Standard Poker Hand Ranking There are 52 cards in the pack, and the ranking of the individual cards, from high to low, is ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. In poker, players construct hands of five cards according to predetermined rules, which vary according to the precise variant of poker being played. These hands are compared using a standard ranking system, and the player with the highest-ranking hand wins that particular deal. Although used primarily in poker, these hand rankings are also used in other card games, and with poker dice. The strongest starting hand in poker, pocket aces are a strong pre-flop favourite over any other two cards and a 4:1 favourite over almost any hand. You will be dealt 'pocket rockets', as they are. Use the list of poker hands below to know what beats what in poker. Commit this poker hands ranking list to memory today and print it if you need it (there's a button for it at the bottom).

A No-Nonsense Guide to Poker Hands

A Quick Note

We won’t bore you with a long intro today. After all, this is a no-nonsense guide, so why don’t we get right to it:

Please note the following card references:

(h) Hearts (d) Diamonds (c) Clubs (s) Spades

1. Royal Flush

At the top of the pile is a set of five suited consecutive cards with an ace as its highest card. No other hand can beat it, and if two or more active players have it, the pot is split evenly among them. Example: As Ks Qs Js 10s

2. Straight Flush

It’s practically the same as a royal flush but it uses a king or lower as its highest card.

If two or more active players have it, the player with the highest high card wins. The pot gets split evenly between players with the same highest cards. Example: Qc Jc 10c 9c 8c

3. Four of a Kind

This poker hand is made up of four cards of the same value and a random fifth card to complete the set.

In case there’s a tie, the fifth kicker card is used to determine a winner. If the fifth card on the table is higher than the highest kicker card any active player is holding, however, the pot is split evenly among all tied players. Example: 2d 2h 2s 2c Kh

4. Full House

This hand consists of a set of three cards of the same value (also known as a trip) and another set of two cards of the same value (also known as a pair).

If there’s a tie, the trips are compared. If the trips are of the same value, then the pairs are compared. If they’re still tied, then the pot is split evenly among all tied players. Example: 7h 7s 7c 3d 3h

5. Flush

This hand is made up of any five suited cards.

To break ties, the highest high card of each player gets compared. If they’re the same, then the second highest card is checked. The process continues until either one player comes out on top or the pot gets split evenly among players holding flushes of the exact same value. Example: Qd 10d 7d 4d 2d

6. Straight

Five non-suited consecutive cards make up this hand.

Ties, in this case, are broken just like you would with flushes. Example: Jd 10c 9s 8h 7d

7. Three of a Kind

This hand is simply a trip plus two random cards.

In the event of a tie, the trip with the highest value wins. A fourth or fifth kicker card is used to determine a winner in case the trips are of the same value. Example: 5d 5h 5c Kd 9s

8. Two Pair

As the name implies, this hand is just a pair of pairs plus a random fifth card to complete the set.

The high pair is compared in case of a tie. If they’re of the same value, then the low pair is checked. If they’re still tied, then the fifth kicker card is used to determine a winner. Example: Kd Kh 7d 7s 3c

9. Pair

As you may have guessed, this hand only has one pair instead of two so it comes with three other random cards to complete the set.

Ties are broken by first comparing the pair and then moving on to the next three kicker cards in case the pairs are of the same value. Example: 9s 9c 6d 4s 2h

10. High Card

This hand is just five random cards.

Ties are broken in pretty much the same way as with flushes and straights. Example: 9h 6c 5s 3d 2d

Knowing This Poker Hand List is Only the Beginning

These poker hand rankings are fixed for most standard five-card poker games like Texas Holdem. Interestingly, though, having a strong poker hand (except for a royal flush) doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll win. Professional players employ a host of strategies throughout the different stages of the game to outsmart and even force their opponents to fold prematurely. They also have the ability to gauge whether or not their starting hands could later on translate to winning poker hands based on how their opponents are acting and what cards are being revealed on the table.

