Poker Hands Ranked – What Beats What?
This complete list gives you the full rundown of
possible hands in order – ⚾️ from the strongest to the weakest. Starting with the best
poker hands, we’ll explain what each looks like and which ⚾️ other hands they beat
1.
Royal Flush
Sitting at the very top of the poker hierarchy, you’ll find the royal
flush. The ⚾️ strongest poker hand of all is a type of straight flush where you have
A-K-Q-J-10 – all in the same ⚾️ suit.
What does Royal Flush beat?
As the highest poker
hand, a royal flush beats every other hand your opponents might hold.
2. ⚾️ Straight
Flush
A straight flush is made up of five consecutive cards, all in the same suit. For
example, 9-8-7-6-5 all ⚾️ in diamonds.
What does straight flush beat?
This beats all other
poker hands, except for a higher straight flush.
3. Four-of-a-Kind
A four of ⚾️ a kind in
poker is simply four cards of the same value. So if you end up with 7-7-7-7-4 in ⚾️ your
five-card hand, congratulations, you’ve got ‘quads’!
What does four-of-a-kind
beat?
This is very often a winning poker hand, beating anything other ⚾️ than a
straight/royal flush. If another player also has a four of a kind, the rank of the four
cards ⚾️ will determine who wins. For example, J-J-J-J-4 beats A-7-7-7-7.
4. Full House
A
full house poker hand is made up of a ⚾️ matching three of a kind together with a pair of
a different value. For example, 10-10-10-8-8 – which is known ⚾️ as a ‘tens full of
eights’.
Does a full house beat a straight?
Yes – a full house beats a poker straight.
⚾️ The only hands which can beat a full house are four of a kind, straight flush or royal
flush. When ⚾️ two people have a full house, the highest three of a kind wins. If that
rank happens to be the ⚾️ same, the one with the highest matching pair wins the hand.
5.
Flush
A flush in poker consists of five cards which ⚾️ are all part of the same suit, but
not in a consecutive order, such as A-K-8-7-3 in hearts.
Does a flush ⚾️ beat a full
house?
No, a flush does not beat a full house – but it does beat a straight. In ⚾️ the
case of a flush vs another flush, the hand with the highest card in the flush wins
(e.g. A-10-7-4-3 ⚾️ of diamonds beats K-10-7-4-3 of diamonds).
6. Straight
If you have a
straight, you’ll hold five consecutive cards which are not all ⚾️ the same suit. For
example, 8-7-6-5-4 in different suits. The highest possible straight sequence is
A-K-Q-J-10.
What does straight beat?
A poker ⚾️ straight always beats a 3 of a kind, two
pair or a single pair. It does not beat a flush ⚾️ or better.
7. Three-of-a-Kind
Just like
its four card counterpart, a 3 of a kind consists of three cards of the same ⚾️ rank – for
instance, your five-card hand contains 8-8-8-5-2.
What does 3-of-a-kind beat?
While it
might not be one of the highest ⚾️ poker hands, 3 of a kind still beats two pairs, one
pair and high card.
8. Two Pair
Two pair is exactly ⚾️ what it says on the tin – two
pairs, each being a different rank. For example, 8-8-5-5-3 would be two ⚾️ pairs.
What
does two pair beat?
Two pairs are better than one, so you’re sure to beat one pair.
9.
One Pair
One pair ⚾️ is simply two cards of the same value, such as having two kings in
your hand.
What does one pair beat?
One ⚾️ pair can only beat a high card or a lower value
pair. But if you bluff hard enough, it could ⚾️ still be a winning poker hand.
10. High
Card
High card is the lowest possible hand, made up of five cards which ⚾️ do not produce
any of the above.
What does high card beat?
If you end up with a high card, you need ⚾️ to
hope your opponents have this too, as even a pair beats it. When your opponents also
lack so much ⚾️ as a pair, the highest value card wins.
Summary
Poker Hand Rankings are
essential when playing Texas Hold'em, Five Card Stud, Omaha, ⚾️ and your favourite poker
games. Most players rarely get to form a Royal Flush, a Straight Flush, or Four of ⚾️ a
Kind – they are scarce hands in competitions. But, sometimes, a lowly poker hand played
right can help you ⚾️ take down monster pots. It's not always about what you're holding;
it's really about how well you play the players!
Download ⚾️ our poker hand rankings cheat
sheet PDF for a quick way to reference how your hand stacks up.
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