In poker, understanding hand rankings is crucial for success. The goal is to form the best possible five-card combination, using either your hole cards (in games like Texas Hold’em) or a combination of hole and community cards. Here’s a breakdown of poker hands, ranked from highest to lowest:
1. Royal Flush
The best possible hand in poker, a royal flush consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10, all of the same suit. It is unbeatable and will always win.
Example: A♠, K♠, Q♠, J♠, 10♠
2. Straight Flush
A straight flush is five consecutive cards of the same suit. If two players have a straight flush, the one with the highest card wins.
Example: 8♣, 9♣, 10♣, J♣, Q♣
3. Four of a Kind (Quads)
This hand consists of four cards of the same rank. The fifth card, known as the kicker, is used to break ties.
Example: 7♦, 7♠, 7♣, 7♥, 3♠
4. Full House
A full house is made up of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. If two players have a full house, the one with the higher three-of-a-kind wins.
Example: 10♠, 10♦, 10♣, 3♠, 3♣
5. Flush
A flush consists of five cards of the same suit, but not in consecutive order. If two players have a flush, the one with the highest card wins.
Example: 2♠, 5♠, 8♠, J♠, K♠
6. Straight
A straight is five consecutive cards of different suits. In case of a tie, the highest card in the straight determines the winner.
Example: 4♠, 5♣, 6♦, 7♠, 8♠
7. Three of a Kind (Trips or Set)
This hand contains three cards of the same rank, with two kickers (extra cards) used to break ties.
Example: 9♦, 9♠, 9♣, 5♠, 2♣
8. Two Pair
Two pair consists of two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. If two players have two pair, the higher pair wins, and if they tie, the kicker is used to determine the winner.
Example: 8♠, 8♦, 4♠, 4♣, 2♠
9. One Pair
One pair consists of two cards of the same rank, with three other different cards acting as kickers. The higher the pair, the better the hand.
Example: 5♠, 5♦, 9♣, J♦, K♠
10. High Card
If no player has any of the above hands, the winner is determined by the highest card. If two players have the same high card, the next highest card is used, and so on.
Example: A♠, 10♣, 8♦, 5♠, 3♣ (The Ace is the highest card.)
Understanding these rankings is essential for both casual and competitive poker players. By learning how to evaluate your hand, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions about when to bet, raise, or fold, increasing your chances of winning.
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