Poker Hands

Poker is one of the most popular and most exciting card games around the world. In this game, players’ objective is to create the best possible hand, which means a group of 5 cards. Players are dealt 2 private cards each, and they have to make the best possible 5-card hand by combining their 1 or 2 private cards with any 3 or 4 cards from the 5 community cards on the table.

Poker Hand Rankings

For playing poker, you need to know all about poker hands and poker hand rankings.

Let’s take a look at all the poker hands and their order, sequence or rankings.

Poker Hands Order or Sequence

In Texas hold 'em poker, there are 10 different hands, ranked from the strongest to the weakest. See the poker hand rankings in our guide to poker hands below:

Royal Flush
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Two Pair
A Pair
High Card

Royal Flush

The royal flush is the strongest and highest hand in poker. It is one of the poker winning hands. It consists of a straight flush starting with a 10 and going up to the ace (A). Every player who understands poker hand probabilities feels ecstatic on creating a royal flush.

Example: 10♥-J♥-Q♥-K♥-A♥ (all of the same suit, ♥)

Which poker hand beats the royal flush?

No hand can beat a royal flush.

List of Hands Beaten by Royal Flush

The royal flush beats the following hands:

Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a Kind
Two Pair
A Pair
High Card

Straight Flush

A straight flush is a poker card hand that consists of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. It’s one of the high-value poker card hands.

Example: 5♣-6♣-7♣-8♣-9♣ (all of the same suit, ♣).

If two players have a straight flush, the player who has the highest card wins.

Four of a Kind

It’s a hand that consists of 4 cards of the same rank, such as four queens or four kings.

Example: Q♥-Q♣-Q♠-Q♦

Full House

A full house is a hand that consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

Example: 5♥-5♣-5♠-K♦-K♣

Flush

A flush consists of five cards of the same suit that are not in sequence.

Example: 2♠-6♠-9♠-J♠-K♠

Straight

A straight is a hand that consists of five consecutive cards, not of the same suit.

Example: 4♦-5♠-6♥-7♦-8♣

Three of a Kind

It’s a hand that contains three cards of the same rank and two unrelated cards.

Example: 10♦-10♠-10♥-A♦-8♣

Two Pair

It’s a hand that contains two sets of two cards of the same rank and one unrelated card.

Example: 9♦-9♠-A♣-A♥-♦

One Pair

It contains two cards of the same rank and three unrelated cards.

Example: 5♣-5♥-Q♦-2♠-8♣

High Card

This hand contains five unrelated cards and has the lowest value in the poker hand sequence. The highest card in the hand determines its rank.

Example: 3♣-6♥-Q♦-9♠-K♣

Poker Winning Hands - Best Poker Hands

Understanding the different poker hands and poker hand rankings is essential to become a successful poker player. Here are the best poker hands that you can have in Texas hold ’em poker, ranked from highest to lowest:

Royal Flush - A straight flush with an ace, king, queen, jack, and a 10 of the same suit.
Straight Flush - Any five cards of the same suit arranged in sequence.
Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank.
Full House - Three of a kind plus a pair.
Flush - Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
Straight - Any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit.
Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same rank.
Two Pair - Two pairs of different ranks.
One Pair - Two cards of the same rank.
High Card - If no player has any of the above hands, then the player with the highest card wins.

Strongest vs. Weakest Hand in Poker

The strongest hand in poker is the royal flush, while the weakest hand is the high card. Players aim to make the best poker winning hands, with the royal flush being the ultimate goal. However, players should also know when to fold their cards to avoid losing a large amount of money.

5 Poker Hand Rules

Here are the important 5 poker hand rules:

The game starts with each player receiving two hole cards (private cards), which are dealt face down.
After the initial deal, there is a round of betting, starting with the player to the left of the big blind.
Three community cards are then dealt face up on the table, followed by another round of betting.
A fourth community card is dealt, followed by another round of betting.
A fifth and final community card is dealt, and there is a final round of betting before the showdown.

Poker Hands’ Absolute vs. Relative Value

The absolute value of a poker hand is its rank in the poker hand rankings chart, with the royal flush being the highest and the high card being the lowest. The relative value of a hand depends on the strength of the other players' hands at the table. For example, a one pair hand may be strong if no other player has a better hand, but it would be weak if other players have a full house or a royal flush.

Poker Hands FAQ

What is the difference between a straight and a straight flush?

A straight consists of any five cards in sequence, while a straight flush is five cards of the same suit arranged in sequence. A straight flush is more valuable than a straight.

Can a high card hand win a game of Texas hold ’em poker?

Yes, a high card can win a game of Texas hold ’em if no other player has a better hand or if other players fold. However, it is the weakest possible hand in poker, so it is not a desirable hand.

What is a kicker in poker?

A kicker is a card that is used to determine the winner of a hand when two players have hands with the same rank. For example, if two players have a one pair hand and the pair consists of the same cards, the player with the higher kicker wins.

What is a full house in poker?

A full house is a hand that consists of three cards of the same rank and two cards of another rank. For example, a full house could be three jacks and two queens. It is a strong hand in poker, ranked just below four of a kind and above the flush.