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Poker is one of the most beloved card games in the world, and to be successful at it, one must have a thorough understanding of poker hands ranking. Knowing poker hands in order is an important factor in determining the strength of a hand in poker. Read on to learn more!

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Overview of Poker Hand Rankings 

A poker hand is made up of five cards, and it is ranked according to its strength relative to other hands. In general, the strongest hands are those that feature rare combinations such as a royal flush, which is a straight from 10 through Ace all of the same suit. The weakest hands consist of small pairs or low-ranking cards that cannot create strong combinations. 

Types of Combinations Used in Ranking Hands 

When ranking poker hands, players must be aware of several different combinations that can help determine their strength. The most common types of combinations are pairs, two pairs, three-of-a-kind and a straight. 

A pair is two cards with matching ranks (e.g., two jacks or two 7s). Two pairs consist of two sets of pairs (e.g., two jacks and two 3s). Three-of-a-kind is three cards with matching ranks (e.g., three 8s). A straight is five consecutive cards in any suit (e.g., 4♠ 5♥ 6♦ 7♣ 8♠). Additionally, there is also a flush, which consists of any five cards of the same suit (e.g., 4♥ 5♥ 6♥ 7♥ 9♥) and a full house combination, which consists of three-of-a-kind and one pair (e.g., four kings and one 3). 

Finally, the highest hand in poker is when a person has both a straight flush consisting of all five cards being in the same suit (e.g., 4♣ 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ 8♣) and a royal flush made up of the highest possible straight—from 10 through Ace—all in the same suit (i.e.: 10♦ J♦ Q♦ K♦ A♦ ). 

Factors to Consider When Ranking Hands