Poker Hands Ranked & What Beats What

Poker hands are the foundation of all poker games, determining winners based on the combinations of cards. In Texas Hold'em, players combine two hole cards with five community cards to create the best possible five-card hand. These hand rankings remain consistent across most poker variants, progressing from High Card to Royal Flush in order of strength.

Poker game rules only scratch the surface. There is an entire area of understanding poker hands and strategising the game. It is the only way to calculate odds and read opponents. Hold'em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud all rely on the same hand hierarchy. Strong hands in poker warrant aggressive betting, while weak hands require folding.

Players who master the poker hands hierarchy consistently outperform others. Hand knowledge separates winners from losers at every poker table.

What are Poker hands?

Poker hands are five-card combinations that determine the winner of each round. They are the basis of the gameplay, ranked by mathematical probability and rarity. There are a total of 10 hand combinations. Each has a different strength in beating the others.

The poker hand ranking system follows an inverse probability system, where rarer hands beat more common ones. A Royal Flush occurs once in 649,740 hands, making it unbeatable, while High-Card hands appear in roughly 50% of deals.

Players use any five cards available to form their best hand. When players have identical hand types, the tie is broken by the higher cards. If hands remain tied, kickers decide the winner. The poker hands order is universal and stays consistent across all poker variants.

Official Poker Hand Rankings Chart

What are the best poker hands? It is not wise to play the game without knowing the best hand combinations. There are 10 hands in Poker, from Royal Flush (Highest) to High-Card (Lowest).

Royal Flush

A Royal Flush is the strongest hand in poker. It consists of five cards of the same suit in sequence: A♦ K♦ Q♦ J♦ 10♦. It must be ace-high, and all cards must belong to the same suit. This unbeatable combination is rare and glamorous. It is often featured in movies for its symbolic power.

Example: When a player is dealt A♦ J♦ and the board comes K♦ Q♦ 10♦ 3♠ 7♣, it completes a Royal Flush in diamonds.

What does a Royal Flush beat?

A Royal Flush beats every other poker hand without exception. No matter how good your opponent's hand is, nothing can outrank a Royal Flush. It's the dream hand every poker player hopes to see, but only a few will actually get to play it in their lifetime.

Straight Flush

A Straight Flush comes just below the Royal Flush in the Poker hands hierarchy. It’s made up of five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠. It doesn’t need to be ace-high; any straight sequence within one suit qualifies. A Straight Flush beats Four-of-a-Kind, Full House, Flush, and all lower hands.

Example: When the board shows 5♥ 8♥ 9♥ K♣ 2♦ and a player holds 6♥ 7♥, they can form a 9-high Straight Flush in hearts (5♥6♥7♥8♥ 9♥).

What does a Straight Flush beat?

A Straight Flush is the second-highest hand in the Poker hands chart, just below a Royal Flush. Hence, it can beat Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card.

Four-of-a-Kind

Four-of-a-Kind features four cards of the same rank, plus any fifth card. For example, like A♣ A♦ A♥ A♠. It’s a powerhouse hand that beats Full House, Flush, and all lower-ranked hands.

Example: If a player holds 9♠ 9♦ and the board reveals 9♣ 9♥ K♦ Q♣ 5♦, it forms a Four-of-a-Kind nines.

What does a Four of a Kind beat?

Four of a kind is the third-highest in the Poker hands chart. So it can beat every hand below it– Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card.

Full House

A Full House is a combination of three cards of one rank and two cards of another, such as K♠ K♣ K♦ 9♣ 9♥. It beats a Flush and everything below it. If two players have a Full House, the one with the higher three-of-a-kind wins. For example, a Full House with three Aces beats one with three Kings. If the trips are equal, the pair decides who the winner is. Full House often wins big pots, especially when opponents only have a Flush or Straight.

Example: If a player is dealt Q♣ Q♠ and the board shows Q♦ 6♠ 6♣ 2♦ 9♥, it leads to a Full House, queens full of sixes.

What does a Full House beat?

A Full House beats a Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card. It is ranked 4th below Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush.

Flush

A Flush consists of five cards of the same suit, Q♠ 10♠ 7♠ 4♠ 2♠. But they don’t need to be in sequence. The strength of a Flush is determined by the highest card in the hand. If two players have Flushes, the one with the highest top card wins; if that’s the same, it moves to the second highest, and so on. Suits don’t determine tiebreakers.

Example: When a player has A♣ 7♣ and the board runs out K♣ 10♣ 5♣ 3♣ 2♦, it gives them an ace-high Flush.

