Poker Hand Rankings
From best to worst. Tap a hand to see how ties are broken.
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1
Royal Flush
1 in 649,740 10JQKAA, K, Q, J and 10, all of the same suit. The best hand possible.
How ties are broken
Two royal flushes always split the pot. No suit is better than another.
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2
Straight Flush
1 in 72,193 34567Five cards in a row, all of the same suit.
How ties are broken
The one with the higher top card wins. A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight flush.
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3
Four of a Kind
1 in 4,165 9999JFour cards of the same value, also called “quads”, plus any fifth card.
How ties are broken
Higher four of a kind wins. If both share the same four (on the board), the higher fifth card (kicker) wins.
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4
Full House
1 in 694 QQQ77Three cards of one value plus two cards of another.
How ties are broken
The higher three of a kind wins. If those are equal, the higher pair wins.
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5
Flush
1 in 509 A10763Any five cards of the same suit, not in a row.
How ties are broken
Compare the highest card, then the next highest, and so on down to the fifth card.
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6
Straight
1 in 255 KQJ109Five cards in a row, of mixed suits. The ace can be high (10-J-Q-K-A) or low (A-2-3-4-5).
How ties are broken
The one with the higher top card wins. A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight.
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7
Three of a Kind
1 in 47 10101043Three cards of the same value, also called “trips”, plus two unrelated cards.
How ties are broken
Higher three of a kind wins. If equal, compare the two other cards (kickers), highest first.
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8
Two Pair
1 in 21 3322KTwo cards of one value, two cards of another value, plus one extra card.
How ties are broken
Higher top pair wins, then the higher second pair, then the fifth card (kicker).
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9
Pair
1 in 2.4 AAQ54Two cards of the same value plus three unrelated cards.
How ties are broken
Higher pair wins. If equal, compare the other three cards (kickers), highest first.
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10
High Card
1 in 2 AQ1082None of the above. The hand is valued by its highest card.
How ties are broken
Compare the highest card, then the next highest, and so on down to the fifth card.
Faded cards don't count toward the hand.
Quick answers
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush (1 in 509) is rarer than a straight (1 in 255), so it ranks higher. A full house beats both.
Do suits matter in poker?
No. In Texas Hold'em no suit is better than another. If two players have exactly the same five-card hand, they split the pot.
Is an ace high or low?
Both. The ace is the highest card, but it can also be low in the straight A-2-3-4-5 (the “wheel”), which is the lowest straight. Straights can't wrap around: Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
What is a kicker?
A card that isn't part of your hand but breaks ties. With a pair of kings each, the player with the higher fifth, fourth or third card wins.
How many cards make a poker hand?
Always exactly five. In Texas Hold'em you use the best five out of your two cards plus the five on the table. You can use both, one or none of your own cards.
What do the odds mean?
How often you'd be dealt that hand in five random cards. In Texas Hold'em you see seven cards, so strong hands come up more often than these numbers suggest.
About this cheat sheet
If you're just starting to play poker with friends, with chips or without, the most important thing to know is which hand wins.
I'm a rookie too. I made this cheat sheet to have at hand on my phone during a game, so I can quickly tell which hand is better, and I share it with friends who are learning too.
Don't forget to share it with your friends who are starting out in this fantastic world of poker!