Now that you have learned how to play Poker, check out which Poker Hand wins over another in Texas Holdem Poker and Pot Limit Omaha Poker games. At the end of this Poker Hand Rankings section, we have also tried to create some game scenarios to help you understand poker hand rankings better. We have created some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in a simple and precise way to help you understand the hand rankings in poker. Below is the list of Poker Hands from best to worst:
A royal flush is an ace high straight flush. |
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Straight Flush Five cards of the same suit in numerical order. |
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Four of a Kind (Quads) Quads are four cards of equal rank/any suit. |
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Full House or Full Boat Three of a kind and a Pair. |
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Flush |
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Straight* |
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Three of a Kind / Set Three cards of the same rank. |
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Two Pair Two different pairs. |
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One Pair Two cards of the same rank. |
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High Card The hand with the highest card(s) wins. |
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*You can make 10♥ J♦ Q♣ K♠ A♥(ten-to-ace straight) or form A♠ 2♥ 3♦ 4♠ 5♦ (ace-to-five straight) with an Ace. But you cannot form K♠ A♣ 2♦ 3♠ 4♥ (King-to-four straight)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which suit is ranked the highest?
Suits do not value while comparing hand rankings in poker. This misconception comes in from other card games. To simplify, if your opponent player has the same hand as yours but of the different suit, do not worry. The amount in the pot will be divided between both of you.
- Which is the better hand – Straight or Flush?
If you are new to poker, you may get confused over this. Always remember, any Flush (five cards of the same suit) beats the Straight (five cards in a sequence) in Texas Holdem poker. However, someone making a Straight Flush (five cards of the same suit in sequence) will win over both the hands.
- Two players form a Straight hand each. Who wins?
Straights in poker are described by their highest like “Ten-high straight” or “Straight to Ten” for 10♥ 9♦ 8♠ 7♣ 6♥
Hence the player forming Straight with a higher card wins the game.
Example: If player A has A♥ 2♠7♣Q♣ , player B has 5♦6♠J♣K♠, and the board shows 4♣2♦3♠5♥9♦, Player B wins (2♦3♠4♣5♦6♠) over player A (A♥2♠3♠4♣5♥) because B forms Straight with higher cards
What if two players have same pairs?
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Simply, the pot money will get split between the two players if they have same pair hands unless some forms other higher hands like “Three of a Kind”, Straight or Full House.
- Two players form a Full House each. Who wins?
The player who has the higher-ranking 3 cards wins the game in this case.
Example: If player A has Q♥ Q♣5♠4♥, player B has Q♠ 9♦6♣5♦, and board held Q♦9♥7♥9♣K♠, Player A will win (Q♥Q♣Q♦9♥9♣) over player B (Q♠9♦Q♦9♥9♣), as player A carries the highest ranking hole cards
If both the players have same three cards (trips), one having the higher pair will win.
Example: If player A has 8♦K♠2♦3♠, B has 8♥J♦6♠7♦, and board is 8♣5♥K♥8♠J♠, Player A (8♦8♣8♠K♠K♥) will win over player B (8♥8♣8♠J♦J♠).
- What if nobody makes any combination of cards in the game?
In such a scenario, the player having highest ranking card wins the pot.
Example: If player A has A♥ Q♦10♦6♥, player B has K♣ J♥ Q♥3♣, and board shows 8♣ 4♠ 2♦5♦9♥, Player A will win (A♥ Q♦ 9♥ 8♣ 5♦) over Player B (K♣ Q♥9♥ 8♣ 5♦) as A has the highest ranking card.
If the highest ranking card of the players matches, then the next higher ranking cards are compared and so till the difference in found.
Example: If player A has A♥ K♣ 6♦2♣, B has A♠ J♥ 5♦ 8♠, and board is 9♦10♦ 4♠ 3♦7♥, Player A will win with A♥ K♣10♦ 9♦ 7♥ over Player B’s A♠ J♥ 10♦ 9♦ 7♥.
- What is kicker in poker hands?
Any side card in poker hands is termed as a kicker.
Example: If player A has 7♣K♦8♥2♥, player B has 7♦Q♣ 4♥ 2♣ and the board shows 7♠7♥5♦3♥9♦, Player A will win (K♦7♣7♠7♥9♦) over player B (Q♣7♦7♠7♥9♦) because of the high ranking kicker card K♦
Although kicker is a side card, it becomes significant in determining the winner in case of the same hand.
Example: If player A has 9♥ K♣ 3♥ 2♦and player B has 9♦Q♣6♦10♠ , and the board comes 9♣9♠5♥ 4♠7♠, player A (9♥9♣9♠K♣7♠) will win over player B (9♣9♠9♦Q♣7♠)because of higher kicker K♣ against Q♣.