Poker Hand Rankings
In poker variants such as Texas Hold’em, the aim of the game is to get the best possible 5 cards. Here is our guide to the top ranking poker hands, ranked from highest to lowest.
Feel free to leave any questions in the comments section which will be prompty answered.
If you are still confused, check out our guide on how to determine the winning hand in poker.
Royal Flush
The top hand in poker. This must consist of A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. If one of the cards was in a different suit, this would become a straight. The suit of the cards does not affect its ranking (e.g. Royal Flush of clubs does not beat that of hearts – each hand is the same).
Straight Flush
A straight flush consists of 5 connecting cards of the same suit. The best straight flush is K-Q-J-10-9 of the same suit.
Four Of A Kind
Any of the same four cards. Four-of-a-kind of higher ranked cards beat than of lower ranked cards (AAAA vs KKKK, the aces win). If both players have the same four-of-a-kind, then the fifth card determines who wins (known as the ‘kicker’ – the highest kicker wins). This is the best possible four-of-a-kind:
Full House
Any three cards of one rank, combined with two cards of another rank. In this example, the hand would be “Kings Full Of Tens”, otherwise known as “Kings Full”. The determing factor of the strength of a full house is the rank of the card of which there is three of: Kings full of tens beats Tens full of kings.
Flush
Any 5 cards of the same suit. The determining factor in the strength of a flush is the highest card present e.g. Ace-high flush beats king-high flush. If both players have ace high flushes, then it is the next highest card that determines the strength of the hand, and so on.
Straight
Any 5 connected cards of different suits. The highest straight is A-K-Q-J-10. Straights cannot go from 3 to queen: e.g. 3-2-A-K-Q is NOT a straight.
Three Of A Kind
Any three cards of the same rank. If players have equal three-of-a-kinds, then the rank of the remaining two cards (known as the ‘kickers’) determine the strength of the hand. Our example shows the highest possible three-of-a-kind.
Two Pairs
Any two cards of one rank combined with any two cards of another rank. The strength of a two pair hand is determined by the rank of the highest pair. This is the best possible two pair:
One Pair
Two cards of the same rank combine to form a pair. Pairs of higher ranked cards beat those of lower ranked cards. A pair of aces is the best:
High Card
A high card hand consists of no made hand and simply consists of the highest 5 cards you can make. This is the weakest ranked poker hand.
