Poker Basics: Poker Hand Rankings

Poker hand rankings form the foundation of every poker game, determining who wins each pot and ultimately who takes home the money. Whether you’re playing Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, or any other poker variant, mastering these rankings is absolutely essential for success at the tables. The hierarchy of poker hands has remained consistent across virtually all poker games for over a century, creating a universal language that players worldwide understand and respect.

These rankings aren’t arbitrary—they’re based on mathematical probability, with rarer hands ranking higher than more common ones. A Royal Flush appears roughly once every 649,740 hands, while a simple pair occurs about once every 2.37 hands, explaining why one dominates the other. Understanding not just the rankings but also their relative frequencies helps players make better betting decisions and assess the true strength of their holdings in any given situation.

This comprehensive guide covers everything from the mighty Royal Flush down to humble High Card, including detailed explanations of tie-breaking rules, common mistakes to avoid, and how these rankings apply across different poker variants. By the end, you’ll have complete mastery of poker hand rankings and the confidence to play any poker game with authority.

Complete poker hand rankings from best to worst

The standard poker hand rankings consist of ten distinct categories, each with its own specific requirements and relative strength. These rankings apply to virtually every poker variant played today, from cash games to tournaments, whether you’re playing online or in a casino.

Each hand type beats all hands ranked below it and loses to all hands ranked above it. When players have the same hand type, specific tie-breaking rules determine the winner based on the ranks of the cards involved.

Royal Flush: The ultimate poker hand

A Royal Flush represents the absolute pinnacle of poker hands, consisting of the five highest cards in a single suit: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten. This hand is mathematically unbeatable in standard poker games, making it the dream holding that every player hopes to see at least once in their poker career.

The probability of being dealt a Royal Flush in five-card draw poker is approximately 0.000154%, or roughly 1 in 649,740 hands. In Texas Hold’em, where players use seven cards to make their best five-card hand, the odds improve slightly to about 1 in 30,940 hands, but it remains an extraordinarily rare occurrence.

All Royal Flushes are equal in value regardless of suit, so a Royal Flush in hearts has exactly the same strength as one in spades. In the extremely unlikely event that multiple players hold Royal Flushes simultaneously, the pot would be split equally among them, though this scenario is virtually impossible in most poker games.

Straight Flush: Five in a row, same suit

A Straight Flush consists of five consecutive cards all in the same suit, but not including the ace-high Broadway sequence that defines a Royal Flush. These hands rank by their highest card, with a King-high Straight Flush (K-Q-J-10-9) being the strongest possible Straight Flush.

The lowest possible Straight Flush is the “wheel” or “steel wheel,” consisting of 5-4-3-2-A in the same suit. In this case, the Ace plays low, making it a five-high straight rather than an ace-high straight. This hand beats all other poker hands except for higher Straight Flushes and Royal Flushes.

Straight Flushes occur approximately once every 72,193 hands in five-card poker, making them roughly nine times more likely than a Royal Flush but still extraordinarily rare. When multiple players have Straight Flushes, the one with the highest top card wins, with no consideration given to the suit.

Four of a Kind: Quads dominate the table

Four of a Kind, commonly called “quads,” consists of four cards of the same rank plus one additional card known as a kicker. This powerful hand ranks third in the poker hierarchy and wins the vast majority of pots when it appears.

The strength of Four of a Kind is determined primarily by the rank of the four matching cards. Four Aces represents the strongest possible quads, while four Twos represents the weakest. The kicker only matters when comparing hands with identical quads, which can only occur in games using community cards or wild cards.

Four of a Kind appears approximately once every 4,165 hands in a five-card poker hand, making it roughly 17 times more common than a Straight Flush but still a premium hand that almost always wins. Players holding quads often face the challenge of extracting maximum value from opponents without scaring them away from the pot entirely.

Full House: Three plus two equals power

A Full House, also known as a “boat” or “full boat,” combines Three of a Kind with a pair, creating a formidable hand that ranks fourth in poker’s hierarchy. The hand is typically described by naming the three of a kind first, such as “Queens full of Sevens” for Q-Q-Q-7-7.

Full Houses are ranked first by the strength of the three of a kind, then by the strength of the pair. Aces full of Kings (A-A-A-K-K) represents the strongest possible Full House, while Twos full of Threes (2-2-2-3-3) represents the weakest, assuming no wild cards are in play.

This hand occurs approximately once every 694 hands in five-card poker, making it roughly six times more common than Four of a Kind. Full Houses often create significant betting action because they’re strong enough to bet aggressively but vulnerable enough to lose to higher-ranking hands, creating interesting strategic decisions for both the holder and their opponents.

