Poker Rules and Rank

Standard Poker Hand Ranking

There are 52 cards in the pack of cards. The ranking of the individual cards, from high to low, is ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. There is no ranking between the suits ex. the king of hearts and the king of spades are of equal amounts.

A hand consists of five cards. The categories of a game hand, from highest to lowest, are listed below. Any hand in a higher category beats any hand in a lower category i.e 3 cards of the number 2 still beats 2 cards of the number 3.

In poker games where a player has more than five cards and selects five to form a poker hand, the remaining cards do not play any part in the ranking. Poker rank is always based on only five cards.

Poker Ranks

#1 Royal Flush (the best hand you could ever get)

This is the highest poker hand. It consists of ace, king, queen, jack, ten, all in the same suit. As all suits are equal, all royal flushes are equal.

#2 Straight Flush

This hand happens when you have five cards in your poker hand of the same suit in sequence. For example, 7 of hearts, 8 of hearts, 9 of hearts, 10 of hearts, Jack of hearts. Between two straight flushes, the one containing the higher top card is higher. An ace can be counted as low, so 5 of clubs, 4 of clubs, 3 of clubs, 2 of clubs, Ace of clubs is a straight flush, but its top card is the five, not the ace, so it is the lowest type of straight flush.

#3 Four of a kind

Four cards of the same rank ex. four queens. The fifth card can be anything. This combination is sometimes known as "quads". Between two fours of a kind, the one with the higher set of four cards is higher, therefore, 4 cards of 3 of hearts and one ace is beaten by 4 cards of 4 of hearts and a 2.

#4 Full House

This consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. For example, three sevens and two tens. When comparing full houses, the rank of the three cards determines which is higher. For example, 3 cards of 9 of hearts and 2 aces beats 3 cards of 8 of hearts and 2 aces. If the threes of a kind were equal, the rank of the pairs would decide.

#5 Flush

Five cards of the same suit. When comparing two flushes, the highest card determines which is higher. If the highest cards are equal then the second highest card is compared; if those are equal too, then the third highest card, and so on. For example, 4 of clubs, 9 of clubs, 6 of clubs, Jack of clubs, King of clubs beats 5 of hearts, 6 of hearts, 7 of hearts, jack of hearts, king of hearts because the nine of clubs beats the seven of hearts.

#6 Straight

Five cards of mixed suits in sequence. For example, 6 of hearts, 7 of diamonds, 8 of spades, 9 of spades, 10 of clubs. When comparing two sequences, the one with the higher ranking top card is better. Ace can count high or low in a straight, but not both at once, so A-K-Q-J-10 and 5-4-3-2-A are valid straights, but 2-A-K-Q-J is not. 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest kind of straight, the top card being the five.

#7 Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank plus two other cards. This combination is also known as Triplets or Trips. When comparing two threes of a kind the hand in which the three equal cards are of higher rank is better. If you have to compare two threes of a kind where the sets of three are of equal rank, then the higher of the two remaining cards in each hand are compared, and if those are equal, the lower odd card is compared.

#8 Two Pairs

A pair is two cards of equal rank. In a hand with two pairs, the two pairs are of different ranks (otherwise you would have four of a kind), and there is an odd card to make the hand up to five cards. When comparing hands with two pairs, the hand with the highest pair wins. If the higher pairs are equal, the lower pairs are compared. Finally, if both pairs are the same, the odd cards are compared.

#9 Pair

A hand with two cards of equal rank and three other cards which do not match these or each other. When comparing two such hands, the hand with the higher pair is better. If the pairs are equal, compare the highest ranking odd cards from each hand; if these are equal compare the second highest odd card, and if these are equal too compare the lowest odd cards.

#10 High Card

Five cards which do not form any of the combinations listed above. When comparing two such hands, the one with the highest card wins i.e King of spades beats Jack of diamonds. If the highest cards are equal the second cards are compared; if they are equal too the third cards are compared, and so on.

Please note:We are not giving professional advice and do not guarantee any winnings in the game of Poker.