Poker Hand Rankings: The Complete Guide to What Beats What in Poker

By Poker Odds Pro Team · February 26, 2026 · 20 min read

Every variant of poker -- Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, Five-Card Draw, and dozens more -- uses the same standard poker hand rankings. There are exactly 10 distinct categories of poker hands, and they never change. Once you have memorized this poker hand chart, you will be equipped to play any form of poker in any casino, home game, or online poker room in the world. Bookmark this page and refer back to it whenever you need a refresher on what beats what in poker.

Before we dive into each hand in detail, let us take a quick look at the complete poker hand rankings in order, from the best possible hand to the worst. Then we will break down every single hand with examples, probabilities, and the tiebreaker rules you need to know.

Quick Reference: What Beats What in Poker

Here is the complete poker hand chart showing all 10 poker hands ranked from best to worst. Use this table as your quick reference guide whenever you need to know what beats what in poker. The hands are listed with their rank, a brief description, and an example to help you recognize each one at the table.

Now that you have the complete overview of all poker hands in order, let us examine each one in depth. Understanding why each hand ranks where it does -- and how to handle ties -- is what separates knowledgeable players from those who are just guessing at the table.

Probability of Being Dealt Each Poker Hand

The poker hand rankings exist for a good reason: they are ordered by how difficult each hand is to make. The rarer a hand, the higher it ranks. The table below shows the exact probability of being dealt each hand in a five-card poker deal from a standard 52-card deck. These numbers are foundational to understanding poker probability and math, and they explain precisely why the rankings are ordered the way they are.

These probabilities are calculated using combinatorial mathematics. The total number of unique five-card combinations from a 52-card deck is 2,598,960. Each hand ranking's probability is simply the number of possible combinations for that hand divided by this total. Notice that more than half the time (50.12%), you will be dealt nothing better than a high card, and over 92% of all five-card hands are either high card or one pair. This is why making strong hands like flushes, full houses, and straights is so exciting and so rewarding at the poker table.

What Is a Royal Flush?

The Royal Flush is the best possible hand in poker and sits at the very top of the poker hand rankings. It consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all of the same suit. There are only four possible Royal Flushes in the entire deck -- one for each suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades). Because all Royal Flushes are of equal rank, suit does not matter for ranking purposes, and two Royal Flushes (which can only occur in community-card games) would result in a split pot.

A Royal Flush is essentially the highest possible straight flush. It is not a separate category in a mathematical sense -- it is simply the best version of a straight flush. However, because it is so iconic and so rare, it is universally recognized as its own category at the top of the poker hand chart. Most poker players will go their entire lives without ever being dealt a Royal Flush. If you are lucky enough to see one, savor the moment.

Royal Flush Tiebreaker

If two or more players both hold a Royal Flush (possible only in games with community cards like Texas Hold'em), the pot is always split equally. Since all Royal Flushes are identical in rank (suits have no hierarchy in standard poker), there is no way for one to beat another.

What Is a Straight Flush?

A Straight Flush is five cards in sequential order, all of the same suit. It is the second-strongest hand in poker, beaten only by a Royal Flush. Any five consecutive cards of one suit that are not the A-K-Q-J-10 combination form a straight flush. The lowest possible straight flush is A-2-3-4-5 of a single suit (known as a steel wheel), while the highest non-Royal straight flush is K-Q-J-10-9 of a single suit.

Straight Flush Tiebreaker

When two players both hold a straight flush, the one with the highest top card wins. For example, a 9-high straight flush (5-6-7-8-9) beats a 7-high straight flush (3-4-5-6-7). If both straight flushes have the same top card (again, only possible with community cards), the pot is split. Suit does not break ties.

What Is Four of a Kind?

A Four of a Kind (also called "quads") consists of four cards of the same rank plus one additional card (the kicker). It is the third-highest hand in the poker hand rankings. Quads are an incredibly powerful hand, and when you hold one, your primary goal should be extracting the maximum value from your opponents because you are almost never losing.

Four of a Kind Tiebreaker

When two players both have four of a kind, the player with the higher-ranked set of four wins. For example, four Kings beat four Queens. In community card games where both players could theoretically have the same quads (if all four cards of a rank are on the board), the kicker determines the winner. The player with the highest fifth card takes the pot.

