HAND RANKINGS

Some hands are stronger than others. Compare them and learn how they are ranked. Poker hands are formed using combinations of:

• cards of the same value (pairs)

• cards of the same suit and

• cards in sequence (straights).

Royal Flush

The strongest hand in poker, made up of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit.

Straight Flush

Five consecutive cards of the same suit. The hand with the higher top card wins.

Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same value. If two players have the same four of a kind, the kicker (fifth card) decides the winner.

Full House

Three cards of one value and a pair. The hand with the stronger three-of-a-kind wins.

Flush

Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. The flush with the highest card wins.

Straight

Five consecutive cards of any suit. The strongest straight is A-K-Q-J-10, while the weakest is 5-4-3-2-A (Ace counts as low).

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same value. Kickers are used to break ties.

Two Pair

Two different pairs. The higher pair determines the stronger hand. If tied, kickers are compared.

One Pair

Two cards of the same value. The hand with the higher pair wins. If tied, kickers decide.

High Card

When no other hand is formed, the highest card determines the winner. If needed, kickers are used to break ties.

6+ Hold'em Hand Ranking Difference

In 6+ Hold'em, also known as Short Deck Hold'em, the hand rankings are slightly different due to the removal of cards 2 through 5 from the deck. With only 36 cards, hand probabilities change. A flush is harder to make than a full house, so a flush beats a full house. Additionally, an Ace can be used as a high or low card to complete a straight, including the low straight A-6-7-8-9.