What does a Flush beat?

A Flush is the 5th highest ranked in the poker hands ranking chart. Hence, it beats every hand below it– a Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card.

Straight

A Straight is five cards in numerical order, but not all of the same suit. An example is like 6♣ 5♦ 4♠ 3♠ 2♥. Straight hand beats Three-of-a-Kind, Two Pair, and One Pair. If two players have a Straight, the one with the higher top card wins.

For example, 10-high beats 9-high. A Straight is a solid hand that can be hard to spot when the board shows scattered cards.

Example: When the board shows 9♣ 8♠ 7♦ 2♠ K♠ and a player has J♥ 10♦, it completes a Jack-high Straight.

What does a Straight beat?

A Straight beats Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card, all the hands ranked below it.

Three-of-a-Kind

Three-of-a-Kind means you hold three cards of the same value, such as 8♣ 8♠ 8♦ Q♣ 5♦. It beats Two Pair and all lower hands. If there's a tie, the higher set wins, e.g., three Queens beat three Jacks. If both have the same trips, the kickers decide the winner. Three-of-a-kind is common in games like Texas Hold’em. The hand has good winning potential when combined with strong kickers.

Example: A player is dealt 6♦ 6♠, and the board comes 6♣ 10♠ J♦ 2♣ 9♥, it is a Three-of-a-Kind in sixes.

What does a Three-of-a-Kind beat?

A Three of a Kind beats three poker hands ranked below it - Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card.

Two Pair

Two Pair is made up of two cards of equal rank, two cards of another rank, and one random card. For example, J♠ J♦ 5♣ 5♥ 3♦.

Example: If the board comes K♥ Q♦ 8♣ 2♠ 9♦ and a player has K♠ Q♠, it makes a Two Pair, with kings and queens.

What does a Two Pair beat?

A Two Pair beats One Pair and High Card poker hands.

One Pair

One Pair is when you hold two cards of the same rank and three unrelated cards, such as 9♣ 9♦ Q♠ 6♣ 4♦. In a tie between pairs, the higher pair wins. If both players have the same pair, the highest kicker among the other three cards decides the winner. It’s the most basic hand that can win. But it rarely stands strong on its own.

Example: If the board shows 7♦ 9♥ 4♣ K♣ 2♦ and a player holds A♠ 9♠, it results in a pair of nines with an ace kicker.

What does a Three-of-a-Kind beat?

A One Pair can only beat a High Card.

High Card

When you don’t have any of the above combinations, your highest card is your hand, like A♠ 10♦ 8♣ 5♥ 3♦.

Example: A player holds Q♦ 9♣, and the board is 7♥ 6♠ 3♦ 2♣ K♠. With no pair or better, the player wins using king-high as their best card.

What does a High Card beat?

High Card only wins when no player has a pair or a better hand.

How Tie-Breakers Work in Poker Games

Ties are more common in Poker when both players end up with similar combinations. It is so even if you hold poker winning hands. How do you handle tiebreakers in poker hands to determine the winner? The following rules decide that.

Royal Flush

A Royal Flush cannot be beaten or tied unless two or more players share the exact same Royal Flush using the community cards. In that case, the pot is split.

If the board shows A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠, and both players use those cards to make a Royal Flush, they split the pot evenly.

Straight Flush

If two players have a Straight Flush, the hand with the higher top card wins. If both players use the same straight flush from the board, the pot is split.

If Player A has 9♠ 8♠ and Player B has 8♠ 7♠. The board completes their flushes with 7♠ 6♠ 5♠. Player A wins with a 9-high Straight Flush, beating Player B’s 8-high.

Four of a Kind

Four-of-a-Kind is compared by the rank of the four matching cards. If both players have the same quads (possible if quads are on the board), the kicker (fifth card) decides the winner.

If two players have A♠ A♥ A♦ A♣. Player A has 9♠ as the kicker, while Player B has Q♣. Player B wins due to the higher kicker.

Full House

When two players have a Full House, the three-of-a-kind part is compared first. If both have the same three cards, the higher pair decides the winner.

Player A has K♠ K♦, and the board shows K♣ 10♠ 10♦. Player B has K♥ 9♣. Player A wins with kings full of tens, while Player B only has kings full of nines.

Flush

If two players have a Flush, the highest card in the flush determines the winner. If those are tied, the next highest cards are compared one at a time.

If player A’s flush is A♠ J♠ 9♠ 6♠ 4♠, while Player B’s is A♠ J♠ 9♠ 6♠ 3♠. Player A wins because the 4♠ beats the 3♠.

