The ranking, strongest to weakest
| Rank | Hand | Example | Odds (5 cards) | Odds (best 5 of 7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | 0.00015% | 0.0032% | |
| 2 | Straight flush | 0.0014% | 0.028% | |
| 3 | Four of a kind | 0.024% | 0.168% | |
| 4 | Full house | 0.144% | 2.60% | |
| 5 | Flush | 0.197% | 3.03% | |
| 6 | Straight | 0.392% | 4.62% | |
| 7 | Three of a kind | 2.11% | 4.83% | |
| 8 | Two pair | 4.75% | 23.5% | |
| 9 | One pair | 42.3% | 43.8% | |
| 10 | High card | 50.1% | 17.4% |
The order is set by probability: the rarer the hand, the higher it ranks. That is also why the 7-card column matters to Hold'em players. With seven cards to choose from, two pair is roughly a one-in-four event, which is why it is less powerful than beginners expect.
Each hand explained
Royal flush
Ace, king, queen, jack and ten of the same suit. It is simply the highest possible straight flush, and it cannot be beaten. Two royal flushes can only happen on a shared board, in which case the pot is split.
Straight flush
Five cards in sequence, all the same suit. When two players have one, the higher top card wins. The lowest is , the "steel wheel".
Four of a kind (quads)
Four cards of the same rank. Higher quads beat lower quads. If quads are on the board, the best fifth card (kicker) decides the winner.
Full house (a boat)
Three of a kind plus a pair. Compare the three-of-a-kind first: , "jacks full of twos", beats , "tens full of aces".
Flush
Any five cards of the same suit. Compare the highest card, then the next, and so on down. An ace-high flush is called the nut flush when no straight flush is possible.
Straight
Five consecutive ranks in mixed suits. The ace plays high (A-K-Q-J-10, Broadway) or low (5-4-3-2-A, the wheel), but straights never wrap around the corner.
Three of a kind
Three cards of one rank. In Hold'em, making it with a pocket pair is called a set; making it with one hole card and a pair on the board is called trips. Sets are better disguised and win bigger pots.
Two pair
Two different pairs. Compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the kicker.
One pair
Two cards of the same rank. If the pairs match, the highest of the remaining three cards decides it.
High card
No pair or better. The hand is named for its highest card: "ace high". Compare from the top down.
Tie-breakers in one paragraph
Only the best five cards count. Suits never break ties. If two players share the exact same five-card hand, the pot is split, which happens often when the best hand is on the board itself. When hands are the same type, compare the defining cards first (the trips in a full house, the higher pair in two pair) and then any kickers, high to low.
Where the rankings change
- Short Deck: with the 2s through 5s removed, a flush beats a full house, and many rooms rank three of a kind above a straight.
- Razz and 2-7 Triple Draw: the lowest hand wins. The order is turned upside down.
- Badugi: four-card hands, where different suits and low ranks are king.
- Teen Patti: three-card hands, where three of a kind (a trail) outranks even a straight flush.
Frequently asked questions
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush beats a straight in standard poker. The exception is Short Deck Hold'em, where a flush also beats a full house.
Is an ace high or low?
Both, depending on the hand. An ace can make the top of a straight (A-K-Q-J-10) or the bottom (5-4-3-2-A, called the wheel), but it cannot wrap around, so Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
Do suits matter in poker?
Not for ranking hands in Hold'em or Omaha. Two identical flushes or straights in different suits tie and split the pot. Suits are only used to break ties in some non-hand decisions, such as the bring-in in Stud.
What is a kicker?
The highest unpaired card that completes your five-card hand. If two players both have a pair of kings, the player with the higher kicker wins.