Poker Hand Rankings
Learn hand rankings from strongest to weakest - the fundamental knowledge every player needs
Key Takeaways (Quick Summary)
- •Royal Flush is the strongest hand (10-J-Q-K-A suited) and High Card is the weakest
- •Memorize the order: 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.Pair 10.High Card
- •Flush (all same suit) beats Straight (consecutive) - don't confuse them!
- •When tied on hand type, higher value wins (e.g., AA beats KK)
Understanding hand rankings is the absolute foundation of poker. Without knowing which hand beats which, you can't play effectively. In this lesson, you'll learn the complete ranking with clear examples for each hand.
Golden Tip
Memorize this order by heart! You'll need it in every hand you play. Repeat it until it becomes completely natural.
Complete Ranking (Strongest to Weakest)
Royal Flush
10, J, Q, K, A - all of the same suit
The strongest possible hand in poker. Very rare - odds of getting it are about 1 in 649,740! If you get it, you're the guaranteed winner.
Example:
♠️ A-K-Q-J-10 (all spades)
Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit
A very powerful and rare hand. Any five consecutive cards of the same suit. Higher beats lower (9-8-7-6-5 beats 8-7-6-5-4).
Example:
♥️ 9-8-7-6-5 (all hearts)
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank
Four cards with the same value. The higher four beats the lower. If you have four Aces, it's very hard to be beaten!
Example:
K-K-K-K-7 (four Kings)
Full House
Three of a kind + a pair
Three cards of the same value and a pair of another value. Very strong hand! The three determines strength, then the pair if the threes are equal.
Example:
Q-Q-Q-5-5 (three Queens and a pair of fives)
Flush
Five cards of the same suit
All five cards of the same suit, regardless of order. The highest card determines the winner when tied.
Example:
♦️ K-10-8-6-3 (all diamonds)
Straight
Five consecutive cards of different suits
Five consecutive cards, don't need to be the same suit. Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A).
Example:
10-9-8-7-6 (mixed suits)
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same value
Three cards with the same value. A strong hand that wins many pots.
Example:
J-J-J-9-4 (three Jacks)
Two Pair
Two pairs of different values
Two pairs. The higher pair determines strength, then the second pair, then the fifth card.
Example:
A-A-8-8-K (pair of Aces and pair of eights)
Pair
Two cards of the same value
Just one pair. The three other cards determine the winner when tied.
Example:
10-10-K-7-3 (pair of tens)
High Card
Highest card only
When you have no combination. Your highest card determines strength.
Example:
A-J-9-6-3 (Ace high, no combination)
Memorized the Order Now?
Time to practice! Start playing and see these hands in action
Start Playing NowMemorization Tips
- ✓Memorize the top five first - they're the most important
- ✓Remember: Flush (all same suit) beats Straight (consecutive)
- ✓Full House = 3+2, don't confuse with Two Pair (2+2)
- ✓Practice identifying hands with real cards
Test Your Knowledge
Test your understanding of hand rankings before moving forward.