An ace-high straight flush, commonly known as a royal flush, is the best possible hand
in many variants of poker.
In poker, players form sets of five playing cards, called
hands, according to the rules of the game.[1] Each hand has a rank, which is compared
against the ranks of other hands participating in the showdown to decide who wins the
pot.[2] In high games, like Texas hold 'em and seven-card stud, the highest-ranking
hands win. In low games, like razz, the lowest-ranking hands win. In high-low split
games, both the highest-ranking and lowest-ranking hands win, though different rules
are used to rank the high and low hands.[3][4]
Each hand belongs to a category
determined by the patterns formed by its cards. A hand in a higher-ranking category
always ranks higher than a hand in a lower-ranking category. A hand is ranked within
its category using the ranks of its cards. Individual cards are ranked, from highest to
lowest: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.[5] However, aces have the highest
rank under ace-to-five high or six-to-ace low rules, or under high rules as part of a
five-high straight or straight flush.[6][7] Suits are not ranked, so hands that differ
by suit alone are of equal rank.[8]
There are nine categories of hand when using a
standard 52-card deck, except under ace-to-five low rules where straights, flushes and
straight flushes are not recognized. An additional category, five of a kind, exists
when using one or more wild cards. The fewer hands a category contains, the higher its
rank.[9] There are 52 ! ( 52 − 5 ) ! = 311,875,200 {\displaystyle {\begin{matrix}{\frac
{52!}{(52-5)!}}=311{,}875{,}200\end{matrix}}} ways to deal five cards from the deck but
only 52 ! ( 52 − 5 ) ! 5 ! = 2,598,960 {\displaystyle {\begin{matrix}{\frac
{52!}{(52-5)!5!}}=2{,}598{,}960\end{matrix}}} distinct hands, because the order in
which cards are dealt or arranged in a hand does not matter.[10] Moreover, since hands
differing only by suit are of equal rank, there are only 7,462 distinct hand
ranks.[11]
Hand-ranking categories [ edit ]
* Only possible when using one or more wild
cards ** Category does not exist under ace-to-five low rules
Five of a kind [ edit
]
Five of a kind, aces
Five of a kind is a hand that contains five cards of one rank,
such as 3♥ 3♦ 3♣ 3♠ 3 ("five of a kind, threes"). It ranks above a straight flush but
is only possible when using one or more wild cards, as there are only four cards of
each rank in the deck.[6] Five of a kind, aces, A♥ A♦ A♣ A♠ Jkr, becomes possible when
a joker is added to the deck as a bug, a form of wild card that may act as a fifth
ace.[5] Other wild card rules allow jokers or other designated cards to represent any
card in the deck, making it possible to form five of a kind of any rank.[12]
Each five
of a kind is ranked by the rank of its quintuplet. For example, Q♠ Q♥ Q♣ Q♦ Q ranks
higher than 6♣ 6♠ 6♦ 6♥ 6.[6][13]
Straight flush [ edit ]
A jack-high straight flush
A
straight flush is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, all of the same
suit, such as Q♥ J♥ 10♥ 9♥ 8♥ (a "queen-high straight flush").[4] It ranks below five
of a kind and above four of a kind.[5] Under high rules, an ace can rank either high
(as in A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥, an ace-high straight flush) or low (as in 5♦ 4♦ 3♦ 2♦ A♦, a
five-high straight flush), but cannot simultaneously rank both high and low (so Q♣ K♣
A♣ 2♣ 3♣ is an ace-high flush, but not a straight).[6][13] Under deuce-to-seven low
rules, an ace always ranks high (so 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ 2♠ A♠ is an ace-high flush). Under
ace-to-six low rules, an ace always ranks low (so A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥ is a king-high
flush).[14] Under ace-to-five low rules, straight flushes are not possible (so 9♣ 8♣ 7♣
6♣ 5♣ is a nine-high hand).[7]
Each straight flush is ranked by the rank of its
highest-ranking card. For example, 10♣ 9♣ 8♣ 7♣ 6♣ ranks higher than 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ 4♥,
