Poker Hand Rankings
Knowing which hand beats which is the foundation of every poker decision. In Texas Hold'em the goal is to make the best five-card hand, and the rankings below run from strongest to weakest. They are the same in almost every poker variant, so learning them once serves you everywhere.
The rankings, strongest to weakest
Royal flush — A-K-Q-J-10 all of the same suit. The best possible hand and extremely rare. Straight flush — five cards in sequence, all one suit (e.g. 6-7-8-9-10 of hearts). Four of a kind — four cards of the same rank. Full house — three of a kind plus a pair. Flush — five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Straight — five cards in sequence of mixed suits. Three of a kind — three cards of the same rank. Two pair — two separate pairs. One pair — two cards of the same rank. High card — when you make none of the above, your highest single card plays.
A higher-ranked hand always beats a lower-ranked one: a flush beats a straight, a full house beats a flush, and so on.
Ties and kickers
When two players hold the same type of hand, the higher cards decide it. A pair of kings beats a pair of nines; two players each holding a flush compare their highest flush cards in turn. When the made hand is identical, the kicker breaks the tie: this is the highest unpaired side card. For example, if you both hold a pair of tens, but your next-best card is a king and theirs is a queen, your king kicker wins. If all five cards are equal in rank, the pot is split. Suits are not used to break ties in standard Hold'em.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hand in poker?
The royal flush: A-K-Q-J-10 all of the same suit. It is the highest version of a straight flush and the rarest hand in the game.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush (five cards of the same suit) ranks higher than a straight (five cards in sequence of mixed suits), so the flush wins.
What is a kicker?
A kicker is the highest side card used to break a tie when two players have the same made hand. For example, with identical pairs, the player whose next-highest card is bigger wins the pot.