Hand
Rankings
Pictured below
are the hands of poker, listed in order from highest to lowest.
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Royal
Flush
Five cards in a row, 10 through
ace, all in the same suit. A royal flush is actually the
highest possible straight flush. This is the best hand
you can get in a game without wild cards. Since suits have
no bearing in poker, two players holding royal flushes
would tie. A royal flush ranks above any other straight
flush. The illustration shows a royal flush in spades. |
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Straight
Flush
Five cards of the same suit
in consecutive numerical order. (An ace high straight flush,
as 10d Jd Qd Kd AD, is given the special name royal flush.)
A straight flush ranks above four of a kind. The illustration
shows a five-high straight flush. |
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Four
of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank.
Four of a kind ranks above a full house and below a straight
flush. The illustration shows four jacks with a deuce kicker(fifth
card). |
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Full
House
Any three of one rank plus
two of another. Often identified by the three of a
kind. Three kings and two 3s is a full house, often
known as kings full, and sometimes more specifically
as kings full of 3s. Ties are broken first by the three
of a kind, then the pair. So, for example, 4-4-4-2-2
beats 3-3-3-A-A. In community-card games such as hold'em
and Omaha, more than one player can have a full house
containing the same three cards rank-wise. So, for
example, A-A-A-K-K beats A-A-A-Q-Q. A full house ranks
above a flush and below four of a kind. The illustration
shows 7s full of 3s.
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Flush
Five cards of the same suit,
not in sequence. A flush is often specified by its top
one or two cards. For example, Ah Kh 9h 4h 2h is called
an ace-king flush. (Five cards of the same suit in sequence
constitutes a special hand known as a straight flush.)
A flush ranks above a straight and below a full house.
The illustration shows a queen-high diamond flush. |
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Straight
Any five consecutive cards
of mixed suits. The ace can be high or low AK-Q-J-T, an
ace-high straight is the highest straight, and 5-4-3-2-A,
a5-high straight, is the lowest straight. (Five cards of
the same suit in sequence constitutes a special hand known
as a straight flush.) A straight ranks above three of a
Kind and below a flush. The illustration shows a 10-high
straight. |
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Three
of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank, plus
two other unrelated cards. The hand is often called trips or,
in community-card games, a set. Three of a kind ranks above
two pair and below a straight. The illustration shows three
4s. |
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Two
Pair
Two of one rank, plus two of
another rank, plus an unrelated card. For example, A-A-K-K-Q
is two pair, known variously as two pair, aces and kings;
aces up; aces over; aces over kings; aces and kings; aces
and. If both hands have the same high pair, the hand containing
the higher second pair wins. For example, A-A-7-7-2 beats
A-A-6-6-K. If both pairs tie, the high card wins. For example,
A-A-7-7-J beats A-A-7-7-9. Two pair ranks between one pair
and three of a kind. The illustration shows 8s and 5s. |
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Pair
A hand containing two cards
of the same rank, plus three other unmatched cards. When
two players have the same pair, the highest side card or
cards wins. For example, J-J-A-3-2 beats J-J-K-Q-9; 4-4-A-K-2
beats 4-4-A-Q-9; A-A-9-8-7 beats A-A-9-8-6. One pair is
the second-lowest category of hand, coming between no pair
and two pair. The illustration shows a pair of 9s. |
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No
Pair
A hand lower than one pair,
usually named by its high card, as, for example, ace high.
When two players both have the same high card, the highest
side card or cards wins. For example, K-Q-4-3-2 beats K-T-9-8-7;
A-K-Q-J-9 beats A-K-Q-J-8. No pair is the lowest category
of hand. The illustration shows a king-high hand. |
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