Poker Hand Rankings
Master the complete poker hand rankings from Royal Flush to High Card. Learn which hands beat what and improve your game.
Quick Reference: Poker Hands Ranked Best to Worst
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
Complete Poker Hand Rankings Guide
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A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥
Royal Flush
The best possible hand in poker. A-K-Q-J-10 all of the same suit. Unbeatable. The probability of being dealt a royal flush is approximately 1 in 649,740.
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9♠8♠7♠6♠5♠
Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit. The higher the top card, the better the straight flush. A 9-high straight flush beats an 8-high straight flush.
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K♠K♥K♦K♣7♣
Four of a Kind (Quads)
Four cards of the same rank. Four Kings beats four Queens. If two players have quads, the higher quads win. The fifth card (kicker) only matters if both have the same quads.
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A♥A♦A♣K♠K♥
Full House (Boat)
Three of a kind plus a pair. Called "Aces full of Kings" in this example. The three-of-a-kind rank determines the winner. Aces full beats Kings full.
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A♦J♦8♦4♦2♦
Flush
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. When comparing flushes, the highest card determines the winner. An Ace-high flush beats a King-high flush.
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10♠9♥8♣7♦6♠
Straight
Five consecutive cards of different suits. The Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A). A "wheel" is the lowest straight: 5-4-3-2-A.
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Q♥Q♦Q♣9♠4♥
Three of a Kind (Trips/Set)
Three cards of the same rank. Called "trips" when using two board cards, "set" when using a pocket pair. Sets are generally stronger as they're harder for opponents to detect.
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J♠J♥5♣5♦A♠
Two Pair
Two different pairs. The higher pair is compared first. Jacks and Fives beats Tens and Nines. If both pairs are equal, the fifth card (kicker) determines the winner.
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10♥10♠K♦7♣2♥
One Pair
Two cards of the same rank. Higher pairs beat lower pairs. If pairs are equal, the highest kicker wins. A pair of Aces with a King kicker beats a pair of Aces with a Queen kicker.
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A♥J♠8♦5♣2♥
High Card
When no other hand is made, the highest card plays. "Ace-high" beats "King-high". If the highest cards are equal, the next highest cards are compared, and so on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What beats what in poker?
From highest to lowest: Royal Flush beats Straight Flush, which beats Four of a Kind, which beats Full House, which beats Flush, which beats Straight, which beats Three of a Kind, which beats Two Pair, which beats One Pair, which beats High Card.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes, a flush beats a straight. A flush (five cards of the same suit) ranks higher than a straight (five consecutive cards of different suits).
What is the best hand in poker?
The Royal Flush is the best hand in poker. It consists of A-K-Q-J-10 all of the same suit and cannot be beaten by any other hand.
Do suits matter in poker?
Suits do not have different values in poker. A flush of hearts is equal to a flush of spades if they have the same card values. Suits are only used to determine flushes and straight flushes.
What is a full house in poker?
A full house is a poker hand containing three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. For example, three Kings and two 7s is a full house, called "Kings full of Sevens".
Hand Probabilities
The probability of being dealt each hand in a standard 52-card deck:
| Hand | Probability | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 0.000154% | 1 in 649,740 |
| Straight Flush | 0.00139% | 1 in 72,193 |
| Four of a Kind | 0.0240% | 1 in 4,165 |
| Full House | 0.1441% | 1 in 694 |
| Flush | 0.1965% | 1 in 509 |
| Straight | 0.3925% | 1 in 255 |
| Three of a Kind | 2.1128% | 1 in 47 |
| Two Pair | 4.7539% | 1 in 21 |
| One Pair | 42.2569% | 1 in 2.4 |
| High Card | 50.1177% | 1 in 2 |