What Is a Full House?

A Full House (sometimes called a "boat" or "full boat") consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank -- essentially three of a kind plus a pair. It ranks fourth in the standard poker hand rankings. Full houses are strong hands that frequently win large pots, especially when they are well-disguised. In Texas Hold'em, a full house can be made in several ways: you might have a pocket pair and hit one on the board, or hold two cards that pair the board to give you trips plus a pair.

Full House Tiebreaker

The three-of-a-kind portion of the full house is compared first. The player whose trips are higher wins. For example, Queens full of eights (Q-Q-Q-8-8) beats Jacks full of Aces (J-J-J-A-A), because Queens rank higher than Jacks. The pair portion is irrelevant unless both players have the same three of a kind, in which case the higher pair wins. For instance, Kings full of nines (K-K-K-9-9) beats Kings full of fours (K-K-K-4-4).

What Is a Flush?

A Flush is five cards of the same suit, in any order. The cards do not need to be sequential -- they just need to share the same suit (all hearts, all diamonds, all clubs, or all spades). A flush ranks fifth in the poker hand rankings, below a full house but above a straight. In Texas Hold'em, flushes are relatively common because there are five community cards that can help complete a flush draw.

A frequent source of confusion among new players is the relationship between flushes and straights. Because five sequential cards seem more impressive than five same-suited cards, some beginners assume a straight beats a flush. It does not. A flush always beats a straight, because flushes are mathematically harder to make. There are 10,200 possible straights but only 5,108 possible flushes (excluding straight flushes from both counts), making the flush nearly twice as rare.

Flush Tiebreaker

When two or more players have a flush, the player with the highest card in their flush wins. If the highest cards are the same, compare the second-highest cards, then the third, and so on. For example, A-J-8-6-3 of hearts beats A-J-8-5-2 of spades because the fourth card (6) is higher than the corresponding card (5). Suit itself never determines a winner -- only the ranks of the cards matter.

What Is a Straight?

A Straight is five cards in sequential rank order that are not all the same suit. If they were all the same suit, it would be a straight flush instead. The straight ranks sixth in the poker hand rankings. The highest possible straight is A-K-Q-J-10 (called "Broadway"), and the lowest is A-2-3-4-5 (called "the Wheel"). The Ace is unique in that it can function as either the highest card (in a Broadway straight) or the lowest card (in a Wheel). However, straights cannot wrap around -- Q-K-A-2-3 is not a valid straight.

Straight Tiebreaker

The straight with the highest top card wins. A King-high straight (9-10-J-Q-K) beats a Queen-high straight (8-9-10-J-Q). If both straights have the same top card, the pot is split. Suit is never relevant. One important note: when the Ace plays low in A-2-3-4-5, the straight is considered "five-high," not "Ace-high." This means that a 6-high straight (2-3-4-5-6) beats the Wheel (A-2-3-4-5).

What Is Three of a Kind?

A Three of a Kind consists of three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated cards. It ranks seventh in the poker hand rankings. In poker slang, three of a kind is often called "trips" or "a set," though these terms have a subtle but important distinction in Hold'em. A "set" means you have a pocket pair and one matching card is on the board. "Trips" means there is a pair on the board and you hold one matching card in your hand. Sets are generally considered stronger because they are better disguised and less likely for your opponent to also have a strong hand.

Three of a Kind Tiebreaker

The player with the higher-ranked three of a kind wins. Three Kings beat three Jacks, regardless of the kickers. If both players have the same three of a kind (only possible with community cards), the highest kicker determines the winner. If the first kickers are tied, the second kicker is compared. For instance, 8-8-8-K-4 beats 8-8-8-K-2 because the second kicker (4 vs 2) decides it.

What Is Two Pair?

A Two Pair hand contains two cards of one rank, two cards of a different rank, and one unrelated card. It ranks eighth in the poker hand rankings. Two pair is a moderately strong hand that comes up frequently in Texas Hold'em. Because the community cards often pair up, two-pair confrontations are among the most common showdown situations you will encounter, making a thorough understanding of the tiebreaker rules essential.

Two Pair Tiebreaker

Compare the highest pair first. The player with the higher top pair wins. If the top pairs are the same, compare the second pairs. If both pairs are identical, the kicker (the fifth card) determines the winner. This is where many players get confused, so let us look at a detailed example.