which ranks higher than 6♠ 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ 2♠. Straight flush hands that differ by suit alone,
such as 7♦ 6♦ 5♦ 4♦ 3♦ and 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ 4♠ 3♠, are of equal rank.[6][13]
An ace-high
straight flush, such as A♦ K♦ Q♦ J♦ 10♦, is called a royal flush or royal straight
flush and is the best possible hand in ace-high games when wild cards are not
used.[5][15][16] A five-high straight flush, such as 5♥ 4♥ 3♥ 2♥ A♥, is called a steel
wheel and is both the best low hand and usually the best high hand of the showdown in
ace-to-five high-low split games.[4]
Four of a kind [ edit ]
Four of a kind, fives
Four
of a kind, also known as quads, is a hand that contains four cards of one rank and one
card of another rank (the kicker), such as 9♣ 9♠ 9♦ 9♥ J♥ ("four of a kind, nines"). It
ranks below a straight flush and above a full house.[5]
Each four of a kind is ranked
first by the rank of its quadruplet, and then by the rank of its kicker. For example,
K♠ K♥ K♣ K♦ 3♥ ranks higher than 7♥ 7♦ 7♠ 7♣ Q♥, which ranks higher than 7♥ 7♦ 7♠ 7♣
10♠. Four of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as 4♣ 4♠ 4♦ 4♥ 9♣ and 4♣ 4♠
4♦ 4♥ 9♦, are of equal rank.[6][13]
Full house [ edit ]
A full house, sixes over
kings
A full house, also known as a full boat or a tight or a boat (and originally
called a full hand), is a hand that contains three cards of one rank and two cards of
another rank, such as 3♣ 3♠ 3♦ 6♣ 6♥ (a "full house, threes over sixes" or "threes full
of sixes" or "threes full").[17][18] It ranks below four of a kind and above a
flush.[5]
Each full house is ranked first by the rank of its triplet, and then by the
rank of its pair. For example, 8♠ 8♦ 8♥ 7♦ 7♣ ranks higher than 4♦ 4♠ 4♣ 9♦ 9♣, which
ranks higher than 4♦ 4♠ 4♣ 5♣ 5♦. Full house hands that differ by suit alone, such as
K♣ K♠ K♦ J♣ J♠ and K♣ K♥ K♦ J♣ J♥, are of equal rank.[6][13]
Flush [ edit ]
A jack-high
flush
A flush is a hand that contains five cards all of the same suit, not all of
sequential rank, such as K♣ 10♣ 7♣ 6♣ 4♣ (a "king-high flush" or a "king-ten-high
flush").[19] It ranks below a full house and above a straight.[5] Under ace-to-five low
rules, flushes are not possible (so J♥ 8♥ 4♥ 3♥ 2♥ is a jack-high hand).[7]
Each flush
is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its second
highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then by the
rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking
card. For example, K♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 4♦ ranks higher than Q♣ J♣ 7♣ 6♣ 5♣, which ranks higher
than J♥ 10♥ 9♥ 4♥ 2♥, which ranks higher than J♠ 10♠ 8♠ 6♠ 3♠, which ranks higher than
J♥ 10♥ 8♥ 4♥ 3♥, which ranks higher than J♣ 10♣ 8♣ 4♣ 2♣. Flush hands that differ by
suit alone, such as 10♦ 8♦ 7♦ 6♦ 5♦ and 10♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠, are of equal
rank.[6][13]
Straight [ edit ]
A ten-high straight
A straight is a hand that contains
five cards of sequential rank, not all of the same suit, such as 7♣ 6♠ 5♠ 4♥ 3♥ (a
"seven-high straight"). It ranks below a flush and above three of a kind.[5] Under high
rules, an ace can rank either high (as in A♦ K♣ Q♣ J♦ 10♠, an ace-high straight) or low
(as in 5♣ 4♦ 3♥ 2♥ A♠, a five-high straight), but cannot simultaneously rank both high
and low (so Q♠ K♠ A♣ 2♥ 3♦ is an ace-high hand).[6][13] Under deuce-to-seven low rules,
an ace always ranks high (so 5♥ 4♠ 3♥ 2♣ A♦ is an ace-high hand). Under ace-to-six low
rules, an ace always ranks low (so A♣ K♠ Q♠ J♦ 10♠ is a king-high hand).[14] Under
ace-to-five low rules, straights are not possible (so 10♥ 9♠ 8♣ 7♣ 6♦ is a ten-high
hand).[7]
Each straight is ranked by the rank of its highest-ranking card. For example,
J♥ 10♥ 9♣ 8♠ 7♥ ranks higher than 10♠ 9♠ 8♣ 7♥ 6♠, which ranks higher than 6♣ 5♠ 4♥ 3♠
2♦. Straight hands that differ by suit alone, such as 9♣ 8♣ 7♣ 6♦ 5♦ and 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♥
5♥, are of equal rank.[6][13]
An ace-high straight, such as A♣ K♣ Q♦ J♠ 10♠, is called
a Broadway straight,[20] while a five-high straight, such as 5♠ 4♦ 3♦ 2♠ A♥, is called
