Expert Tips standard Poker Hand Rankings

 Expert Tips standard Poker Hand Rankings

52 cards are included in the pack. The order of the cards from highest to lowest is ace-king-queen, jack, 10, 9, 8/7, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. There is no ranking among the suits, so the kings and queens of hearts are the same.

A poker hand is made up of five cards. Below are the categories of poker hands, ranked from highest to least. Any hand in a higher hand category is better than any hand from a lower hand category. So, for example, any three-of-a-kind hand beats any two pairs. The rank of individual cards is what determines which hand in a given category is better. This is explained in detail below.

If a player has more cards than five, they must choose five to make a hand. The remaining cards are not considered in ranking. Poker ranks are always calculated using five cards.

1. Royal Flush

This is the highest hand in poker. It is composed of ace, king and queen in the same poker suit. Because all suits are the same, all royal flushes will be equal.

2. Straight Flush

Five cards of the same suit in sequence - such as clubJ-club10-club9-club8-club7. If there are two straight flushes, then the one with the highest high card is the higher. An ace can be counted as low, so heart5-heart4-heart3-heart2-heartA is a straight flush, but its top card is the five, not the ace, so it is the lowest type of straight flush. The cards cannot "turn the corner": diamond4-diamond3-diamond2-diamondA-diamondK is not valid.

3. Four of one

Four cards of the exact same rank as each other - four queens, for example. The fifth card can be of any kind. This combination is often called "quads", or in Europe, "poker". The English term for it is however not known. If there are two fours of a type, the player with the most cards in a set is the winner. For example, 3-3-3-3-3A is defeated by 4-4-4-4-2. In standard poker it is impossible to do this, but in other games you will need to compare sets of four cards from the same rank. The higher fifth card in a set of four cards will win.

4. Full House

This deck consists of three cards with one rank and two cards with another rank. For example, three sevens and two 10s are colloquially called "sevens filled" or "sevens-on-tens". If comparing full house, the rank of each card determines which one is greater. For example 9-9-9-4-4 beats 8-8-8-A-A. If the threes of one kind were equal, the rank would determine.

5. Flush

Five cards of the exact same suit. If you are comparing two flushes the highest card will determine which one is higher. If two flushes are equal, the highest card is used to compare them. If they aren't, the next highest card is used. For example spadeK-spadeJ-spade9-spade3-spade2 beats diamondK-diamondJ-diamond7-diamond6-diamond5 because the nine beats the seven.

6. Straight

Five cards of mixed suits in sequence - for example spadeQ-diamondJ-heart10-spade9-8. If you compare two sequences, the one with a higher ranking top-card is superior. Ace counts high or low in a straight. However, it cannot count both at the same time. Therefore, A-KQJ-10 and 5-4-2-A are valid straights. But 2-AK-QJ-J is not. 5-4-2-3-A is the lowest straight. The top card is the five.

7. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the exact same rank, plus two cards. This combination is also known by Triplets and Trips. Comparing two threes is easier if the hands with equal rank cards are compared. 5-5-5-3-3 beats 4-4-4-4-KQ. If you are trying to compare threes of the same kind, where they have the same rank, the higher of each of the cards remaining in each hand is used. If those cards are equal, the lower-odd card is used.

8. Two Pairs

A pair is two cards that are of equal rank. If you have two pairs, the pairs must be of different ranks. You would otherwise have four of the same cards. The odd card can add five cards to the hand. If you compare hands with two pairs of cards, the hand with a higher rank wins. J-J-2-4 beats J-10-9-9-9-8-8 because the Jacks beat the Tens. The higher pairs are compared if they are equal. 8-8-6-3-3 beats 8-8-5-5-5K. Final, if the pairs are identical, the odd cards will be compared. For example, Q-Q-5-5-4 beatsQ-Q-5-5-5-4.

9. Pair

A pair refers to a hand which has two cards of equal rank, and three cards that are not related. Comparing two pairs of cards is easier - 66-4-3-2 wins over 5-5 A-K-Q. If the pairs are equal, you can compare the highest ranking cards from each hand. If they are equal, you can compare the second highest card. And if the cards are equally, you can compare the lowest cards. J-JA-9-3 is better than J-JA-8-7 since the 9 beats out the 8.

10. High Card

Five cards that don't form any of these combinations. If you compare two hands of the same type, the hand with the best highest card wins. If the highest cards are equal, the second cards are compared. If they're equal, the third cards are also compared. So A-J-9-5-3 is better than A-10-9-6-4, because the jack beats out the ten. poker hands set