Poker Hands The official ranking of all card combinations

Poker Hands The official ranking of all card combinations

In the end, whether you win at poker often depends on the strength of your hand.

A fixed ranking determines which combination beats which other. Each hand has its place, and in the event of a tie, the kicker can tip the scales.

Below we will show you a complete overview of the order of poker hands and explain everything you need to know.

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How are poker hands rated? The basic rules

A poker hand always consists of the five best cards, which you form from your hand cards and the community cards. The ranking ranges from the royal flush as the highest combination to straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pairs to a simple pair or just the highest card, the so-called high card.

In addition to the hand category, the card size is crucial. If players have the same combination, the so-called kicker in poker often decides, i.e. The highest side card outside of the main combination. Only when this is identical is the pot shared between those involved.

The official poker hand rankings

1. Royal Flush – Probability: 0.000154% or 649,739 to 1
2. Straight Flush – Probability: 0.00139% or 72,192.3 to 1
3. Four of a kind – Probability: 0.0240% or 4,164 to 1
4. Full House – Probability: 0.144% or 693.2 to 1
5. Flush – Probability: 0.197% or 507.8 to 1
6. Straight – Probability: 0.392% or 253.8 to 1
7. Three of a Kind – Probability: 2.11% or 46.3 to 1
8. Two pairs – probability: 4.75% or 20 to 1
9. A pair – Probability: 42.3% or 1.37 to 1
10. High Card – Probability: 50.1% or 0.995 to 1

1. Royal Flush

The Royal Flush has the highest value of all poker hands. It consists of five consecutive cards from ten to ace, all of the same suit. This makes it the best form of a straight flush.

A royal flush can appear in any suit - for example A, K, Q, J, 10 in spades. Ultimately, which card color it is doesn't matter. This constellation is extremely rare and cannot be beaten by any other hand.

2. Straight Flush

The straight flush is second in the poker hand order. It combines two elements: a straight and a flush. This means that five cards are in consecutive order and all have the same color.

The straight flush can start at any card level as long as the row remains closed - for example, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 in hearts is a straight straight. This hand is only beaten by a higher straight flush, in this case something like 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 in one suit.

3. Four of a Kind

The four of a kind, also known as “Four of a Kind”, is one of the strongest combinations. It is located directly below the straight flush in the order of poker hands. The combination consists of four cards of the same value, supplemented by any fifth card that serves as a kicker.

A concrete example would be 7, 7, 7, 7, K - four sevens plus the king as a kicker. If another player also holds four of a kind (for example, because all four cards are on the table as community cards), the kicker determines who wins the pot.

4. Full House

The Full House card combination combines two different types of hands: a three of a kind and a pair. This means the hand consists of three cards of the same rank plus two cards of a different rank. In the ranking of poker hands, the full house is directly below the four of a kind and beats both flush and straight.

An example would be A, A, A, 7, 7 - three of a kind aces and a pair of sevens. If an opponent also holds a full house, the value of the three of a kind will be decided first and then the pair. This means that it can happen that two players have a full house, but only one has the higher three of a kind and therefore the stronger hand.

5. Flush

A flush occurs when five cards of the same suit come together, regardless of whether they are in sequence. This makes the flush one of the strongest hands in poker and ranks above straight and three of a kind. The value is not determined by the size of the flush itself, but by the highest card within these five cards.

In comparison, the flush whose highest card is stronger always wins. For example, a flush with a king as the highest card would beat a flush with a queen. If the highest card is the same, card by card is compared downwards. Only when all cards are identical, for example because the flush is directly on the table, does a split pot occur.

6th Street (Straight)

The straight is also called a straight and consists of five consecutive cards. These don't necessarily have to have the same color. This hand is below flush in the poker rankings, but beats three of a kind, two pair, pair and high card. The street can appear in many variations - from the smallest street to the highest.

The ace can be used both as the highest card in A-K-Q-J-10 and as the lowest in A-2-3-4-5, the so-called “wheel”. Only the straight with the highest final card can win. So if 9-8-7-6-5 and 8-7-6-5-4 meet, the higher straight wins.

7. Triplet (Three of a Kind)

Three of a kind, which is internationally known as “Three of a Kind”, has three cards of the same rank and any two side cards - for example 10, 10, 10, 3, 7. It is considered a strong hand in the middle range and beats both two pair and a pair or the high card.

Since triplets can often be on the board, the kickers are often decisive in the game. If two players with three of a kind meet, the higher value of the three of a kind decides. If both are the same, it depends on the remaining cards. For example, a combination of Ace and King as a kicker can be decisive if the three of a kind are identical.

8. Two Pairs

The “Two Pair” hand consists of two cards of the same rank combined with two cards of a different rank and a fifth side card. It is a fairly common poker hand, which makes it both dangerous and difficult to predict in the game.

For example, someone has two pairs if the combination looks like this: J, J, 9, 9, 2. If two players hold two pairs, the higher pair is compared first. If this is the same, the second pair decides, and if this is also identical, the kicker has the deciding vote. The pot is only divided if all five cards match.

9. One Pair

A pair is one of the most common hands in poker and consists of two cards of the same rank plus three side cards. Although it is a comparatively weak combination, a strong pair - such as aces or kings - can still mean victory.

If several players have a pair, the height of the pair decides. If the pair is identical, look for the three remaining cards. An ace as the highest side card can determine the outcome of a game if both players hold the same pair.

10. High Card

The high card has the lowest poker hand value and occurs whenever no other combination forms. Only the highest single card counts here, and the remaining four cards serve as kickers in direct comparison. Even though the high card rarely leads to victory, it can be decisive in a game when all players have bad cards.

Let's take the combination A, Q, 6, 5, 10 - here the ace is the decisive card. If two players with a high card meet, the cards are compared from highest to lowest until a difference is made. If there are identical card values ​​on the table, a split pot can also occur here.

Downloadable poker hands cheat sheet

You can find the answer to the question “What beats what in poker” at a glance on our poker hand order cheat sheet. There is often little time at the table to compare combinations in peace. An overview of all poker hands with their values ​​saves you from having to look things up.

Download poker cheat sheet

Download the cheat sheet, place it where you can see it directly, and make sure you don't have to guess how strong your current hand is. Knowing the rankings for sure is the foundation on which every other poker strategy is built.

Conclusion & further links

In addition to the general poker rules , the order of the poker hands is part of the basic knowledge without which no hand can be played sensibly. If you don't know for sure whether a flush beats a straight, you are making your decisions at the table on an uncertain basis.

You can find an overview of tested real money poker sites in the table at the top of this page.

To the top poker sites

At the Online poker Of course, luck also plays a role. Above all, it is the strategy, the tactics and the extra experience and knowledge that distinguishes successful poker players from less successful poker players in the long term. The first and most important step is to know the poker hand order without any doubt.