Flush: Five of the same suit

A Flush consists of any five cards of the same suit that don’t form a straight sequence. When multiple players have flushes, the hand with the highest card wins, with subsequent cards used as tie-breakers if necessary.

Ace-high flushes represent the strongest possible flush, often called the “nut flush” when no straight flush is possible. The weakest possible flush would be 7-5-4-3-2 in any suit, though this ranking assumes no lower cards are available in the deck.

Flushes appear approximately once every 508 hands in five-card poker, making them roughly 37% more common than Full Houses. The key strategic consideration with flushes involves determining whether you hold the best possible flush, as having a strong flush against a higher flush often results in significant losses.

Straight: Five in a row across suits

A Straight consists of five consecutive cards of mixed suits, with the Ace capable of playing either high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A) but not wrapping around (K-A-2-3-4 is not a valid straight). The Broadway straight (A-K-Q-J-10) represents the highest possible straight, while the wheel (5-4-3-2-A) represents the lowest.

Straights are ranked by their highest card, so a Queen-high straight (Q-J-10-9-8) beats a Jack-high straight (J-10-9-8-7). All suits are equal when comparing straights, meaning a straight in mixed suits has the same value as one where more cards share the same suit.

This hand appears approximately once every 255 hands in five-card poker, making it roughly twice as common as a flush. Straights often create deceptive strength because they can be difficult for opponents to detect, especially when they don’t include obvious high cards.

Three of a Kind: Trips build confidence

Three of a Kind, often called “trips” or a “set,” consists of three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated cards known as kickers. The distinction between “trips” and “sets” typically refers to how the hand was made in community card games, with sets being more concealed (2 hole cards of the same rank versus 2 community cards of the same rank).

The strength of Three of a Kind is determined first by the rank of the three matching cards, then by the strength of the kickers in descending order. Three Aces with King-Queen kickers represents the strongest possible three of a kind, while three Twos with Three-Four kickers represents the weakest.

Three of a Kind occurs approximately once every 47 hands in five-card poker, making it a moderately strong hand that often wins unimproved but can be vulnerable to drawing hands. The key strategic element involves extracting value while protecting against opponents who might be drawing to straights, flushes, or full houses.

Two Pair: Double trouble for opponents

Two Pair consists of two separate pairs plus one unrelated card known as a kicker. The hand is typically described by naming the higher pair first, such as “Kings and Sevens” for K-K-7-7-3.

Two Pair hands are ranked first by the higher pair, then by the lower pair, and finally by the kicker. Aces and Kings with a Queen kicker represents the strongest possible Two Pair, while Threes and Twos with the lowest available kicker represents the weakest.

This hand appears approximately once every 21 hands in five-card poker, making it a common occurrence that often creates marginal situations. Two Pair beats one pair and high card hands but loses to three of a kind and higher, creating important decisions about betting for value versus pot control.

One Pair: The most common winning hand

One Pair consists of two cards of the same rank plus three unrelated cards, all serving as kickers. Despite being relatively low in the poker hierarchy, One Pair wins more pots than any other hand type due to its frequency and the prevalence of high card hands among opponents.

Pairs are ranked first by the rank of the pair itself, then by the three kickers in descending order. A pair of Aces with King-Queen-Jack kickers represents the strongest possible one pair hand, while a pair of Twos with the lowest available kickers represents the weakest.

One Pair occurs approximately once every 2.37 hands in five-card poker, making it by far the most common made hand. The strategic complexity of one pair hands varies enormously based on the pair’s rank, the strength of the kickers, and the betting action, requiring careful judgment about when to bet, call, or fold.

High Card: When nothing else works

High Card represents the weakest possible poker hand, consisting of five unrelated cards that don’t form any of the previously described combinations. These hands are ranked by comparing the highest card first, then the second highest, and so forth until a winner is determined.

Ace-high represents the strongest possible high card hand, typically referred to as “Ace high” followed by the remaining cards in descending order. The weakest possible high card hand would be 7-5-4-3-2 of mixed suits, referred to as the “nut low”

High Card hands occur approximately 50% of the time in five-card poker, but they rarely win at showdown unless all players fail to make a pair or better. The primary strategic consideration with high card hands involves deciding when to bluff and when to fold, as their showdown value is minimal.

Mathematical probabilities and frequencies

Understanding the mathematical probabilities behind each poker hand helps players make better decisions and appreciate why the rankings exist as they do. These probabilities are based on five-card poker combinations drawn from a standard 52-card deck.

These probabilities explain why rarer hands rank higher than more common ones, creating a logical hierarchy based on mathematical scarcity. The dramatic differences in frequency also explain why certain hands generate more excitement and betting action than others.

