One of the most important aspects of poker is hand ranking. Hand rankings determine the strength of your hand and are essential for poker play. The hand rankings from highest to lowest are:
- Royal Flush: The best hand in poker. It consists of a 10/J/Q/K/A of identical suits.
- Straight Flush: This is the second best hand in poker. A straight is made up of consecutive cards of identical suits like a 2/3/4/5/6. When there is an Ace in a straight, the Ace can be used either as the highest or lowest card. For example, it can be in a straight or in a Royal Flush. The Ace cannot wrap around though, so a 3/2/A/K/Q is not a straight.
- Four-of-a-Kind: These are any 4 cards of the same value, like four 3s or four Queens. If more than 1 player has a 4 of a kind, the player with the highest 4 of a kind wins. For example, four 10s beat four 9s.
- Full House: This is when there is a 2 of a kind and a 3 of a kind in one hand. For example, a 7/7/3/3/3 is a full house. If two or more players have full houses, the player with the highest 3 of a kind wins.
- Flush: A hand consisting of 5 cards with identical suits. For example, a 3/5/8/J/2 of hearts is a flush. Flushes can be any card combination. Because suits are of equal value, if there is a tie, the player with the highest card in the flush wins.
- Straight: A hand containing 5 sequentially ranked cards. For example, a straight is a 2/3/4/5/6. These cards can be made up of any suit. If more than one player has a straight, the highest straight is the winner.
- Three-of-a-Kind: This is a hand with 3 cards of identical rank when the other two cards are not a pair. If more than one player has a 3 of a kind, then the highest ranking 3 of a kind wins.
- Two Pair: These hands contain 2 pairs of cards with any other 5th card. For example, a two pair is something like 5/5/9/9/2. The player with the highest pair is the winner. If both players have the same highest pair, the player with the highest 2nd pair wins and if both players have the same two pairs, the player with the highest fifth card wins.
- Pair: Any two equally ranked cards. For example, a hand with a pair could be something like J/J/3/8/7, the Jacks are the pair. If there are two pairs, then the highest pair wins. If the pairs are tied, then the hand with the highest card wins.
- High Card: If no player as any of the previously mentioned hands, the winner is determined by the highest card out of all the hands.