The Complete Guide to Poker Hand Rankings

Here’s everything you need to know about how poker hands are ranked. This guide covers all types of poker hands, including standard hands, lowball hands, and hands with wild cards. At the end, you’ll also find a detailed breakdown of suit rankings for various countries.

Standard Poker Rankings

In a standard deck, there are 52 cards. The individual card rankings, from highest to lowest, are as follows:

Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2

In standard poker games in North America, there is no ranking based on the suit of the cards. A poker hand consists of 5 cards in total. Higher-ranked hands will always beat lower-ranked ones. When comparing hands of the same rank, the higher value cards within the hand will determine the winner.

#1 Straight Flush

In poker games without wild cards, the highest-ranking hand you can get is called a straight flush. It’s made up of five cards in sequential order and of the same suit. When comparing two straight flushes, the one with the highest value high card wins. For example, a straight flush of 5-6-7-8-9, all spades, would beat any other straight flush. But the highest-ranking straight flush you can get is called a Royal Flush, which consists of A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. It’s the ultimate hand in poker. Just remember, a straight flush cannot turn the corner, so a hand like 3-2-A-K-Q would not count as a straight flush.

Another strong hand in poker is called Four of a Kind, or Quads. This hand consists of four cards of equal rank, such as four jacks, and the fifth card, known as the kicker, can be any other card. When comparing two hands with Four of a Kind, the one with the higher value set wins. For example, a hand of 5-5-5-5-J would be beaten by a hand of 10-10-10-10-2. If two players have Four of a Kind of equal value, then the player with the highest-ranking kicker wins the pot.

A Full House, also known as a Boat, is another strong hand in poker. It consists of three cards of the same rank and two cards of another rank. For example, a hand of 5-5-5-A-A would be considered a Full House. When comparing Full Houses, the one with the higher ranking set of three cards wins. If two players have the same ranking set of three cards, then the player with the higher ranking pair wins.

Let’s talk about full houses, which are an interesting hand in card games. A full house is made up of three cards of the same rank and two cards of another rank. The rank of the three cards determines the overall rank of the full house. If two players have a full house, the one with the highest rank three cards wins. But if the three cards have the same rank, then the pairs of cards decide the winner. For example, a hand with three Queens and two Threes would beat a hand with three Tens and two Aces, but a hand with three Tens and two Aces would beat a hand with three Tens and two Jacks.

#4 Flush

Now let’s move on to the flush. A flush is when you have any five cards of the same suit. The rank of the flush is determined by the highest card in the hand. If two players have a flush, we compare the highest cards. If those are equal, we move on to the next highest cards until we can determine a winner.

#5 Straight

The straight is another fascinating hand. It consists of five cards in sequence, but the cards must be from different suits. The rank of the straight is determined by the highest card in the hand. Here’s an interesting thing about the Ace in a straight – it can be a high card or a low card, but not both. The lowest straight, also known as the “wheel,” is 5-4-3-2-A, where the top card is a Five. So, in a straight, the hand with the highest ranking top card wins.

#6 Three of a Kind (Triplets/Trips)

When you have three cards of the same rank and two other cards that don’t match, it’s called a three of a kind. The three of a kind with the highest rank is the winning hand. If two players have the same three of a kind, the high card of the remaining two cards determines the winner.

#7 Two Pairs

When you have two pairs in your hand, it means you have two sets of cards that have the same rank. For example, if you have K-K-3-3-6, the two pairs in your hand are K-K and 3-3, with 6 being the odd card. In a game with multiple players, the hand with the highest pair will win, regardless of the other cards in hand. So, in a situation where one player has K-K-5-5-2 and another player has Q-Q-10-10-9, the player with K-K-5-5-2 will win because K is higher than Q, even though 10 is higher than 5.

#8 Pair

Having a pair in your hand means you have two cards that have the same rank. The hand with the highest pair is the winning hand. If two players have the same pair, then the high card of the remaining three cards determines the winner.

A hand with a single pair has two cards of the same rank and three other cards of any rank. When comparing pairs, the hand with higher value cards wins. If the value of the pairs is the same, compare the highest value oddball cards until a winner is determined. For example, a hand could be 10-10-6-3-2.

If your hand doesn’t fit any of the criteria mentioned above, doesn’t form a sequence, and has at least two different suits, it’s called a high card. The winning hand is determined by the highest value card in this case.

In Lowball or high-low games, where the lowest ranking hand wins, the hands are ranked accordingly.

A hand in poker is called a “low hand” when it doesn’t have any combinations and is determined by its highest-ranking card. Let’s say we have a hand with the cards 10, 6, 5, 3, and 2. We would refer to it as “10-down” or “10-low.”

