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Poker Hand Rankings

Poker hand rankings show which hands beat other hands. You need these rankings before you can play Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Five Card Draw, or Seven Card Stud.

Most popular poker games use the same hand order. A royal flush is the strongest hand. High card is the weakest hand.

This page explains every poker hand from strongest to weakest. You will also learn how ties work, what kickers are, and why five cards always decide the final hand.

Poker hand rankings from best to worst

Poker hands are ranked by strength. The stronger hand wins the pot at showdown.

The standard order is the same in Texas Hold’em and most other poker games. Omaha, Five Card Draw, and Seven Card Stud also use this ranking system.

Here is the full order from strongest to weakest:

1. Royal flush
2. Straight flush
3. Four of a kind
4. Full house
5. Flush
6. Straight
7. Three of a kind
8. Two pair
9. One pair
10. High card

Royal flush

A royal flush is the best possible poker hand. It contains ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit.

For example, ace of spades, king of spades, queen of spades, jack of spades, and ten of spades make a royal flush.

No hand can beat a royal flush. If two players somehow have the same royal flush in a community card game, they split the pot.

Ace high Straight Flush.

• Ace of Spades King of Spades Queen of Spades Jack of Spades 10 of Spades in a single suit. Also frequently referred to as “Broadway”.

Straight flush

A straight flush contains five consecutive cards of the same suit.

For example, nine of clubs, eight of clubs, seven of clubs, six of clubs, and five of clubs make a straight flush.

If two players both have a straight flush, the highest card decides the winner. A jack-high straight flush beats a nine-high straight flush.

Five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Five sequential cards in the same suit. The highest type of Straight Flush is a Royal Flush, and the lowest is an A-2-3-4-5 hand (if Aces are low or high/low). This type of hand is referred to as a “Steel Wheel”. Other Straight Flushes with special names include:

• King of Clubs Queen of Clubs Jack of Clubs 10 of Clubs 9 of Clubs – Off Broadway (because it’s shifted down one rank from a Royal Flush, or “Broadway”).

Four of a kind

Four of a kind contains four cards of the same rank.

For example, four queens make four of a kind. The fifth card is a kicker.

If two players both have four of a kind, the higher four cards win. Four kings beat four queens.

If both players have the same four of a kind, the kicker decides the winner.

One of each suit in a single rank.

Also known as Quads. Many of the Four of a Kind hands have their own nicknames:

• King of Clubs King of Diamonds King of Hearts King of Spades – Four Horsemen (of the Apocalypse)
• Queen of Spades Queen of Diamonds Queen of Hearts Queen of Spades – Village People (four Queens)
• 10 of Clubs 10 of Diamonds 10 of Hearts 10 of Spades – Larry, after Larry Fortensky (four-ten-sky), Elizabeth Taylor’s eighth husband
• 4 of Clubs 4 of Diamonds 4 of Hearts 4 of Spades – Yacht Club (because the 4 resembles a sail)
• 3 of Clubs 3 of Diamonds 3 of Hearts 3 of Spades – Forest (four “trees”)
• 2 of Clubs 2 of Diamonds 2 of Hearts 2 of Spades – Mighty Ducks (because the 2 resembles a duck)

Full house

A full house contains three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

For example, three nines and two kings make a full house. This hand is called nines full of kings.

If two players both have a full house, the three of a kind part decides the winner first. Aces full of twos beat kings full of queens.

If the three of a kind part is the same, the pair decides the winner.

Three of a Kind and One Pair.

A Full House is called as “X over Y” where X is the Three of a Kind and Y is the Pair (e.g., in a A-A-A-Q-Q hand, you would call it as “Full House, Aces over Queens”).

A Full House is sometimes called a boat or a full boat. When called a Boat/Full Boat, the hand is announced as “X full of Y” (e.g., the same A-A-A-Q-Q hand would be called a “Full Boat, Aces full of Queens”). Some Full House hands have special nicknames:

• Ace of Clubs Ace of Diamonds 2 of Clubs 2 of Diamonds 2 of Hearts – Marksman (bows and arrows)
• 7 of Clubs 7 of Diamonds 7 of Clubs 4 of Diamonds 4 of Hearts – Sailing rednecks
• 3 of Clubs 3 of Diamonds 3 of Clubs 2 of Diamonds 2 of Hearts – Nits and Lice, Mites and Lice

Flush

A flush contains five cards of the same suit. The cards do not need to be in order.

For example, ace, jack, eight, five, and two of clubs make an ace-high flush.

If two players both have a flush, the highest card decides the winner. If that card is the same, the next highest card is compared.

The suit itself does not matter. A heart flush is not stronger than a club flush.

Five cards of the same suit.

Any five cards, all of which are in the same suit. A Flush all in hearts is referred to as “Valentine’s” while a flush all in clubs is known as a “Golf Bag”.

Straight

A straight contains five consecutive cards. The cards do not need to be the same suit.