a baby straight,[21] bicycle or wheel and is the best possible hand in ace-to-five low
games (where it is a high card hand, not a straight).[22][23]
Three of a kind [ edit
]
Three of a kind, queens
Three of a kind, also known as trips or a set, is a hand that
contains three cards of one rank and two cards of two other ranks (the kickers), such
as 2♦ 2♠ 2♣ K♠ 6♥ ("three of a kind, twos" or "trip twos" or a "set of twos"). It ranks
below a straight and above two pair.[5]
Each three of a kind is ranked first by the
rank of its triplet, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kicker, and finally by the
rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, 6♥ 6♦ 6♠ Q♣ 4♠ ranks higher than 3♦ 3♠
3♣ K♠ 2♠, which ranks higher than 3♦ 3♠ 3♣ J♣ 7♥, which ranks higher than 3♦ 3♠ 3♣ J♠
5♦. Three of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ 10♦ 8♥ and 9♣ 9♠
9♥ 10♦ 8♦, are of equal rank.[6][13]
In community card games, such as Texas hold 'em,
three of a kind is called a set only when it comprises a pocket pair and a third card
on the board.[24]
Two pair [ edit ]
Two pair, jacks and threes
Two pair is a hand that
contains two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank and one card of a third rank
(the kicker), such as J♥ J♣ 4♣ 4♠ 9♥ ("two pair, jacks and fours" or "two pair, jacks
over fours" or "jacks up").[17][25] It ranks below three of a kind and above one
pair.[5]
Each two pair is ranked first by the rank of its higher-ranking pair, then by
the rank of its lower-ranking pair, and finally by the rank of its kicker. For example,
10♦ 10♠ 2♠ 2♣ K♣ ranks higher than 5♣ 5♠ 4♦ 4♥ 10♥, which ranks higher than 5♣ 5♠ 3♣ 3♦
Q♠, which ranks higher than 5♣ 5♠ 3♣ 3♦ J♠. Two pair hands that differ by suit alone,
such as K♦ K♠ 7♦ 7♥ 8♥ and K♣ K♠ 7♣ 7♥ 8♣, are of equal rank.[6][13]
One pair [ edit
]
One pair, tens
One pair, or simply a pair, is a hand that contains two cards of one
rank and three cards of three other ranks (the kickers), such as 4♥ 4♠ K♠ 10♦ 5♠ ("one
pair, fours" or a "pair of fours"). It ranks below two pair and above high
card.[5]
Each one pair is ranked first by the rank of its pair, then by the rank of its
highest-ranking kicker, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking kicker, and
finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, 9♣ 9♦ Q♠ J♥ 5♥ ranks
higher than 6♦ 6♥ K♠ 7♥ 4♣, which ranks higher than 6♦ 6♥ Q♥ J♠ 2♣, which ranks higher
than 6♦ 6♥ Q♠ 8♣ 7♦, which ranks higher than 6♦ 6♥ Q♦ 8♥ 3♠. One-pair hands that differ
by suit alone, such as 8♠ 8♦ 10♥ 6♣ 5♠ and 8♥ 8♣ 10♣ 6♠ 5♣, are of equal
rank.[6][13]
High card [ edit ]
High card, king
High card, also known as no pair or
simply nothing, is a hand that does not fall into any other category, such as K♥ J♥ 8♣
7♦ 4♠ ("high card, king" or "king-jack-high" or "king-high").[17][26] Note that under
ace-to-five low rules, straights, flushes and straight flushes are not possible, so
such hands are instead high card hands.[7] It ranks below one pair.[5]
Each high card
hand is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its
second highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then
by the rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its
lowest-ranking card. For example, K♠ 6♣ 5♥ 3♦ 2♣ ranks higher than Q♠ J♦ 6♣ 5♥ 3♣,
which ranks higher than Q♠ 10♦ 8♣ 7♦ 4♠, which ranks higher than Q♥ 10♥ 7♣ 6♥ 4♠, which
ranks higher than Q♣ 10♣ 7♦ 5♣ 4♦, which ranks higher than Q♥ 10♦ 7♠ 5♠ 2♥. High card
hands that differ by suit alone, such as 10♣ 8♠ 7♠ 6♥ 4♦ and 10♦ 8♦ 7♠ 6♣ 4♣, are of
equal rank.[6][13]
Under deuce-to-seven low rules, a seven-five-high hand, such as 7♠
5♣ 4♦ 3♦ 2♣, is the best possible hand.[27] Under ace-to-six low rules, where aces have
the lowest rank, a six-four-high hand, such as 6♣ 4♠ 3♥ 2♥ A♦, is the best possible
hand.[28] Under ace-to-five low rules, where aces have the lowest rank and straights,
flushes and straight flushes are not possible, a five-high hand, such as 5♣ 4♠ 3♥ 2♥ A♦
or 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ 2♠ A♠, commonly known as a bicycle or wheel, is the best possible
hand.[7][22]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
