Hand Rankings

When the time comes to decide who gets the pot, there is a set of hand rankings that is almost universally accepted to determine who wins. These are listed below from strongest to weakest.

Straight Flush ranks highest of all hands and it consists of five cards of the same suit and sequence. Aces ranking either high or low: A-K-Q-J-10 or 5-4-3-2-A

The highest possible hand in poker is a Royal Flush - the sequence A-K-Q-J-10 in the same suit :

or any sequence in between, such as 9-8-7-6-5, this is known as a Straight Flush.

Four-of-a-Kind is next highest. It consists of the four cards of any one rank together with any fifth card; for example

constitutes four sevens.

A Full House ranks next; it consists of any three of one kind and any pair of another kind, such as


It is referred to by the Three-of-a-Kind it contains; the example shown would be "Sixes Full."

A Flush , ranking next; it consists of any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence, as


referred to as a "Jack High Flush."

A Straight also known as a Run consists of any five cards of two or more suits in sequence of rank, with the ace ranking either high in sequence


or low in the sequence. One does not need to have an ace to have a Straight, of course: any five cards in a row will do.

It ranks next under Flush.

Three-of-a-Kind are any three cards of the same rank plus two other cards which do not constitute a pair and do not include the fourth card of the same rank;


would be referred to as "Three Nines" or "Trip Nines".

Two Pair , which ranks next under three of a kind, consists of two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and any fifth card which is neither of those ranks; it is referred to by the higher of the two pairs. Thus,


would be "Queens up."

One Pair - any two cards of the same rank, together with three other cards which do not combine with the other two to form any of the higher-ranking hands above:


is a pair of Kings.

High Card , if nobody has one of the above ranks then the decision comes down to the highest ranking single card with Ace high.


Here the High card is a King.