For example, ace, king, queen, jack, and ten make an ace-high straight. Ten, nine, eight, seven, and six make a ten-high straight.

An ace can also count as low. Ace, two, three, four, and five make a five-high straight. This is the lowest possible straight.

If two players both have a straight, the highest card decides the winner.

Five consecutive cards.

Five cards in sequential order (but not all in the same suit, or it would be a Straight Flush). Also known as a Run (in many melding/counting games, such as gin and its variants, cribbage, and canasta, a Straight is referred to as a Run, and the name has carried over into poker).

• 6 of Clubs 5 of Diamonds 4 of Hearts 3 of Spades 2 of Clubs – Rabbit (the lowest Straight Flush if Aces are high)
• 5 of Clubs 4 of Diamonds 3 of Hearts 2 of Spades Ace of Clubs – Wheel, Bicycle, Bike, Spike, First Street, Little Wheel (the lowest run if Aces are low or high/low)

Three of a kind

Three of a kind contains three cards of the same rank.

For example, three sevens make three of a kind. The other two cards are kickers.

If two players both have three of a kind, the higher three cards win. Three queens beat three sevens.

If both players have the same three of a kind, the kickers decide the winner.

Three cards of the same rank. Also known as Trips, a Set, or Triplets. Three-card combinations that have special names include:

• Ace of Clubs Ace of Diamonds Ace of Hearts – Beatles reunion
• King of Clubs King of Diamonds King of Hearts – Three Wise Men, Christmas Special (both references to “Three Kings”), Alabama Night Riders, Ku Klux Klan (KKK is an abbreviation for the Ku Klux Klan, and “Alabama Night Riders” is a colloquial term used to refer to this group, which has a history of carrying out their acts at night in rural ateas)
• Queen of Clubs Queen of Diamonds Queen of Hearts – Six Tits
• Jack of Clubs Jack of Diamonds Jack of Hearts – Hart, Schaffner, and Marx (Three Jacks)
• 10 of Clubs 10 of Diamonds 10 of Hearts – Dallas to Fort Worth (the I-10 connects these two Texas Cities), San Jose to Gilroy, Gilroy, Thirty Miles of bad road (the distance between San Jose and Gilroy, California, used to be 30 miles, although the two cities are now adjoining)
• 7 of Clubs 7 of Diamonds 7 of Hearts – 21, Slot Machine, Jackpot (all named after results in other casino games like Blackjack and Slots)
• 6 of Clubs 6 of Diamonds 6 of Hearts – The Devil, The Beast, Lucifer, Devil’s Area Code
• 5 of Clubs 5 of Diamonds 5 of Hearts – Washington Monument, Pork Chop Sandwiches
• 4 of Clubs 4 of Diamonds 4 of Hearts – Grand Jury
• 2 of Clubs 2 of Diamonds 2 of Hearts – Huey, Dewey, and Louie (three ducks)

Two pair

Two pair contains two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

For example, two sevens and two threes make two pair. The fifth card is a kicker.

If two players both have two pair, the highest pair decides the winner first. Aces and twos beat kings and queens.

If the highest pair is the same, the second pair decides the winner. If both pairs are the same, the kicker decides.

Two pair, each with two cards of the same rank. Notable named two pair combinations include:

• Ace of Clubs Ace of Diamonds 8 of Clubs 8 of Diamonds – Dead Man’s Hand (Arrows and Nooses)
• King of Clubs King of Diamonds Queen of Clubs Queen of Diamonds – Mommas and Poppas
• King of Clubs King of Diamonds 9 of Clubs 9 of Diamonds – Pair of Dogs (because it’s K9K9– two canines)
• Queen of Clubs Queen of Diamonds 3 of Clubs 3 of Diamonds – San Francisco Waiters (Queens with Trays/Treys)
• Jack of Clubs Jack of Diamonds 5 of Clubs 5 of Diamonds – Jackson Five (Jacks and Fives), Motown, Rock and Roll
• Jack of Clubs Jack of Diamonds 3 of Clubs 3 of Diamonds – Hookers with Crabs (because the Jacks hook and the 3 is like a sideways crab)
• 9 of Clubs 9 of Diamonds 8 of Clubs 8 of Diamonds – Oldsmobile
• 9 of Clubs 9 of Diamonds 6 of Clubs 6 of Diamonds – Dinner for Four
• 3 of Clubs 3 of Diamonds 2 of Clubs 2 of Diamonds – Socks and Shoes, Mites and Lice, Mits and Mites, Nits and Lice

One pair

One pair contains two cards of the same rank.

For example, two tens make one pair. The other three cards are kickers.

If two players both have one pair, the higher pair wins. A pair of aces beats a pair of kings.

If both players have the same pair, the kickers decide the winner.

