Basic Concepts in Online Poker

Hand Rankings in Poker

Every poker player need to know which hand beats which other hand at showdown. In Texas Holdem poker each player must make a 5 card poker hand using a combination of their own 2 cards and the 5 community cards. Zero, one or two of each player's own cards can be used to make the best hand.

While the winning hand will usually be clear there are times when 2 or more players will have the same hand – for example a pair of aces using one ace from their own hand and one from the board. In this case the side card that you hold along with your ace becomes important in determining the winner. This is commonly referred to as your ‘kicker'.

The listing below looks at poker hands from the very strongest through to the weakest. Where it is possible for 2 or more players to have the same holding additional notes are made on how the winning hand is determined.

#1 – The Royal Flush
This is 10-J-Q-K-A all of the same suit and is in fact the highest possible ‘straight flush'. The royal flush is the best possible poker hand and can not be beaten by any other holding.

#2 – The Straight Flush
Any 5 cards in the same order and of the same suit make a straight flush. Aces can make either the low or the high end of this hand. Straight flushes (or any straight) can not wrap around from low to high, for example K-A-2-3-4 is not a straight. In the event that 2 players make a straight flush the highest wins the pot.

#3 – 4 Of A Kind
Commonly referred to as Quads, 4 of a kind will beat any hand other than a straight flush. If there are 4 of a kind in the community cards then the player with the highest card in their hand will win the pot as long as this card is higher than the remaining card on the board. For example if the community cards come Q-Q-Q-Q-3 then a player holding A-2 would beat a player holding K-K.

#4 – The Full House
A Full House is made up of 3 of a kind and a pair, for example K-K-K-6-6. In the event that 2 players hold a full house then the player with the highest 3 of a kind wins the pot. So Q-Q-Q-2-2 would beat A-A-9-9-9.

#5 – The Flush
Flushes are made up of 5 cards of the same suit. Where two or more players make a flush the winner is determined by the highest unique card held.

#6 – The Straight
This is any 5 cards in rank order, aces can make either the low end or the high end of a straight. When 2 or more players make straights the highest wins the pot.

#7 – Three of A Kind
Three of a kind is commonly referred to as ‘trips'. It is possible that two players can make trips at the same time when the community cards show a pair. In this case the highest unpaired card that is not shown on the board comes into play to make the best 5 card poker hand.

#8 – Two Pairs
Two pair hands are next in the ranking list. Once again where 2 players hold the same two pairs the highest unpaired card comes into play. Where two pair hands are different the highest pair determines the winner of the hand, for example A-A-2-2 beats K-K-Q-Q.

#9 – One Pair
A single pair is beaten by all of the hands above, side cards and the rank of the pair need to be taken into account when determining the winner.

#10 – High Card
In the event that no player reaches showdown with any of the above hands the highest cards are taken into account. Cards showing on the board are shared between the players, so it is possible that the 5 highest cards are all shared.