Poker Hand Rankings

So, if you are ready to proceed learning poker, we would like to give you the game basics relating to poker actions, bluffs and options. We would also recommend you to watch gaming Interactive show to see how the game is played in reality. Like any other gambling game, online pokies or European roulette game or American online roulette, or even online slots, poker is the game of complicated systems and demands a set of recommendations and rules to be followed is player is aimed at winning. Probably the first thing a player needs to know about poker is types of hands he can get in poker.

The regular poker deck has 52 cards and all the cards are ranked from (lowest) 2 to (highest) Ace. The suits in poker are not taken into consideration, which means that two cards with the same rank and with different suits are counted to be equally strong or weak, depending on situation and other cards in the hand.

The standard poker hand in most of the poker variations (except 3-card poker and Pai Gow) is created of five cards. Study all the poker hands from the strongest to weakest below. Don’t forget that in the hands ranked equally, the individual cards denote which of the poker hand is higher one.

1. Royal Flush

The strongest poker hand in most poker game variants. Royal Flush consists of 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace all of one suit. As the suits in poker games don’t matter, in hand values all Royal Flush hands are equal and if two hands of this kind tie the game, pot must be divided.

2. Straight Flush

The sequence of five cards of one suit. In case of two Straight Flush hands, the strongest and winning hand is the poker hand with best top card. Aces can be used to show up the best Straight Flush (A-K-Q-J-10), that is the Royal Flush, and the weakest hand (5-4-3-2-A).

3. Four of a Kind

This poker hand has any four cards of the same rank, as for example, four tens. This poker hand is also called the "Quads" and in some European countries it may be called the "Poker", however such name is not very popular. In case of two Four of a Kind hands the hand with the strongest four cards is winning.

4. Full House

Three cards with one rank and two cards with another value, for instance, three eights and two Kings. To check the value of two or more Full Houses, the value of three cards is considered first, after then the pairs of cards are checked.

5. Flush

Flush contains five cards of different value but all of one suit. In Flushes, the highest card determines the winning hand when there is tie.

6. Straight

Five unsuited cards numbered consecutively. The Straight hand with the stronger top card is winning when two or more such hands tie.

7. Three of a Kind

Three of a Kind consists of three cards of one value. Sometimes Three of a Kind is also called the Triplets. If two or more hands tie the sets of three equal cards are verified for the strongest rank, then the rest two distinct cards are used to determine the winner.

8. Two Pairs

The hand that contains two pairs of cards in which each pair is two cards with one rank. Among Two Pairs hands the hand with the best pair wins regardless the rank of the second pair. If the top pairs are equal then the second pair denotes the winning one. At last the kicker shows the strongest poker hand.

9. Pair

Pair hand consists of a pair of cards of one rank and three distinct cards which differ in value and suit. The Pair hand with stronger pair is the winner. The rest odd cards matter if the pairs coincide in value.

10. High Card

The hand of five cards which does not has any of the mentioned above combinations. Among two or several such hands, the top cards are compared.

At online casinos the value of your poker hand at the showdown is shown on the screen so it is easier for you to understand what you have. That is especially useful for new players. Nevertheless, any poker player should understand the value of cards.