Two cards of the same rank. The poker hand that contains a single pair that is the most worth noting is the Princess Leia (an A-A-2-3), so called because the room in which Leia was imprisoned in Star Wars was room A-A-2-3. The best known names given to (pocket) pairs include:

• Ace of Clubs Ace of Diamonds – Pocket Rockets, Bullets, American Airlines
• King of Clubs King of Diamonds – Cowboys, King Kong
• Queen of Clubs Queen of Diamonds – Bitches, Double date, Canadian Aces, Siegfried and Roy
• Jack of Clubs Jack of Diamonds – Fish Hooks
• 9 of Clubs 9 of Diamonds – German Virgin (no, we don’t know why.)
• 8 of Clubs 8 of Diamonds – Snowmen
• 7 of Clubs 7 of Diamonds – Sunset Strip, Hockey Sticks
• 6 of Clubs 6 of Diamonds – Route 66
• 5 of Clubs 5 of Diamonds – Speed limit
• 4 of Clubs 4 of Diamonds – Magnum, Sail Boat
• 3 of Clubs 3 of Diamonds – Crabs
• 2 of Clubs 2 of Diamonds – Ducks

High card

High card is the weakest poker hand. It means you have no pair, straight, flush, or better hand.

For example, ace, queen, nine, six, and three is ace-high. The ace is the highest card in the hand.

If two players both have high card, the highest card decides the winner. If that card is the same, the next highest card is compared.

While the high card is the lowest possible hand in poker (every poker hand automatically has a “high card” in it– the card with the greatest value), it comes into play in some poker variants more than others. Poker rookies often underestimate the value of the high card.

Texas Hold’em, for instance, is frequently referred to as a game of high cards because a player with higher cards always has an advantage. If player 1 holds K-Q and player 2 holds J-10, there are three possible outcomes:

1. The flop makes player 1’s hand, and player 1 wins.
2. The flop makes player 2’s hand, and player 2 wins.
3. The flop doesn’t make either player’s hand, and player 1 wins again.

The player with high cards has a statistical advantage and will win 63% of the time.

Well known nicknames given to pocket hands are:

• Ace of Clubs King of Diamonds – Big Slick, Anna Kournikova (looks great, never wins!)
• Ace of Clubs Queen of Diamonds – Big Chick
• Ace of Clubs Jack of Diamonds – Black Jack, Jack-Ass
• King of Clubs Queen of Diamonds – Royalty, Marriage
• King of Clubs Jack of Diamonds – Kojak
• Jack of Clubs 5 of Diamonds – Jackson Five
• Queen of Clubs 3 of Diamonds – Gay Waiter
• 9 of Diamonds 5 of Diamonds – Dolly Parton
• Ace of Clubs 8 of Diamonds – Dead Man’s Hand (player Wild Bill Hickok was shot in 1876 after winning with it!)
• King of Clubs 9 of Diamonds – Canine
• Jack of Clubs 4 of Diamonds – Flat Tire

How kickers work

A kicker is a card that does not form the main hand, but can break a tie.

For example, imagine two players both have a pair of queens. One player has queen, queen, ace, ten, and seven. The other has queen, queen, king, jack, and nine.

The first player wins because the ace kicker beats the king kicker.

Kickers often matter with one pair, two pair, three of a kind, and four of a kind. They also matter with high card hands.

What happens when players have the same hand

If two players have the same hand type, the highest relevant cards decide the winner.

For example, a pair of kings beats a pair of tens. A queen-high flush beats a jack-high flush. A ten-high straight beats a nine-high straight.

Sometimes both players have the exact same five-card hand. In that case, they split the pot.

Only five cards count in poker. A sixth card never breaks a tie.

Do suits matter in poker hand rankings?

Suits do not have a ranking in standard poker. Clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades are equal.

Suits matter when making a flush or straight flush. However, one suit is not stronger than another.

For example, an ace-high flush in hearts does not beat an ace-high flush in clubs because it is hearts. The card values decide the winner.

Poker hand rankings in Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em uses the standard poker hand rankings. Each player receives two hole cards and shares five community cards.

At showdown, each player makes the best five-card hand possible. You can use both hole cards, one hole card, or no hole cards.

This means the board can sometimes play for everyone. If the best five-card hand is already on the table, all remaining players split the pot.

Poker hand rankings in Omaha

Omaha also uses the standard poker hand rankings. However, Omaha has one important rule difference.

You must use exactly two hole cards and exactly three community cards.

This rule changes many hands. For example, if you hold one ace of hearts and the board has four hearts, you do not automatically have a flush. You need two hearts in your hand to make that flush.

Common beginner mistakes

Many beginners know the hand order, but still misread their final hand.

One common mistake is using six cards instead of five. Poker hands always use exactly five cards.

Another mistake is thinking suits break ties. They do not. Card values decide the winner.

Omaha creates another common mistake. You cannot use one hole card or three hole cards in Omaha. You must use exactly two.

Frequently asked questions about poker hand rankings