Poker Hand Rankings

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010

The following is the ordering of hands, along with a few simple definitions. The strongest hand wins. This ordering is from weakest to strongest.

? High card: In the series of cards from 2 through Ace, the higher the card number, the higher the rank of the card. After 10 come, in order, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. The Ace is the highest ranked card, the high card.

? Pair: Any two cards of the same rank. For example, 2 threes, two Jacks, two Aces.

? Two Pair Two sets of two cards of the same rank. For example, 2 Queens and 2 fives.

? Three of a kind: Also called trips. For example, 3 sevens.

? Straight: Five cards in sequential rank order, in a row. For example: 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen. An ace may be used as either a 1 or the highest card as in: A, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Please note that King, Ace, 2, 3, 4 is not a straight.

? Flush: Five cards of the same suit. For example, five cards, all of Clubs.

? Full House: A combination of three of a kind and a pair.

? Four of a kind: For example, 4 Kings.

? Straight Flush: A straight (5 in a row) all of the same suit. In some cases, the kicker card breaks a tie. This applies when two players have the same winning pair or two pair. The kicker card is the best high card after the pair.

? Royal Flush: The highest straight flush and highest possible hand, consisting of 10, J, Q, K, A of the same suit.

In some cases, the kicker card breaks a tie. This applies when two players have the same winning pair or two pair. The kicker card is the best high card after the pair.

Straights are determined by the high card. For example, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 beats 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Where there are two flushes in a hand, the highest different card determines the winner. For example, a spade flush of K, Q, 10, 4, 3 beats a spade flush of K, Q, 9, 4, 3. In Hold'em and Omaha, where there are shared board cards, this scenario happens on occasion. In 7 Card or 5 Card Stud, where there are no shared cards, it is possible for there to be flushes from different suits. In poker, there is no ordering of suits. Therefore, a spade flush of K, Q, 10, 4, 3 ties a club flush of K, Q, 10, 4, 3.