Poker Hands and Poker Hand Ranking

At First Games, there are different variants of the poker game. Poker variants have different hand rankings and poker ranking rules. When it comes to Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven Card Stud, ‘high’ poker ranking is used. For low hands in Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, and Stud Hi/Lo, ‘Ace to Five’ (‘California’) is used.

Traditional High Poker Hand Ranks

As a poker player, it is necessary that you know all the poker rules, especially the hand rankings which are the basics of the game. Let us understand the High Poker Hand Ranks in detail.

Straight Flush

A straight flush is when a poker player has 5 cards in numerical order of the same suit.

For example 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of Diamonds.

If there is a tie, the highest rank card at the top of the sequence wins.

Royal flush is a straight flush that consists of the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit. A royal flush is an unbeatable hand.  

Four of a Kind

Four of a kind is a hand that consists of 4 cards of the same rank, and one ‘kicker’ (side card).

For example: King of Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, and Clubs. Plus, a 9 of Hearts.

If there is a tie, the poker player with the highest four of a kind wins. When it comes to community card games, if the players have the same four of a kind, the highest side card (‘kicker’) wins.

Full House

Full House consists of 3 cards of the same rank, and the remaining 2 cards of a different, matching rank.

For example: Queen of Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Plus, 8 of Hearts and Clubs.

In community poker games if players have the same three matching cards, the highest value of the two matching cards wins.

Flush

Flush basically means five cards of the same suit.

For example: 3, 6, 8, 9, Jack of Spades.

In case of a tie, the player with the highest-ranked card wins. If required, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards are used to break a tie. The pot is split where all the five cards are the same. In poker, a suit is never used to break a tie. 

Straight

Straight is a sequence of 5 cards.

For example: 3 of Hearts, 4 of Spades, 5 of Clubs, 6 of Hearts, and 7 of Diamonds.

If there is a tie, the highest rank card at the top of the sequence wins. Here, Ace can be used at the top or bottom of the sequence.

For example: A-K-Q-J-10 is the highest straight (Ace high). 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest straight (five high).

Three of a Kind

3 cards of the same rank and 2 unrelated side cards.

For example: 10 of Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs. Plus, 8 of Hearts and 2 of Clubs.

If there is a tie, the highest-ranking three of a kind wins. In poker community card games, if players have the same three of a kind, the highest side card wins. If required, the second-highest card wins. 

Two Pair

As the name suggests, in two pairs you have 2 cards of the same rank and another 2 cards of a different rank. Plus, there is a side card.

For example: 9 of Diamonds and Spades. 6 of Clubs and Hearts. Plus, Queen of Diamonds.

If there is a tie, the highest pair wins. If players have the same highest pair, the second-highest pair wins. In case the tie is still not broken, the player with the highest side card wins.

One Pair

2 cards of the same rank and 3 unrelated cards.

For example: Jack of Diamonds and Spades. Plus, 2 of Clubs, 10 of Hearts, and Queen of Spades.

If there is a tie, the highest pair wins. In case players have the same highest pair, the highest side card wins. If required, second-highest or third-highest cards are used to break a tie. 

High Card

Any hand that does not fall under the categories mentioned above.

For example: Queen of Hearts, 10 of Spades, 9 of Clubs, 5 of Hearts, and 2 of Diamonds.

If there is a tie, the highest card wins. If required, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest, or fifth-highest cards are used to break a tie.

Ace to Five Lowball Hand Ranks

In traditional Hi/Lo games like Omaha Hi/Lo and Stud Hi/Lo, this method of ranking low hands is used. In a low hand, aces are always a ‘low’ card. Suits are irrelevant for Ace to Five low. The value of a five-card low hand starts with the highest card and goes down from there.

Five Low, or Wheel

This hand comprises a 5, 4, 3, 2, and ace.

For Example: 5 of Hearts, 4 of Clubs, 3 of Spades, 2 of Diamonds, Ace of Spades.

If there is a tie, all five-high hands split the pot.

Six Low

5 unpaired cards where 6 is the highest card.

For Example: 6 of Spades, 4 of Hearts, 3 of Clubs, 2 of Hearts, and Ace of Diamonds.

If there is a tie, the lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. So, 6-4-3-2-A wins against 6-5-4-2-A. If required, the third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie.

Seven Low

5 unpaired cards where 7 is the highest card.

For Example: 7 of Spades, 6 of Diamonds, 5 of Clubs, 2 of Hearts, and Ace of Spades.

If there is a tie, the lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. If required, the third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie.

Eight Low

5 unpaired cards where 8 is the highest card.

For Example: 8 of Diamonds, 6 of Clubs, 5 of Spades, 3 of Hearts, and 2 of Diamonds.

If there is a tie, the lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. If required, the third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie.

Now that you know about the hand-ranking system used in Poker games online, play poker and win cash on India’s most loved gaming platform, First Games.