A Complete List of the Ranking of Poker Hands

In general, the goal in poker is to win the pot of money by having the highest hand. To determine your chance of winning, you need to know the ranking of poker hands. Below is a complete listing of poker hand, from highest to lowest.

1. Royal flush: Royal flush is an ace-king-queen-jack-1o of the same suit. Royal flush is the best possible hand and it beats all other hands. The hands tie when two players have royal flushes.

2. Straight flush: Straight flush is five cards in numeric order of the same suite.  A straight flush can be 6-5-4-3-2 or K-Q-J-10-9 of the same suit. A straight flush which runs all the way to ace high is called royal flush.

3. Four-of-a-kind: Four-of-a-kind is four cards of the same rank. For example, four kings, or four 2s. Four-of-a-kind is also called quads. Four-of-a-kind with higher the ranked cards beats the four-of-a-kind of lower ranked cards. For example, four queens beats four jacks.

4. Full house: Full house is three cards of the same rank plus a pair of other ranked cards. For example, three queens and two jacks. The set of three ranked cards determines the value of the full house hand. For instance, a full house of 9-9-9-3-3 ranks higher than 8-8-8-A-A.

5. Flush: Flush is any five cards of the same suit. If two or more players are holding a flush, the flush containing the single highest card wins.

6. Straight: A straight is five cards in numeric order, not all of the same suit. If two or more players are holding a straight, the straight with the highest card wins. For example, Q-J-10-9-8 beats J-10-9-8-7.

7. Three-of-a-kind: Three-of-a-kind is three cards of the same rank with two other cards that are not paired. If two or more players hold a three-of-a-kind, the highest ranking set of three cards wins. For example, J-J-J-9-8 beats 5-5-5-A-K.

8. Two pair: Two pair is a pair of one rank, a pair of a different rank, and an unmatched fifth card. When two or more players hold a two pair, the player with the highest single pair wins. If two players, each have the same top pair, the player with the highest second pair wins.  For example, 8-8-7-7-A beats 8-8–6-6-K.  If two players’ hands each containing the same two pair, the player with the highest fifth card wins. For example, 8-8-7-7-A beats 8-8–7-7-K

9. One pair: One pair is two cards of the same rank along with three cards of different ranks. The highest-ranked pair wins. If two have the same pair, the highest card of remaining three cards determines the winner.

10. High card: A high-card hand is the lowest-ranking hand. It is five unmatched cards not of the same suit. If two players face each other with just high-card hands, the player of the highest-ranked card wins.