One of the most crucial things a poker player can learn, regardless of the game he or she chooses to play, are the ranks of certain hands. Hands are used to determine which player has won the game, by establishing the card selection of the highest value. From highest worth to lowest, these are the traditional poker hands recognized within most games.
The best possible form of straight flush is known as a royal flush, which includes the ten, the Jack, the Queen, the King and the Ace of a particular suit. A royal flush cannot be beaten by any other hand.
This term is used to indicate a hand of five cards in their numerical order, all within identical suits. For example, you could have the five, six, seven, eight, and nine of clubs. In the event that two or more players have a straight flush, the player with the highest ranked sequence will win.
In poker, this refers to when a player has all four cards within the deck with the same value, such as four aces, four queens, or four eights. If more than one person gets four cards of the same value, the highest value hand wins. For example, four aces would outrank four eights.
This is when a player has a pair of matching cards, such as two fours, as well as three matching cards of another rank, such as three kings. The highest three cards of matching value will always win if another player also has a full house.
When a player has five cards within the same suit, this is known as a flush. The cards don’t have to be in consecutive order, and in the event of a tie, the highest ranked card will mark the winner. Importantly, the suit cannot be used to break the tie.
A straight is five cards in sequence, such as a three, four, five, six, and seven. The cards do not have to be of the same suit, and the highest ranking card wins in the event of a tie.
This term refers to when a player has three cards of equal value, such as three threes, or three kings. Again, if someone else in the game has three of a kind, the winner will be determined from the highest ranking three.
Two pair is when a player has two cards of a matching rank, as well as another two cards of a matching rank. For example, two kings and two eights.
Similarly to two pair, one pair is simply when a player has a pair of cards with matching values, such as two aces. If someone else has the same pair, then the highest card outside of the pair in the five-card hand will win the pot.
This refers to any hand that does not make one of the hands above. If no combination can be made, a hand is simply ranked according to the value of its highest card.