Straight

The Straight with the highest top card wins. Suit does not matter. If the top card is the same, it’s a tie.

Player A holds 9♦ 8♠, and Player B holds 8♣ 7♦. The board completes both with 7♠ 6♠ 5♦. Player A wins with a 9-high straight.

Three of a Kind

If both players have Three of a Kind, the one with the higher set wins. If both have the same trips (using community cards), the two kickers are compared.

Player A has 8♣ 8♦, and Player B also has 8♠ 8♥. If the board shows 8♣ Q♠ 5♣ 2♦ 10♥, Player A wins because of the higher kicker (Q vs J).

Two Pair

The hand with the highest pair wins first. If tied, the second pair is compared. If both are equal, the kicker decides.
Player A has K♠ K♦ 9♠ 9♦ 5♣, while Player B has K♥ K♣ 9♥ 9♣ 4♠. Both have kings and nines, but Player A wins with the higher kicker (5 beats 4).

One Pair

The higher pair wins. If both have the same pair, the three kickers are compared in order.

Player A has Q♠ Q♦ A♠ 10♣ 5♦ and Player B has Q♣ Q♥ A♦ 9♠ 4♣. Player A wins because their second kicker (10) beats Player B’s (9).

High Card

If no player has any of the combinations above, the highest card in each hand determines the winner. After that, the second, third, fourth, and fifth highest cards are used to break ties.

Player A has A♠ J♦ 9♣ 6♥ 4♦, and Player B has A♣ J♣ 9♦ 6♠ 3♣. Player A wins with a higher fifth card (4 beats 3).

Poker Hands in Texas Hold’em vs Omaha vs Other Variants

Poker Hands Probability

When dealing with a deck of cards, there are a lot of possible outcomes. Each poker deck has fifty-two cards, each designated by four suits (clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades) and one of thirteen ranks (the numbers two through ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace).

Therefore, the odds of getting any Ace as your first card are 1 in 13 (7.7%), while the odds of getting any spade as your first card are 1 in 4 (25%).

Unlike coins, cards are said to have "memory": every card dealt changes the makeup of the deck. For example, if you receive an Ace as your first card, only three other Aces are left among the remaining fifty-one cards. Therefore, the odds of receiving another Ace are 3 in 51 (5.9%), much less than the odds were before you received the first Ace.

Pre-flop Probabilities: Pocket Pairs

In order to find the odds of getting dealt a pair of Aces, we multiply the probabilities of receiving each card:

(4/52) x (3/51) = (12/2652) = (1/221) ≈ 0.45%.

To put this in perspective, if you're playing poker at your local casino and are dealt 30 hands per hour, you can expect to receive pocket Aces an average of once every 7.5 hours.

The odds of receiving any of the thirteen possible pocket pairs (twos up to Aces) is:

(13/221) = (1/17) ≈ 5.9%.

How to Memorise Poker Hand Rankings Easily

If you're just starting out, how many poker hands can you remember? Learning all the poker hand rankings can feel overwhelming. But there are some simple tricks.

Print the Rankings

One of the easiest methods is to print out a list of poker hand rankings and stick it on your wall or near your computer. Seeing them frequently tells your brain to lock them in.

Join Poker Discussions

Talking through poker hands with friends or joining forums like Reddit, where players analyse hands, can speed up your learning. You’ll naturally absorb the rankings by being part of the conversation.

Use a Poker Calculator

Tools like Flopzilla help players visualise different hand combinations and odds. These calculators show you how hands perform in real-time, which helps build long-term memory through constant exposure to hand strengths.

Try a Mnemonic Device

Use this fun and easy-to-remember phrase: "Stay Fresh For A House Full Of Sharks – 3 2 1"

• Stay Fresh = Straight Flush
• For A = Four of a Kind
• House = Full House
• Full = Flush
• Of Sharks = Straight
• 3 = Three of a Kind
• 2 = Two Pair
• 1 = One Pair

Similarly, many poker cheat sheets are available online for free download. Download and go through them. You can also participate in quizzes to internalise the poker hands. It is an inquisitive way!

Most Common Beginner Mistakes with Poker Hands

• Not knowing the poker hands ranking chart well.
• Thinking all suited cards are strong hands.
• Overestimating low pairs like 2♠ 2♣ in early positions.
• Playing every hand instead of folding weak ones.
• Misreading the board to think they have a better hand.
• Ignoring kicker cards when comparing similar hands.
• Chasing unlikely draws with poor pot odds.
• Folding a winning hand.
• Getting too attached to one pair or the top pair.
• Bluffing too often without proper timing.

