Winning Poker Hand Ranks

You may find that if you have been great at online roulette or blackjack news games, you will be a new one in poker. The regular poker deck consists of 52 cards which are ranked from (lowest) 2 to (highest) Ace. The suits in poker games do not matter, it means that two cards with the same value and of different suits are considered to be equal. Like in the rules of how to win at blackjack -  suits of cards do not matter.

The standard poker hand in most of the poker versions (with the exception of Pai Gow and Three-card poker) is created of five cards. Familiarize with all possible poker hand ranks from the strongest to weakest. Bear in mind that in the hands ranked equally the individual cards decide which poker hand is better.

1. Royal Flush

The strongest poker hand in most poker game versions. This hand consists of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, ten of one suit. Since the suits in poker are not taken into consideration in hand ranks all Royal Flush hands are equal that is why in case of tie the game pot must be split.

2. Straight Flush

The straight of five suited cards. In case of two or more Straight Flush hands the highest and thus winning hand is the one with highest top card. Aces can be used to make the best Straight Flush (10-J-Q-K-A), which is in fact the Royal Flush, and the lowest hand (A-2-3-4-5).

3. Four of a kind

This hand contains any four cards of the same value, for instance, four fours. This poker hand is also called the "quads" and in some countries it can be called the "poker", however this name is not very popular. In case of two or more Four of a Kind hands the one with the strongest four cards is winning.

4. Full House

Three cards with one value and two cards of another value, for example, three nines and two Jacks. To compare the rank of two or more Full House hands the rank of three cards is taken into account first, and then the pairs are compared.

5. Flush

This hand consists of five cards with different rank but all of one suit. In two Flushes the strongest card denotes the winning hand when there is the tie.

6. Straight

Five unsuited cards in succession. The Straight hand with the stronger top card wins when the such hands tie.

7. Three of a Kind

Three of a Kind contains three cards with one rank. Sometimes this hand is also called the Triplets or Trips. When hands tie the three equal cards are checked for the strongest value, then the other two odd cards can be used to indicate the winning hand.

8. Two Pairs

The hand which has two pairs of cards, in which the pair is two cards with one rank. Among Two Pairs hands that tie the hand with the strongest pair wins no matter the value of the second pair. In case the top pairs are equal then the second pair denotes the winner. Finally the odd card indicates the strongest hand.

9. Pair

Pair hand contains a pair of cards of the same rank and three other cards that differ in suit and rank. The hand with higher pair is counted to be better. The rest distinct cards are compared if the pairs are of one rank.

10. High Card

The hand of five cards which does not has any of the mentioned card combinations. This is the weakest card combination among all poker hand ranks. Among two or several High Card hands the top card is compared.