What are the poker hand rankings?

A poker hand uses five cards. Compare the hand category first, then the ranks within that category and any remaining kickers.

Step by step

  1. Highest: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind and full house.
  2. Next: flush, straight and three of a kind.
  3. Then: two pair, one pair and high card.
  4. Equal best five-card hands split the pot; suits do not break a standard poker tie.

Aces and kickers

An ace can be high or low in a straight: A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight, while 10-J-Q-K-A is the highest. A sequence cannot wrap around the ace. When two players have a pair of the same rank, compare the highest remaining card, then the next, until the best five cards decide the result.

Study hand rankings
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