What Is One Pair?

A One Pair hand contains two cards of the same rank and three unrelated cards. It ranks ninth in the poker hand rankings -- second from the bottom, just above high card. Despite its low position in the hierarchy, one pair is extremely common and wins more pots than any other hand in Texas Hold'em. In fact, roughly 42% of all five-card deals produce a one-pair hand, and in a full Hold'em game with community cards and multiple players, a single pair often holds up at showdown, especially in pots where there was not much aggressive action.

One Pair Tiebreaker and Kicker Rules

First, compare the rank of the pairs. A pair of Aces beats a pair of Kings, and so on down the line. If both players have the same pair, the kickers are compared one by one, starting with the highest. This is where kicker rules become critically important, and it is one of the areas where beginners most frequently lose money by not understanding how kickers work.

If all three kickers are identical, the pot is split. This happens more often than you might think in Hold'em because both players share the community cards. For instance, if the board shows J-J-A-K-Q and both players hold low cards that do not play, the best five-card hand for both players is J-J-A-K-Q, resulting in a split pot.

What Is a High Card Hand?

A High Card hand is the weakest possible holding in poker. It is any hand that does not fit into any of the nine categories above -- no pair, no straight, no flush, nothing. The hand is named by its highest card. For example, if your best five cards are A-J-8-5-2 and they are not all the same suit and not in sequence, you have "Ace-high." While high card is the bottom of the poker hand rankings, it still matters because many pots are contested between players who both missed their draws, and in those situations, the player with the best high card wins.

High Card Tiebreaker

Compare the highest card first. If those are tied, compare the second-highest card, then the third, fourth, and fifth. For example, A-K-8-6-3 beats A-K-8-6-2 because the fifth card (3 vs 2) is the first point of difference. If all five cards match in rank, the pot is split. Suit never matters.

Flush vs. Straight: Which Wins?

One of the most frequently asked questions from new poker players is whether a flush beats a straight, or vice versa. The answer is clear: a flush always beats a straight. This is true in every standard poker game, no exceptions. The logic is simple -- flushes are harder to make than straights, so they rank higher in the poker hand hierarchy.

To understand why, consider the math. In a 52-card deck, there are 10,200 possible straights (excluding straight flushes) but only 5,108 possible flushes (also excluding straight flushes). That means straights are nearly twice as common as flushes, so flushes deserve the higher rank. If you are coming from a card game where flushes rank below straights (some regional variations of poker do use alternate rankings), make sure to adjust your thinking for standard poker rules.

Here is a helpful way to remember: in a standard deck, there are four suits and thirteen ranks. Having five cards all from one suit (out of only four possibilities) is harder than having five sequential cards (from thirteen possible ranks). Fewer possible combinations means higher ranking -- that is the fundamental principle behind all poker hand rankings.

Complete Tiebreaker Rules: How Kickers Work

Tiebreaker situations arise constantly in poker, especially in Texas Hold'em where all players share community cards. Understanding how ties are broken is just as important as knowing the basic hand rankings. Here is a complete summary of the poker hand ranking tiebreaker rules.

The Kicker Principle

A kicker is any card in your five-card hand that is not part of the primary ranking combination. Kickers are used to break ties when two players hold the same type of hand. The general rule is: compare the primary hand first (the pair, trips, etc.), then compare kickers from highest to lowest. The first difference determines the winner. If all five cards are the same rank, the pot is split -- suit never breaks a tie in standard poker.

When the Pot Is Split

The pot is split (also called a "chop") whenever two or more players have hands that are identical in rank across all five cards. In Hold'em, this happens more frequently than in draw or stud games because of the shared community cards. A common example is when the board shows a straight (say 6-7-8-9-10) and neither player can beat it -- both players play the board, and the pot is chopped. Another common split occurs when both players hold the same pair and the community cards provide better kickers than either player's hole cards.

Common Poker Hand Ranking Mistakes

Even experienced players occasionally stumble over the nuances of poker hand rankings. Here are the most common mistakes and misconceptions, along with the correct rulings.

