hands are Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card.

What beats what in poker?

A Royal Flush beats every other standard poker hand. A Straight Flush beats Four of a Kind or lower; Four of a Kind beats a Full House or lower; a Full House beats a Flush or lower; a Flush beats a Straight or lower; a Straight beats Three of a Kind or lower; Three of a Kind beats Two Pair or lower; and Two Pair beats One Pair or High Card.

Does a Flush beat a Straight?

Yes. A Flush ranks above a Straight in standard poker hand rankings.

Does a Full House beat a Flush?

Yes. A Full House ranks above a Flush but below Four of a Kind.

Does Three of a Kind beat Two Pair?

Yes. Three of a Kind ranks above Two Pair in standard high poker.

Does Two Pair beat a pair?

Yes. Two Pair ranks above One Pair.

What is the best hand in poker?

A Royal Flush — A-K-Q-J-10 all in the same suit — is traditionally listed as the highest possible poker hand. Technically, it is the highest possible Straight Flush.

What is the worst poker hand?

The lowest possible five-card High Card hand in standard high poker is 7-5-4-3-2 with at least two suits represented. A lower-looking sequence such as 6-5-4-3-2 is actually a Straight.

This should not be confused with lowball poker, where the objective is to make a low hand and the rankings differ by variant.

What is a kicker in poker?

A kicker is a card used to break a tie between otherwise equivalent hands.

For example, if one player has A-K and another has A-Q on an A-9-7-4-2 board, both players have a pair of aces. The first player wins because the king kicker beats the queen kicker.

Can suits break ties in poker?

No. Suits do not break ties between hands at showdown in standard poker.

Some poker rules use suit rankings for administrative purposes, such as determining the bring-in in Seven Card Stud. A commonly used suit order for these procedures is clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades from lowest to highest.

Can you use all five community cards in Texas Hold’em?

Yes. A Texas Hold’em player can use both hole cards, one hole card, or no hole cards at all. The objective is simply to make the best possible five-card hand from the seven available cards.

Do you have to use both hole cards in Omaha?

Yes. In Omaha, a player must use exactly two hole cards and exactly three community cards to make a five-card poker hand.