Those wanting to learn to play poker need to start with the basics: Which poker hands are the best? Players can’t bluff or win if they don’t know which combination of cards is stronger than another, which is why ranking poker hands from worst to best is useful for all players.
It’s not as straightforward as it seems, either, as it can be easy to confuse your Straight with your Straight Flush when playing Texas Hold’Em. New players who want to play poker in Texas online to practice their skills should know these poker hand rankings so they can play with confidence once they face up to other opponents in real life. Gavin Beech has selected some of the best online poker sites in terms of payment options, rakeback, and traffic, among other factors. But first, here’s the poker hands you need to know:
6. Straight
A Straight hand is when five cards with consecutive values are held in sequence. These cards do not all have to have the same suit for the hand to be considered a Straight (if they all are of the same suit, then it’s a Straight Flush, which is more powerful).
An Ace can either be a low or a high card, but not both in the same hand. Meaning, 5-4-3-2-A and A-K-Q-J-10 are both valid Straights, however, 2-A-K-Q-J isn’t since the Ace is acting as a high and low card. The lowest Straight possible is 5-4-3-2-A, and if there are two Straights in a hand, the person with the highest Straight wins.
5. Flush
A Flush is any five cards from the same suit. All suits carry the same weight, so the suit is irrelevant in the strength of the hand. So, for example, if a player has a hand that has K-J-9-4-3 all from the diamonds suit, then they have a Flush, even if the cards are not in consecutive order. A Flush with higher cards will be stronger if there are two Flushes in a game. Meaning, K-J-8-7-5 all from the same suit will be a stronger hand than K-J-4-3-2 from the same suit.
4. Full House
A Full House appears when a player holds three cards of one numeric value and two cards of another numeric value. It is a strong poker hand, outranking a Straight and a Flush. If more than one player has a Full House, the value of the three-of-a-kind determines the strength of the hand. For example, 10-10-10-2-2 beats 7-7-7-A-A.
If both players have the same value for their three-of-a-kind, then the value of the pair will determine who has the stronger Full House. That means that 8-8-8-9-9 will outrank 8-8-8-5-5. Suit does not have an impact on a Full House hand.
3. Four Of A Kind
Four-of-a-Kind is when a player is holding four cards of the same rank, like four kings. The card can be any card from any suit. The player holding the highest value four-of-a-kind cards will have a stronger hand. For example, 6-6-6-6-4 is stronger than 3-3-3-3-Q. This hand is also called Quads.
2. Straight Flush
The Straight Flush is the second-best hand in poker. It involves five cards in sequence from the same suit. Q-J-10-9-8 from the spade suit would be a Straight Flush, as would 7-6-5-4-3 of hearts. The suit has no impact on the strength of the hand; the Straight Flush with the highest value card will win if there is more than one Straight Flush in a game.
Just like with a Straight, the Ace can be high or low, but not both. Meaning 5-4-3-2-A is a valid Straight Flush (and the lowest possible Straight Flush hand), but 3-2-A-K-Q is not.
1. Royal Flush
The Royal Flush is the strongest poker hand and is also exceptionally rare. It occurs when a player has an A-K-Q-J-10 from the same suit. A Royal Flush can be any suit, as all suits have equal value. This hand can’t be beat, but most casual players will never get a Royal Flush in their lives, although it has happened where recreational players win the jackpot with this hand. It is even rarer at professional poker tournaments, and is always a big event if a Royal Flush appears.
Final Thoughts
Understanding which poker hands are the best can transform your game and make you a more confident player. Knowing which cards to hold to build a strong hand can give you a goal while playing, so you can work towards winning the pot. The best possible hand is the Royal Flush, but this hand doesn’t commonly appear unless you’re very lucky, so it is best for players to work towards building a Straight Flush or Four