Mistake 1: Thinking Suit Determines a Winner

In some other card games, suits have a hierarchy (typically spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs). In standard poker, suits are never used to break ties. If two players hold identical hands in different suits, the pot is always split. The only time suit matters in poker is in specific stud games where the bring-in is determined by suit, or in tournament situations where seating or button position is assigned by card draw. Suits never determine who wins a hand.

Mistake 2: The Wrap-Around Straight

Q-K-A-2-3 is not a valid straight. The Ace can be used as high (in A-K-Q-J-10) or low (in A-2-3-4-5), but it cannot "wrap around" to connect high cards to low cards. This is a firm rule in all standard poker games.

Mistake 3: Two Pair Total Value

As discussed earlier, some players add up the value of their two pairs and compare totals. This is wrong. Always compare the higher pair first. Aces and twos (A-A-2-2) beats Kings and Queens (K-K-Q-Q) because Aces are higher than Kings. The second pair is only compared when the first pairs are equal.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Kickers

Many recreational players focus only on their pair or trips and forget about kickers entirely. This is a costly mistake. If you hold K-3 and your opponent holds K-Q on a board of K-8-7-5-2, you both have a pair of Kings, but your opponent's Queen kicker crushes your three kicker. Understanding kicker strength is essential for evaluating your starting hand quality and making good preflop decisions. Hands with strong kickers (like A-K, A-Q, K-Q) are far more valuable than hands with weak kickers (like K-3, A-4, Q-5) precisely because of these situations.

Mistake 5: Three Pair

There is no such thing as "three pair" in poker. Your hand is always the best five cards. If you somehow have three pairs available to you (two in your hand and one on the board, for example), you use the two highest pairs plus the best available kicker. The third pair is irrelevant.

Mistake 6: Confusing Full House Ranking

The trips determine the full house rank, not the pair. Jacks full of Aces (J-J-J-A-A) loses to Queens full of twos (Q-Q-Q-2-2). Always look at the three-of-a-kind component first when comparing full houses.

Do Poker Hand Rankings Change by Game?

The standard poker hand rankings listed in this guide apply to the vast majority of poker games you will encounter, including Texas Hold'em, Omaha (both regular and Hi), Seven-Card Stud, Five-Card Draw, and most tournament formats. However, there are some notable variations worth knowing about.

Lowball and Hi-Lo Games

In lowball games (like Razz or 2-7 Triple Draw), the rankings are inverted -- the worst standard hand becomes the best. In hi-lo games (like Omaha Hi-Lo or Stud Hi-Lo), the pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand. The high hand still uses standard rankings, but the low hand uses a separate qualifying system (typically "eight or better," meaning the low hand must contain five cards ranked eight or lower).

Short Deck (Six-Plus) Hold'em

Short Deck poker removes all cards below six from the deck, changing the probabilities significantly. In most Short Deck formats, a flush beats a full house (because flushes become harder to make with fewer cards of each suit), and three of a kind beats a straight (because straights are easier to complete). If you play Short Deck, make sure you know the specific hand rankings used at your venue or on your platform, as they can vary.

The Standard Always Applies Unless Stated Otherwise

Unless you are explicitly playing a variant with modified rankings, you can always rely on the standard poker hand rankings presented in this guide. When in doubt, ask the dealer or check the house rules before sitting down. In any standard game of Texas Hold'em or Omaha, the rankings on this page are exactly what you need to know.

How to Memorize the Poker Hand Rankings

If you are new to poker and struggling to remember all 10 hands in order, here are some effective strategies for memorization.

The Frequency Method

Remember that the rankings are ordered by rarity. The rarer the hand, the higher it ranks. High card is the most common (over 50% of five-card deals), so it ranks last. Royal Flush is the rarest (1 in 650,000), so it ranks first. If you can remember approximately how hard each hand is to make, the ranking order follows naturally.

The Building Blocks Method

Think of poker hands as building on each other. Start from the bottom: High Card (nothing), then One Pair (match two cards), then Two Pair (match two more), then Three of a Kind (match three), then Straight (five in a row), then Flush (five of one suit), then Full House (trips plus a pair), then Four of a Kind (match four), then Straight Flush (straight plus flush combined), then Royal Flush (the best straight flush). Each step up adds complexity or combines earlier elements.

Practice with a Calculator

The fastest way to internalize hand rankings is through practice. Use a poker odds calculator to deal thousands of hands and practice identifying the winning hand each time. After a few hundred hands, the rankings will become second nature, and you will never have to pause at the table to figure out what beats what in poker.