Tie breaking rules and split pots

When multiple players have the same hand type, specific tie-breaking rules determine the winner or whether the pot should be split. These rules follow a consistent pattern based on comparing the relevant cards in descending order of importance.

For pairs and two pair hands, the paired cards are compared first, followed by the kickers in descending order. If a pair of Kings faces a pair of Queens, the Kings win regardless of the kickers. However, if both players have a pair of Kings, the comparison moves to the highest kicker, then the second kicker, and finally the third kicker if necessary.

Three of a kind, four of a kind, and full house hands follow similar principles, with the primary component (the trips, quads, or trips in a full house) compared first. Straights and straight flushes are compared by their highest card only, while flushes are compared card by card starting with the highest. High card hands require comparing all five cards in descending order until a difference is found.

In community card games like Texas Hold’em, split pots occur when players have identical five-card hands after considering all available cards. Suits are never used to break ties in standard poker games, meaning all suits have equal value for determining winners.

However, suits may be used for procedural purposes in certain games, such as determining the bring-in bet in Seven-Card Stud when multiple players show identical low cards.

How hand rankings apply across poker variants

While the basic hand rankings remain consistent across most poker variants, certain games introduce modifications or special considerations that players must understand. Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and Five-Card Draw all use the standard rankings described above.

In lowball games like Razz or 2-7 Triple Draw, the hand rankings are inverted, with the goal being to make the worst possible high hand. These games often use different rules for straights and flushes, with some variants counting them against the player while others ignore them entirely.

Split-pot games like Omaha Hi-Lo use the standard high hand rankings for half the pot, while awarding the other half to the best qualifying low hand. Players must understand both high and low hand rankings to succeed in these variants, as the same five cards might play very differently for high versus low.

High-low split games typically require a qualifying low hand (usually eight-high or better) to claim the low portion of the pot, adding another layer of complexity to hand evaluation and strategic decision-making.

Common mistakes and misconceptions

Beginning poker players often make critical errors when evaluating hand strength or applying tie-breaking rules. One frequent mistake involves overvaluing high card hands, particularly those containing an Ace, when they fail to form any meaningful combination.

Another common error occurs with flush evaluation, where players assume that having more cards of the same suit than necessary strengthens their hand. In reality, only the best five cards count, so having six or seven cards of the same suit provides no additional benefit over having exactly five.

Straight evaluation also creates confusion, particularly regarding the Ace’s dual nature as both high and low. Players sometimes attempt to create “wrap-around” straights like King-Ace-Two-Three-Four, which are invalid in standard poker. The Ace can only play high (in Broadway straights) or low (in wheel straights), never both simultaneously.

Kicker confusion represents another frequent problem, especially in games where players share community cards. Understanding which cards actually play in the final five-card hand requires careful attention to avoid costly mistakes when evaluating close decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What beats what in poker hands?

Royal Flush beats everything, followed by Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and finally High Card. Each hand type beats all hands ranked below it and loses to all hands ranked above it.

Does a flush beat a straight in poker?

Yes, a flush beats a straight in poker. Flushes occur less frequently than straights (approximately once every 508 hands versus once every 255 hands), making them more valuable according to the mathematical probability that determines poker hand rankings.

What is the best hand in poker?

The Royal Flush is the best possible hand in poker, consisting of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten all in the same suit. This hand is mathematically unbeatable and occurs approximately once every 649,740 hands in five-card poker.

How do you break ties in poker?

Ties are broken by comparing the relevant cards in descending order of importance. For pairs, compare the pair first, then kickers. For two pair, compare the higher pair, then lower pair, then kicker. High card hands are compared card by card from highest to lowest.

Can suits break ties in poker?

Suits cannot break ties when determining winning hands at showdown in standard poker games. All suits have equal value for hand rankings, so identical hands result in split pots. However, suits are used to break ties in specific procedural situations, such as determining the bring-in bet in Seven-Card Stud when multiple players show the same low card. In these cases, suits typically rank alphabetically: clubs (lowest), diamonds, hearts, spades (highest).

What is a kicker in poker?

A kicker is a card that doesn’t contribute to the primary hand ranking but is used to break ties between hands of the same type. For example, in a pair of Kings with an Ace kicker versus a pair of Kings with a Queen kicker, the Ace kicker wins.

Does three of a kind beat two pair?

Yes, three of a kind beats two pair. Three of a kind occurs approximately once every 47 hands while two pair occurs once every 21 hands, but the ranking is based on the relative difficulty of making each hand type from a five-card combination.

What is the worst hand in poker?

The worst possible hand in poker is 7-5-4-3-2 of mixed suits (assuming a standard deck with no cards lower than 2). This high card hand has no pairs, no straight possibilities, and no flush possibilities, making it the weakest holding possible.