Poker Basics: Hand Rankings

AS TH 9H 8C 4D
High Card (Ace-high.)

AS TH TC 8C 4D
Pair (Pair of 10's, Ace kicker. This hand would beat another pair of 10's with any lower kicker.)

AS AH 8C 8H 4D
Two Pair ('Aces up.' Rank is determined by the top pair. For example, "Aces over 8's" beats "kings over queens.")

AS 8S 8C 8D 4D
Three Of A Kind ('Trips')

TH 9H 8C 7D 6S
Straight

AS TS 9S 8S 4S
Flush

8S 8C 8H 4C 4D
Full House ('Boat'; '8's full.' Rank is determined by the tripled card. "8's full of 4's" beats "7's full of Aces.")

8S 8C 8H 8D 4D
Four Of A Kind ('Quads')

TH 9H 8H 7H 6H
Straight Flush (An Ace-high Straight Flush is called a Royal Flush.)

If you're new to poker, memorize this list. Print it out and keep it next to you while you play, if necessary. (Another advantage to online poker over a brick and mortar casino.)

In some forms of poker, players compete for the best Low Hand, ranked by the value of the highest card. On GamesGrid Poker, straights and flushes do not count against the low.

AS 2C 3C 4H 5D
("The wheel"-the best possible low hand. The straight does not count against the low, nor would a flush if the cards were suited.)

AS 2C 3C 4H 6D
(The second best possible low hand.)

AS 2C 3C 5H 6D
(The third best possible low hand.)

Ready for drama, strategy, and non-stop action? Try a High-Low Split game. The pot is split evenly between the best High-hand, and the best qualifying Low-hand. To qualify, no card from the low hand may be above an 8.

4D 5H 6C 7C 8S
(The worst possible qualifying low.)

3D 5H 6C 7C 8S
(The second worst possible qualifying low.)

If there is no qualifying low hand, the high hand wins the entire pot.

The fine points of Hand Rankings



  • All five cards determine the ranking of a hand.
AS TH 7C 5H 2C
QC TH 7C 5H 2C
Ace high beats Queen high.

AS QC 7C 5H 2C
AS TH 7C 5H 2C
AQ high beats AT high.

AS QC TH 8S 6S
AS QC TH 8S 4H
AQT86 beats AQT84.

QC QD AS TH 5H
QC QD AS TH 2C
Similarly, QQAT5 beats QQAT2.

AS JS 9S 6S 2S
AS TS 9S 6S 2S
An AJ-high flush beats an AT-high flush.

  • Depending on the game you're playing, you may have five, seven, or even nine cards available to you at the showdown, but only the best five-card hand counts. You don't see three-pair on this list because it requires six cards. Your two-pair JJ99K beats JJ99Q because your king kicker beats a queen kicker. But your JJ99KQ5 only ties JJ99K32 because only five cards count-both hands are two-pair (jacks and 9's) with a king kicker.

  • Suits are never used to break ties.

  • Aces can create high or low straights, but cannot go "around the corner." A2345 is the lowest possible straight and is beaten by 23456. AKQJT is the highest possible straight. There is no such thing as a "wrap-around" straight, such as 32AKQ.

Poker basics
Hand Rankings
Betting Rounds
Table Stakes
The Dealer Button
Blinds
Antes
Betting Structures
High-Low Split (8)


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