Of course, all of these things come with experience. Professional players have achieved pro status by playing hundreds of games and doing hours of research, always trying to learn new things, improve their skills and just develop an overall better understanding of the game.

The good news is that we can help you do just that because when you sign up for a www.safeclub.com account, you’ll not only get to enjoy real money poker action online, you’ll also get access to more a whole lot more of these poker guides, tips and tricks!

Every poker player knows that the Royal Flush is the strongest poker hand, but where do all of the other poker winning hands rank? Here is a comprehensive list of poker hands in order from highest to lowest ranking. If you are new to the game of poker, learning the different poker hands is a great first step in learning how to beat your opponents with the cards you are dealt.

#1 Royal Flush

The strongest poker hand is the royal flush. It consists of Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all of the same suit, e.g. diamonds, spades, hearts, or clubs.

#2 Straight Flush

The second strongest hand in poker is the straight flush. It is composed of five consecutive cards of the same suit. If two players have a straight flush, the player with the highest cards wins.

#3 Four-of-a-kind

A four-of-a-kind is four cards of the same rank, e.g. four Aces. If two players have four-of-a-kind, then the one with the highest four-of-a-kind wins. If they have the same (if four-of-a-kind is on the board), then the player with the highest fifth card wins, since a poker hand is always composed of five cards.

#4 Full House

A full house is a combination of a three-of-a-kind and a pair. If two players have a full house, then the one with the highest three-of-a-kind wins. If they have the same one, then the pair counts.

#5 Flush

Five cards of the same suit make a flush. If two players have a flush, then the one with the highest cards wins.

#6 Straight

Five consecutive cards are called a straight. If two players have a straight, the one with the highest cards wins.

#7 Three-of-a-kind

A three-of-a-kind is composed of three cards of the same rank. If two players have the same three-of-a-kind, then the other cards, or both cards, determine the winner, since a poker hand is a always composed of five cards.

#8 Two-pair

Poker High Hands List

Two-pair hands are, of course, composed of two pairs. If two players have two-pair, the rank of the higher pair determines the winner. If they have the same higher pair, then the lower one counts. If that is also the same, then the fifth card counts.

#9 Pair

A pair is composed of two cards of the same rank. Since a poker hand is always composed of five cards, the other three cards are so-called “kickers”. In case two players have the same pair, then the one with the highest kicker wins.

#10 High card

If you don’t even have a pair, then you look at the strength of your cards. If there are two players at showdown who don’t have a pair or better, then the one with the highest cards wins.

Any of the PalaPoker.com games use the standard rank of hands to determine the high hand.

However, at PalaPoker.com we also play “split pot” games, like Omaha Hi-Lo8 and Stud Hi-Lo8, in which the highest hand splits the pot with a qualifying (“8 or better”) low hand; therefore, we must also be familiar with:

Low Poker Hands List:

Poker High Hands List

This method of ranking low hands is used in traditional Hi/Lo games, like Omaha Hi/Lo and Stud Hi/Lo, as well as in Razz, the ‘low only’ Stud game.

Note that suits are irrelevant for Ace to Five low. A flush or straight does not ‘break’ an Ace to Five low poker hand. Aces are always a ‘low’ card when considering a low hand.

Please also note that the value of a five-card low hand starts with the top card, and goes down from there.

#1 Five Low, or “Wheel“: The Five, Four, Three, Deuce and Ace.

In the event of a tie: All Five-high hands split the pot.

#2 Six Low: Any five unpaired cards with the highest card being a Six.

In the event of a tie: The lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. Thus 6,4,3,2,A defeats 6,5,4,2,A. If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie.

#3 Seven Low: Any five unpaired cards with the highest card being a Seven.

In the event of a tie: The lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. If necessary, the third- highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie.

#4 Eight Low: Any five unpaired cards with the highest card being an Eight.

In the event of a tie: The lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. An Eight Low is the weakest hand that qualifies for low in Omaha Hi/Lo and Stud Hi/Lo.

Check back here as you are learning the game of poker for a list that details the poker hands order. Sign up today to start winning real money!