How Poker Hand Rankings Affect Your Strategy

Knowing the hand rankings is just the starting point. Applying that knowledge strategically is what separates winning players from losing ones. Here are some ways that understanding poker hands ranked from best to worst should influence your decision-making at the table.

Starting Hand Selection

Strong starting hands are those most likely to make strong final hands. Pocket Aces (A-A) are the best starting hand in Hold'em because they already have one pair (the ninth-ranked hand) and have the potential to improve to two pair, three of a kind, or a full house. Suited connectors like 8-9 of hearts are valued because they have straight and flush potential. Understanding which final hands are the strongest helps you evaluate which starting hands are worth playing. For a detailed breakdown, see our guide on Texas Hold'em starting hand rankings.

Drawing to the Right Hands

When you have a draw (such as four cards to a flush or an open-ended straight draw), you need to know two things: how likely you are to complete your hand, and whether your completed hand will be the winner. Understanding how to calculate poker odds is essential here. A flush draw is only valuable if a completed flush will win the pot. If the board is paired and your opponent could have a full house, your flush may already be drawing dead. The hand rankings inform your drawing decisions by telling you exactly where your potential hand sits in the hierarchy.

Value Betting and Bluffing

Strong hand rankings knowledge helps you size your bets correctly. When you hold a powerful hand like a full house, you know that almost no hand can beat you (only quads and straight flushes), so you can bet aggressively for value. When you hold a marginal hand like middle pair, you know that many hands outrank yours, so you should be more cautious. And when you are bluffing, knowing what hands your opponent might hold (and which of those hands beat which) helps you tell a believable story with your bet sizing and timing.

Reading the Board

In community card games, reading the board texture is critical. If the board shows three cards of the same suit, a flush is possible. If it shows three sequential cards, a straight is possible. If the board is paired, a full house or four of a kind is possible. By understanding the full landscape of poker hands in order, you can instantly assess what hands are possible given the current board and make better decisions about whether to bet, call, raise, or fold.

For a comprehensive approach to building your poker game from the ground up, read our poker strategy guide for beginners. It covers everything from hand selection to position play to bankroll management, all built on the foundation of the hand rankings you have learned here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Poker Hand Rankings

What are the poker hand rankings in order from best to worst?

From best to worst: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card. This order is the same in virtually all standard poker games, including Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud. Memorizing these ten categories in order is the first step to becoming a competent poker player.

Does a flush beat a straight in poker?

Yes. A flush (five cards of the same suit) always beats a straight (five sequential cards of mixed suits) in standard poker. This is because flushes are statistically rarer than straights. There are 5,108 possible flush combinations versus 10,200 possible straight combinations in a 52-card deck.

What happens when two players have the same hand?

When two players have the same hand category, the tiebreaker is determined by comparing card ranks within the hand, starting with the most significant component. For pairs, compare the pair rank, then kickers. For flushes and high cards, compare each card from highest to lowest. If all five cards are identical in rank, the pot is split. Suit never breaks a tie.

Does a full house beat a flush?

Yes. A full house (three of a kind plus a pair) ranks fourth and beats a flush, which ranks fifth. Full houses are rarer than flushes, with only 3,744 possible combinations compared to 5,108 for flushes. In any standard poker game, a full house will always beat a flush.

What is the rarest hand in poker?

The Royal Flush is the rarest hand. There are only 4 possible Royal Flushes in a 52-card deck (one per suit), giving it a probability of roughly 0.000154%, or about 1 in 649,740 five-card hands. The next rarest is the Straight Flush (excluding Royals), with 36 possible combinations.

Does three of a kind beat two pair?

Yes. Three of a kind ranks seventh in the hand hierarchy, while two pair ranks eighth. Although two pair contains more paired cards, three of a kind is harder to make (54,912 possible combinations vs. 123,552 for two pair), and rarity determines ranking.

Can an Ace be low in a straight?

Yes. The Ace can serve as either the highest card (in a Broadway straight: A-K-Q-J-10) or the lowest card (in a Wheel: A-2-3-4-5). However, the Ace cannot wrap around to form a hand like Q-K-A-2-3, which is not a valid straight in any standard poker game.