Top 5 Hands to Start With in Texas Hold’em

When you're just getting into Texas Hold’em, knowing which starting hands are the strongest is a great way to play more confidently. You can make better decisions to play preflop. The following are the 5 best starting hands in Poker you should be excited to see when dealt on the MPL Poker.

1. Pocket Aces (A♠ A♦)

This is the best starting hand in Texas Hold’em. Pocket Aces are often called “rockets.” They give you two aces from different suits. They dominate most other hands pre-flop and have the highest chance of winning. Beginners should raise or re-raise confidently with this hand before the flop.

2. Pocket Kings (K♣ K♥)

Also known as “cowboys,” Pocket Kings are the second-best starting hand. While not as unbeatable as Aces, they’re still extremely strong and win a lot of showdowns. If you see two kings in your hand, you’re usually far ahead and should play aggressively.

3. Pocket Queens (Q♠ Q♥)

Pocket Queens are also known as “ladies.” They are the third-best starting hand, but still very strong. They do well against most other hands but need some caution if overcards (like an Ace or King) appear on the flop. Still, it should usually be raised pre-flop.

4. Pocket Jacks (J♦ J♣)

Often called “fishhooks,” Pocket Jacks are a powerful hand but trickier to play than Aces, Kings, or Queens. Many beginners overplay them. They are usually worth a raise before the flop, especially if you're in a good position.

5. Ace-King Suited (A♠ K♠)

The best non-pair starting hand is also known as “Big Slick.” When both cards are the same suit, you have a strong chance to make the highest pair, a flush, or even a straight. It’s a premium hand with lots of potential in later betting rounds.

These five starting hands give you a strong advantage at the beginning of the game. If you’re dealt one of them, it’s usually smart to play aggressively and take control of the pot early.

Next come the Pocket Tens, Ace-Queen (Suited), Ace-Jack, and so on.

FAQs

What is a poker hand?

In poker (such as Texas Hold 'em or any other type), players form sets of five playing cards. These cards are called hands. Each hand has a particular rank, which is then compared to the poker hands of other players. To know how often each hand occurs, a poker hands odds table can be more useful.

What are poker hands in order?

The poker hand rankings in order are straight (royal and flush), four of a kind, full house, flush, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card. The easy way to remember the order is to download poker cheat sheets available online for free.

Are poker hand rankings the same in all games?

Yes, Poker hand rankings are mostly the same in all game variants. While the game mechanics might change in different variants, they're based on the same hand rankings.

What is 4 of a kind in poker?

Four of a kind in poker is also known as quads. It is a hand that contains four cards of one rank and one card of another rank. It is below a straight flush and above a full house in poker hand rankings.

Is Ace the highest card in poker?

In a deck, there are 52 cards, which are divided into four suits of 13 cards each. The suits are of equal value. However, in poker, the Ace is the highest card while the 2 is the lowest.

Which poker hand wins in a tie?

In poker, when two players have the same type of hand, the winner is decided by the highest card. If both have the same highest pair, the next highest is compared, and so on. For example, in a straight or straight flush, the player with the higher ending card wins. A royal flush is the best among poker winning hands.

Why is Flush ranked higher than a straight?

You have more card combinations to make a straight sequence because they do not necessarily have to be of the same suit. You can have only 13 card combinations to make a flush. That is why it has a higher value in poker hand rankings. A flush beats a straight.

Does four of a kind beat a royal flush?

No, four of a kind does not beat a royal flush. A royal flush is the highest-ranking hand in poker, consisting of Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten of the same suit. Four of a kind ranks lower in the poker hand hierarchy.

Does Straight Flush beat every other combination?

In Texas Hold 'em, the highest-ranking is a flush, and it always beats a straight. A straight flush, five cards in the same suit in consecutive order, beats both a straight and a flush sequence.

What are the worst hands in Texas Hold’em?

In Texas Hold’em poker hands, the worst starting hands include 2-7 offsuit, 2-8 offsuit, 3-8 offsuit, 2-9 offsuit, and 2-6 offsuit. These hands lack strong pairing potential, as well as straight or flush possibilities. There is generally little hope of improvement. Among these, 2-7 offsuit is considered the weakest hand.

Can two players have the same winning hand?

Yes, in Texas Hold’em and other poker games, two or more players can have the same best five-card hand. When it happens, they split the pot equally. Suits are not tie breakers in poker strategy. If there are extra cards beyond the best five, they are not considered. If there’s an extra chip, it usually goes to the player closest to the dealer, clockwise.