Why Hand Rankings Matter
Hand rankings determine who wins the pot at showdown. Every decision you make — whether to bet, call, raise, or fold — depends on how strong your hand is relative to what your opponents might hold. If you do not know the rankings cold, you cannot make informed decisions.
The good news: there are only ten hand types to memorize. Once you know them, the pattern becomes second nature within a few sessions of play.
The Complete Ranking: All 10 Poker Hands
The table below lists every poker hand from strongest to weakest. Each hand is shown with an example and the approximate odds of being dealt that hand in a five-card deal.
| # | Hand | Example | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ | 1 in 649,740 |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ | 1 in 72,193 |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ 7♠ | 1 in 4,165 |
| 4 | Full House | K♠ K♥ K♦ 8♣ 8♠ | 1 in 694 |
| 5 | Flush | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 3♦ | 1 in 509 |
| 6 | Straight | 10♠ 9♥ 8♦ 7♣ 6♠ | 1 in 255 |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | J♠ J♥ J♦ 9♣ 4♠ | 1 in 47 |
| 8 | Two Pair | A♠ A♥ 7♦ 7♣ K♠ | 1 in 21 |
| 9 | One Pair | 10♠ 10♥ A♦ 8♣ 5♠ | 1 in 2.4 |
| 10 | High Card | A♠ Q♦ 9♣ 6♥ 3♠ | 1 in 2 |
Each Hand Explained in Detail
#1 — Royal Flush
Example: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
The top five cards of a single suit in sequence. This is the rarest and most powerful hand in poker. Only four Royal Flushes exist in a standard deck — one per suit.
#2 — Straight Flush
Example: 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
Five consecutive cards of the same suit. A Straight Flush to the King (K-Q-J-10-9 suited) is the second strongest possible hand. When two Straight Flushes compete, the one with the higher top card wins.
#3 — Four of a Kind
Example: Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ 7♠
Four cards of the same rank, plus one side card (kicker). When two players both hold quads, the higher set of four wins. If the quads are on the board, the player with the highest kicker takes the pot.
#4 — Full House
Example: K♠ K♥ K♦ 8♣ 8♠
Three cards of one rank combined with two cards of another rank. Also called a 'boat.' When comparing Full Houses, the rank of the three-of-a-kind determines the winner first. If those match, the pair decides.
#5 — Flush
Example: A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 3♦
Five cards of the same suit in any order. When two Flushes compete, the player with the highest card wins. If the top cards match, compare the second-highest, and so on.
#6 — Straight
Example: 10♠ 9♥ 8♦ 7♣ 6♠
Five consecutive cards of mixed suits. The Ace can play high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A), but it cannot wrap around (Q-K-A-2-3 is not valid). The highest top card wins when Straights compete.
#7 — Three of a Kind
Example: J♠ J♥ J♦ 9♣ 4♠
Three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated side cards. Also called 'trips' when using two board cards, or a 'set' when you hold a pocket pair that matches a board card. Sets are more disguised and therefore more valuable.
#8 — Two Pair
Example: A♠ A♥ 7♦ 7♣ K♠
Two cards of one rank, two cards of a different rank, and one kicker. The higher pair is compared first. If both players share the same top pair, the second pair decides. If both pairs match, the kicker breaks the tie.
#9 — One Pair
Example: 10♠ 10♥ A♦ 8♣ 5♠
Two cards of the same rank plus three unrelated side cards. Pairs are the most common winning hand at showdown. When pairs match, the highest kicker wins — this is why the strength of your other cards matters.
#10 — High Card
Example: A♠ Q♦ 9♣ 6♥ 3♠
When your five cards do not form any of the combinations above, the hand is ranked by the highest individual card. An Ace-high beats a King-high. If the highest cards match, the next-highest cards are compared.
Step-by-Step: How to Determine Your Hand
In Texas Hold'em, you combine your two private cards with the five community cards to make the best possible five-card hand. Here is how to evaluate what you have:
- Look at all seven cards — your two hole cards plus the five on the board. You will choose the best five of these seven.
- Check for flushes first — count how many cards share the same suit. Five or more means you have a flush (or better).
- Check for straights — look for five consecutive cards. Remember, an Ace can play high or low.
- Count matching ranks — four of a kind, three of a kind, pairs. The more matching cards, the stronger the combination.
- Pick the highest combination — if you have both a pair and a flush possibility, the flush ranks higher. Always use your best five cards.
Common Hand Ranking Mistakes
Even experienced players occasionally misread hands. Here are the most frequent errors:
Practical Tips for Remembering Hand Rankings
- Start with the extremes — Royal Flush at the top, High Card at the bottom. Everything else falls in between.
- Pairs are the foundation — One Pair, Two Pair, Three of a Kind, Full House, Four of a Kind. Each step adds more matching cards.
- Suited beats sequenced — a Flush (same suit) beats a Straight (in sequence). A Straight Flush combines both.
- Play hands to practice — nothing reinforces hand rankings like actually playing. You will learn them naturally within a few sessions.
Hand Rankings in Different Poker Games
The standard rankings above apply to the most popular variants:
- Texas Hold'em — standard rankings
- Omaha — standard rankings (but you must use exactly two of your four hole cards)
- Seven-Card Stud — standard rankings
- Short Deck (6+) — modified rankings (Flush beats Full House because flushes are harder to make with fewer cards)
- Lowball / Razz — inverted rankings (the lowest hand wins)
If you are playing Texas Hold'em or Omaha — which together account for the vast majority of online poker — these standard rankings are exactly what you need.
Put Your Knowledge Into Action
Now that you know every poker hand, the next step is playing real hands. Deep Poker gives you access to poker tables on ClubGG, PPPoker, and PokerBros — all from one account with automatic rakeback.
Start Playing on Deep PokerWhat to Learn Next
Understanding hand rankings is your foundation. Here is where to go from here:
- How to Play Texas Hold'em — learn the complete rules of the most popular poker game
- Bluffing in Poker — learn when and how to win pots without the best hand