Poker Hands

In order to play poker, it’s important that you understand poker hands and how they rank. Here’s a description of the poker hands in order by rank from highest to lowest.

Five Of A Kind
A five of a kind is the highest possible hand. You must be using wild cards to get a five of a kind. If more than one hand has five of a kind, the higher card wins. For example, five kings would beat five queens.

Straight Flush
A straight flush is the highest natural hand (meaning no wild cards required). A straight flush is 5 cards in order that are all of the same suit. (For example the 6,7,8,9,10, jack of hearts). An ace can be either high or low in a straight flush, but you can’t have a wraparound (like King, Ace, 1,2,3). An Ace high straight-flush is called a Royal Flush and is the highest natural hand.

Four Of A Kind
Four of a kind is four cards of the same rank. If there are two or more hands that qualify, the hand with the higher-rank four of a kind wins.

Full House
A full house is a three of a kind and a pair, such as three aces and two threes. Ties are broken by the three of a kind. For example, three queens and two fives beat 3 jacks and two kings.

Flush
A flush is a hand where all of the cards are the same suit. They don’t have to be in any sort of order.

Straight
A straight is 5 cards in order, such as 4-5-6-7-8. An ace may either be high or low, but again may not 'wrap around'. When straights tie, the highest straight wins. (AKQJT beats KQJT9)

Three Of A Kind
Three cards of the same rank, together with two cards of different ranks. Highest three of a kind wins.

Two Pair
This is two distinct pairs of cards and a 5th card. The highest pair wins. If both hands have the same high pair, the second high pair wins. If both hands have the same pairs, the highest card in the hand wins.

Pair
A pair of the same rank plus three cards of different ranks. The higher pair wins; if two players have pairs of the same rank the highest of the other three cards are compared.

High Card
This is any hand that doesn’t fall into any of the above categories. If nobody has at least a pair, high card wins. If multiple people tie for high card, look at second highest card, etc.