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Interested in playing poker? Before you sit down to play you will need to learn the hand ranks and how they affect the outcome of the game. There are ten hand ranks to learn, although the actual cards in your hand may be different, the combinations remain the same.
Listed below are the rankings in order of the highest possible hand combination to the lowest.
The Royal Flush
This combination is the golden gem of all hands as well as the most difficult to obtain. A Royal Flush is a combination of the five highest cards of any suit, in order. Example 10, J, Q, K, A all of the same suit, clubs, spades, hearts, or diamonds.
Straight Flush
Using the same principles as a Royal Flush, a Straight Flush is any combination of five cards within the SAME suit in numerical order. Example 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of spades, or 9, 10, J, Q, K of hearts. All cards must be sequential and of the SAME suit.
Four of a Kind
Four of a Kind is just as it states, four cards all having the same denomination. Example A, A, A, A, or Q, Q, Q, Q or 3, 3, 3, 3, and so on.
Full House
A Full House is when you have three cards of the same denomination combined with any pair of two other cards with the same denomination. Example A, A, A, J, J or 4, 4, 4, 7, 7. When more than one player has a full house the winner is determined by the player holding the highest three of a kind first and then the pair as a back up. Example the AAAJJ hand would beat the 44477 hand.
Flush
A Flush consists of any five cards of the SAME suit but NOT in numerical order. Example 4, 6, 8, J, K of diamonds. This combination can be of any suit as long as all five cards are within that particular suit.
Straight
A Straight consists of any five cards that are in numerical order but NOT in the same suit. An Ace can be used as a high or low card in this hand. Example, 4 (hearts), 5 (hearts), 6 (diamonds), 7 (spades), 8 (clubs) . As long as all five cards are in numerical order the suit does not matter.
Three of a Kind
Having Three of a Kind is the same principle as Four of a Kind but with three cards of the same denomination instead of four. Example, Q, Q, Q, or 10, 10, 10, . The other two cards in your hand will be used to determine the winner when a tie occurs based on which player has the highest card of their other two cards in their hand. For example QQQ78 and QQQ65, the winner would be QQQ78 with the 8 being the highest card.
Two Pair
Two Pair consists of having any two cards of the same denominations combined with another two cards of the same denomination, but different denominations than the first set. Example would be J, J, Q, Q, or 10, 10, 8, 8, In a tie the player with the highest pair would win.
Pair
A Pair consists of any two cards of the same denomination. Example would be 2, 2, or J, J, or any other combination of two of the same.
High Card
High Card only comes into play if none of the players obtains any of the previous hands described above. The player holding the highest card would win.
The information provided appears to be somewhat overwhelming to a beginner but as you play the game more and more you will be surprised at how quickly you can catch on.
It is hoped this will help you get an idea of the hand rankings in the game of poker. |
