Standard poker hand rankings run from strongest to weakest: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. Compare the hand category first, then the relevant card ranks if both players have the same category. Our poker betting guide explains the betting rounds around these hands.
These rankings apply to standard high-hand poker, including Texas Hold’em. They describe completed hands, rather than the strength of your starting cards before shared cards are dealt.
Poker hand rankings chart: strongest to weakest
Every hand higher in this chart beats every hand below it. The examples show complete five-card hands; A means ace, K king, Q queen and J jack.
| Rank | Hand | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | Ace, king, queen, jack and ten, all one suit | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ |
| 2 | Straight flush | Five consecutive ranks, all one suit | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four cards of one rank | 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ 8♣ K♦ |
| 4 | Full house | Three cards of one rank and two of another | J♠ J♥ J♦ 4♣ 4♥ |
| 5 | Flush | Five cards of one suit, not consecutive | K♣ J♣ 8♣ 5♣ 2♣ |
| 6 | Straight | Five consecutive ranks, not all one suit | 9♣ 8♦ 7♥ 6♠ 5♦ |
| 7 | Three of a kind | Three matching ranks and two unrelated cards | 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ K♣ 3♥ |
| 8 | Two pair | Two separate pairs and a fifth card | Q♠ Q♦ 6♥ 6♣ 2♦ |
| 9 | One pair | One pair and three unrelated cards | 10♠ 10♦ A♣ 7♥ 3♣ |
| 10 | High card | No pair, straight or flush | A♦ J♣ 8♥ 6♠ 2♣ |
Ranking definitions follow Poker.org’s hand-ranking reference. Examples are illustrative.
A royal flush is the highest possible straight flush, listed separately here for quick recognition. A full house beats a flush, regardless of the flush’s highest card. Likewise, two pair beats one pair even when that single pair is aces.
How do poker tie-breakers work?
When players have the same hand category, compare the ranks that form it before looking at any remaining cards. A kicker is a card outside the matching group that can decide the result, but only if it belongs to the final five-card hand.
Poker.org’s tied-hand guidance uses these comparisons:
- Straight or straight flush: compare the highest card in the sequence.
- Four of a kind: compare the four matching cards, then the kicker.
- Full house: compare the three matching cards first, then the pair.
- Flush or high card: compare cards from highest to lowest until a rank differs.
- Three of a kind: compare the matching rank, then each kicker in descending order.
- Two pair: compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the kicker.
- One pair: compare the pair, then the three kickers from highest to lowest.
Flushes sometimes require more than one comparison. A-J-9-6-3 of hearts beats A-J-8-7-4 of clubs: the ace and jack match, but nine beats eight at the next position.
Suits do not break showdown ties in standard high-hand poker. Hearts are not stronger than clubs. If the relevant five-card ranks match completely, the hands tie.
Is ace high or low in poker?
An ace normally ranks above a king, but it can also sit below a two to complete a five-high straight. Poker.org identifies both valid uses: A-K-Q-J-10 and 5-4-3-2-A.
The latter is a five-high straight, so it loses to 6-5-4-3-2. You do not compare the ace as the highest card once it is being used below the two.
An ace cannot connect the top and bottom of the rank order. Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight. Four consecutive cards are also insufficient: a straight needs all five ranks.
For flushes, suits must match, not merely colours. Three hearts and two diamonds do not make a flush even though all five cards are red. A hand with five consecutive cards of one suit qualifies as a straight flush, placing it above an ordinary flush.
Which five cards count in Texas Hold’em?
In Texas Hold’em, your hand is the best five-card combination available from your two private cards and the five community cards shared by everyone. You may use both private cards, one, or neither. Poker.org’s ranking reference explains why tied hands must be assessed using those final five cards.
To compare hands at showdown:
- Identify each player’s strongest available category.
- Select the five cards that make their best hand.
- Apply that category’s tie-breakers, ignoring unused cards.
Suppose the community cards are K♠ K♦ 9♣ 9♥ 2♠. You hold A♣ 4♦; another player holds Q♣ J♦. Both have kings and nines, but your final hand is K-K-9-9-A. Their hand is K-K-9-9-Q, so your ace kicker wins.
Now change the community cards to A♠ K♦ Q♣ J♥ 10♠. Everyone remaining has an ace-high straight available. No flush is possible on this board, and private cards cannot improve the straight. The tied players share the pot; an extra ace does not break the tie.
Hand categories also appear in video poker, but payment depends on the machine’s listed rewards rather than beating another player. Our video poker paytable guide explains that distinction, while video poker hold strategy covers choosing which cards to keep. Lowball and other variants can use different ranking rules, so this high-hand chart is not universal.
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