Standard Poker Hand Ranking
There are 52 cards in the pack, and the ranking of the
individual cards, from high to 🌧️ low, is ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3,
2. There is no ranking between 🌧️ the suits - so for example the king of hearts and the
king of spades are equal.
A poker hand consists 🌧️ of five cards. The categories of hand,
from highest to lowest, are listed below. Any hand in a higher category 🌧️ beats any hand
in a lower category (so for example any three of a kind beats any two pairs). Between
🌧️ hands in the same category the rank of the individual cards decides which is better, as
described in more detail 🌧️ below.
1. Royal Flush
This is the highest poker hand. It
consists of ace, king, queen, jack, ten, all in the same 🌧️ suit. As all suits are equal,
all royal flushes are equal.
2. Straight Flush
Five cards of the same suit in sequence
🌧️ - such as J- 10- 9- 8- 7. Between two straight flushes, the one containing the higher
top card is 🌧️ higher. An ace can be counted as low, so 5- 4- 3- 2- A is a straight flush,
but its 🌧️ top card is the five, not the ace. The cards cannot "turn the corner": 4- 3- 2-
A- K is 🌧️ not valid.
3. Four of a kind
Four cards of the same rank - such as four queens.
The fifth card can 🌧️ be anything. Between two fours of a kind, the one with the higher
set of four cards is higher - 🌧️ so 3-3-3-3-A is beaten by 4-4-4-4-2. It can't happen in
standard poker, but if in some other game you need 🌧️ to compare two fours of a kind where
the sets of four cards are of the same rank, then the 🌧️ one with the higher fifth card is
better.
4. Full House
This consists of three cards of one rank and two cards 🌧️ of another
rank - for example three sevens and two tens (colloquially known as "sevens on tens").
When comparing full 🌧️ houses, the rank of the three cards determines which is higher. For
example 9-9-9-4-4 beats 8-8-8-A-A. If the threes of 🌧️ a kind were equal, the rank of the
pairs would decide.
5. Flush
Five cards of the same suit. When comparing two 🌧️ flushes,
the highest card determines which is higher. If the highest cards are equal then the
second highest card is 🌧️ compared; if those are equal too, then the third highest card,
and so on. For example K- J- 9- 3- 🌧️ 2 beats K- J- 7- 6- 5 because the nine beats the
seven.
6. Straight
Five cards of mixed suits in sequence 🌧️ - for example Q- J- 10- 9- 8.
When somparing two sequences, the one with the higher ranking top card 🌧️ is better. Ace
can count high or low in a straight, but not both at once, so A-K-Q-J-10 and 5-4-3-2-A
🌧️ are valid straights, but 2-A-K-Q-J is not. 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest kind of straight,
the top card being the five.
7. 🌧️ Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank plus two
other cards. When comparing two threes of a kind 🌧️ the hand in which the three equal
cards are of higher rank is better. So for example 5-5-5-3-2 beats 4-4-4-K-Q. 🌧️ If you
have to compare two threes of a kind where the sets of three are of equal rank, then
🌧️ the higher of the two remaining cards in each hand are compared, and if those are
equal, the lower odd 🌧️ card is compared.
8. Two Pairs
A pair is two cards of equal rank.
In a hand with two pairs, the two 🌧️ pairs are of different ranks (otherwise you would
have four of a kind), and there is an odd card to 🌧️ make the hand up to five cards. When
comparing hands with two pairs, the hand with the highest pair wins, 🌧️ irrespective of
the rank of the other cards - so J-J-2-2-4 beats 10-10-9-9-8 because the jacks beat the
tens. If 🌧️ the higher pairs are equal, the lower pairs are compared, so that for example
8-8-6-6-3 beats 8-8-5-5-K. Finally, if both 🌧️ pairs are the same, the odd cards are
compared, so Q-Q-5-5-8 beats Q-Q-5-5-4.
9. Pair
A hand with two cards of equal 🌧️ rank and
three other cards which do not match these or each other. When comparing two such
hands, the hand 🌧️ with the higher pair is better - so for example 6-6-4-3-2 beats
5-5-A-K-Q. If the pairs are equal, compare the 🌧️ highest ranking odd cards from each
hand; if these are equal compare the second highest odd card, and if these 🌧️ are equal
too compare the lowest odd cards. So J-J-A-9-3 beats J-J-A-8-7 because the 9 beats the
8.
10. High Card
Five 🌧️ cards which do not form any of the combinations listed above.
When comparing two such hands, the one with the 🌧️ better highest card wins. If the
highest cards are equal the second cards are compared; if they are equal too 🌧️ the third
cards are compared, and so on. So A-J-9-5-3 beats A-10-9-6-4 because the jack beats the
ten.
