From The Felt: Poker Hand Rankings
Monday, April 6, 2009 - John Greene
You know, sometimes everyone needs a reminder. Here’s the traditional poker hand rankings with some brief explanations, inspired by a truly stupid argument I witnessed between two people this weekend who should know better. Thank god Omaha Hi/Lo wasn’t being played or we would have been burying a body in the desert.
A straight flush is the best hand you can have in poker: five cards of the same suit in sequence, such as JT987 of clubs. It’s ranked by the top card, so that AKQJT is the best of the best straight flushes, also called a royal flush. The ace can also be used to play low to make 5432A, the lower straight flush.
Four of a kind is, four cards of the same rank with an additional card known as a kicker, like 44442. It’s ranked by the four cards that rank together: 44442 beats 3333K before being ranked by the side card, so that 4444A beats 4444K.
A full house is three cards of the same rank with a pair of another, like 888AA. Like the four of a kind, it’s ranked by the trips, so that 44422 would best 333AA, and then ranked by the pair, so that 444AA beats 444KK.
A flush is any five cards of the same suit, like AT863 of hearts. It’s ranked by the top card, and then by the next card, and so on for all five cards: AJ942 beats AJ876. Contrary to popular belief, suits are not used to break ties.
A straight, five cards in exact numeric sequence, such as 65432. The ace can play either high or low, making AKQJT and 5432A. While it’s not uncommon for people to allow “around the corner” straights like 32AKQ in home games, it’s usually not something you see in poker rooms at casinos or in tournaments,
Three of a kind would be hree cards of the same rank and two kickers of different ranks, such as KKK84. It’s ranked by the three card, so KKK84 beats QQQAK and then ranked by the two kickers, so 999KJ beats 66684.
Two pair is two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and a then a “kicker” card from a third rank, such as AA993. Again, it’s ranked by the top pair, then the bottom pair and finally the kicker, so that KK449 beats any of QQJJA, KK22Q, and KK445.
One pair is two cards of one rank accompanied by three other cards of different ranks, such as AAK53. It’s ranked by the pair, followed by each kicker in turn, so that JJK53 beats JJK32.
High card can be played from any hand that does not qualify as one of the better hands above, such as KJ542 of mixed suits. Play works like it does for flushes: by the top card, then the second card and so on for all five cards. Again, suits are not used to break ties.
Related posts:
- From The Felt: Some Basic Poker Hand Probabilities This is a quick and dirty guide to hand probabilities...
- From The Felt: They might not be very good at poker. You’re in a tournament where the blinds have hit 750/1500. ...
- From The Felt: Online Poker Tells One of the reasons a lot of players are attracted...
- From The Felt: More Online Poker Tells (And How To Avoid Them) Last week, I talked about looking for online poker tells...
- Annie Duke – Slowplay Poker Tips – Q&A Hi Annie: My question is when I get a good...
Tags: poker basics, poker hand, poker hand rankings, poker hands, poker instruction
