The game of poker is one of the most popular card games in the world. Each player has a set of cards and tries to make the best five-card hand possible to win the pot. However, not all hands are created equal. In this post, we will discuss the different hand rankings in poker and provide you with a cheat sheet to help you understand the game better.
High Card
The lowest ranking hand in poker is a high card. This means that if you don’t have any pairs, flushes, straights, or other combinations, the highest card in your hand will determine your ranking. For example, if you have a hand of A-K-J-10-8, and the other player has a hand of K-Q-J-10-9, you win because your ace is the highest card.
Pair
The next ranking hand in poker is a pair. This means that if you have two cards of the same rank, such as two queens or two sevens, you have a pair. If two players have a pair, the player with the higher pair wins. For example, if one player has a pair of kings and the other has a pair of jacks, the player with the kings wins.
Two Pair
The next ranking hand in poker is two pair. This means that if you have two pairs of cards with the same rank, such as two jacks and two sevens, you have two pair. If two players have two pair, the player with the higher ranking pair wins. For example, if one player has a pair of kings and a pair of jacks and the other has a pair of queens and a pair of sevens, the player with the kings and jacks wins.
Three of a Kind
The next ranking hand in poker is three of a kind. This means that if you have three cards of the same rank, such as three aces, you have three of a kind. If two players have three of a kind, the player with the higher ranking three of a kind wins. For example, if one player has three jacks and the other has three nines, the player with the jacks wins.
Straight
The next ranking hand in poker is a straight. This means that if you have five cards in numerical order, even if they are not of the same suit, you have a straight. If two players have a straight, the player with the highest-ranking card in the straight wins. For example, if one player has a nine-high straight and the other has a ten-high straight, the player with the ten-high straight wins.
Flush
The next ranking hand in poker is a flush. This means that if you have five cards of the same suit, you have a flush. If two players have a flush, the player with the highest-ranking card in the flush wins. For example, if one player has a flush with an ace, king, queen, nine, and two of spades, and the other player has a flush with an ace, king, queen, eight, and three of spades, the player with the ace-high flush wins.
Full House
The next ranking hand in poker is a full house. This means that if you have three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as three kings and two threes, you have a full house. If two players have a full house, the player with the higher ranking three of a kind wins. For example, if one player has a full house with three kings and two threes and the other has a full house with three queens and two sixes, the player with the three kings wins.
Four of a Kind
The next ranking hand in poker is four of a kind. This means that if you have four cards of the same rank, such as four jacks, you have four of a kind. If two players have four of a kind, the player with the higher-ranking four of a kind wins. For example, if one player has four jacks and the other has four tens, the player with the jacks wins.
Straight Flush
The next ranking hand in poker is a straight flush. This means that if you have five cards in numerical order and of the same suit, you have a straight flush. If two players have a straight flush, the player with the highest-ranking card in the straight flush wins. For example, if one player has a ten-high straight flush and the other has a nine-high straight flush, the player with the ten-high straight flush wins.
Royal Flush
The highest-ranking hand in poker is a royal flush. The hand consists of a ten, jack, queen, king, and ace, all of the same suit. A royal flush is unbeatable and will win the pot every time.
So, now that you know the different hand rankings in poker, you can better understand the game and increase your chances of winning. Keep in mind that bluffing and reading your opponents also play a big role in the game. Good luck at the poker table!
