Take your card game nights to the next level! Poker hand rankings are a crucial tool for making informed decisions while playing poker. These rankings classify the strength of various poker hands and are used in many popular poker games such as Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and 3-card poker.
For those looking to improve their chances of winning, it’s essential to understand the poker hand rankings system. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the top five-card poker hand combinations to give you an edge at the table. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, this guide will help you master the poker hand rankings and increase your chances of success at the table.
The strongest to weakest Poker-hand rankings
- The Royal Flush: The Ultimate Poker Hand
The royal flush is the highest possible ranking in a game of poker. It consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit, ranging from 10 to ace.
- Straight Flush: Almost as Good as a Royal Flush
A straight flush is a hand that contains five cards of sequential values in the same suit, but is not a royal flush. It is only beaten by a royal flush or another straight flush with higher-ranking cards.
- Four of a Kind: Four of a Good Thing
Four of a kind is a hand that contains four cards of the same rank, with the fifth card being the highest rank among the remaining cards on the table or in your hand.
- Full House: A Combination of Three of a Kind and a Pair
A full house is a hand that includes three cards of the same rank in three different suits (three of a kind) and a separate pair of the same rank in two different suits. When multiple players have a full house, the winning hand is determined by the highest value three of a kind.
- Flush: All in the Same Suit
A flush is a hand that contains five cards of the same suit, regardless of their order. When two players have flushes, the one with the highest-valued card is the winning hand.
- Straight: Sequential Numerical Values Across Suits
A straight is a hand that consists of five cards of sequential numerical value but is made up of more than one suit. An ace can typically rank as either high (above a king) or low (below a 2), but not both in the same hand.
- Three of a Kind: Trio of Matching Rank
A three-of-a-kind is a hand that contains three cards of the same rank in three different suits. The remaining two cards in the hand are the highest-ranked cards available.
- Two Pairs: Double the Pairs, Double the Fun
A two-pair hand contains two different sets of two cards with matching ranks. The highest-ranked remaining card completes the hand.
- Pair: A Single Set of Matching Rank
A paired hand consists of two cards of the same rank in different suits. The remaining three cards in the hand are the highest-ranked cards available.
- High Card: When All Else Fails
The high card hand is the lowest-ranked hand of them all. It consists of the highest card in the hand, with the remainder of the cards being of lower rank. In this case, the highest card is the king of spades.