The most commonly used system for ranking low hands is called “Ace to Five.” In this system, Aces are always considered low cards, and straights and flushes do not count. The best hand in Ace-to-5 is 5-4-3-2-A. Just like in regular poker, hands are compared based on the high card. So, for example, 6-4-3-2-A would beat 6-5-3-2-A and also beat 7-4-3-2-A. This is because 4 is less than 5, and 6 is less than 7.

When it comes to a hand with a pair, the best low hand is A-A-4-3-2. This is often known as “California Lowball.” In some high-low poker games, there is a condition called “eight or better,” which means that players need to have a hand with an 8 or lower to be eligible to win part of the pot. The worst hand under this condition would be 8-7-6-5-4.

Deuce to Seven

Let me tell you about a unique poker system called Deuce to Seven. The rankings of the hands in this system are pretty similar to the standard poker rankings. However, there are a few differences. In Deuce to Seven, the lowest hand wins, and straights and flushes count against you. Something important to note is that this system always considers Aces as high cards, so a straight like A-2-3-4-5 is not recognized. The best hand under this system is 7-5-4-3-2, with cards of different suits, which is why it’s called Deuce to Seven. When comparing hands, the highest card is always the first thing taken into account. In Deuce to Seven, the best hand with a pair is 2-2-5-4-3. However, this hand can be beaten by a hand with high cards like A-K-Q-J-9. Some people refer to this system as “Kansas City Lowball.”

Ace to Six

Hey there! Let’s talk about a popular poker system that’s often used in home games. This system is a bit different because it counts straights and flushes. Oh, and did I mention that aces are considered low cards in this game?

Now, here’s something interesting. If you have a hand like 5-4-3-2-A, you might think it’s a good hand because you’ve got a straight, right? Well, think again! In this game, that’s actually a bad hand because it’s a straight. The lowest possible hand you can have is 6-4-3-2-A. Remember, aces are low cards in this game!

Speaking of straights, let’s say you have a hand like A-K-Q-J-10. In most poker games, that would be a straight, but not in this one. In our game, it’s considered king-down, or king-low. So, the lowest possible hand you can have in this case is K-Q-J-10-A. Oh, and just to keep things interesting, K-Q-J-10-2 is actually lower than K-Q-J-10-A. Crazy, right?

Now, let’s talk about pairs. In this game, a pair of aces actually beats a pair of twos. It’s all about that low card power!

But wait, there’s more! In games with more than five cards, players can choose to not use their highest value cards. Why would they do that? Well, they’re trying to assemble the lowest hand possible. It’s all about strategy and making the right choices.

But what about wild cards? I’m glad you asked!

Did you know that in card games, wild cards can be a game-changer? They have the power to substitute any card you need to make a winning hand! These special cards can bring a whole new level of excitement to the game.

Typically, jokers are used as wild cards, so you might find yourself playing with a deck of 54 cards instead of the usual 52. However, some players like to keep things traditional and designate certain cards as wild at the start of the game. For example, you could decide that all twos are wild (also known as deuces wild) or that the jacks of hearts and spades, also known as the “one-eyed jacks,” are wild.

With wild cards, you have two exciting possibilities:

• You can use a wild card to replace any card that you don’t have in your hand. This gives you a better chance of creating a winning combination!
• Wild cards can also help you achieve a special combination called a “five of a kind.” This is the highest hand in the game and even beats a Royal Flush! When comparing two five-of-a-kind hands, the one with the highest value cards wins. And remember, the ace is the highest card of all!

What about “The Bug”?

Well, “The Bug” is another name for a wild card. It adds an extra element of surprise to the game, making it even more thrilling!

Some poker games, like five card draw, have a special card called “the bug.” The bug is like a joker, but with some limitations. It can be used as an ace or as a card to complete a straight or a flush. The bug can’t be used to make a five of a kind, except for a five of a kind of aces. But if you have four of a kind, the bug can be used as an ace kicker.

When playing low poker, there’s also a wild card. This wild card, known as a “fitter,” is used to complete the lowest possible hand in the low hand ranking system. For example, in a standard poker game, a hand with 6-5-3-2-joker would be considered 6-6-5-3-2. In ace-to-five, the wild card would be an ace, and in deuce-to-seven, the wild card would be a 7.

Did you know that in home poker games, the lowest or lowest concealed card can be used as a wild card? This means that during the showdown, the card with the lowest value becomes wild. Just remember, Aces are considered high and twos are low in this variant.

Double Ace Flush

Here’s an interesting twist: in this variant, any card can be a wild card, even if it’s already in a player’s hand. This opens up the possibility of getting a double ace flush!

Natural Hand vs. Wild Hand

There’s a house rule that states a “natural hand” beats a hand with wild cards that is equal to it. So, if you have more wild cards, your hand may be considered “more wild” and could be beaten by a hand with fewer wild cards. It’s important to agree on this rule before starting the game.

Incomplete Hands

In poker games with less than five cards, like the one I’m talking about, we don’t have straights, flushes, or full houses to consider. Instead, we focus on four of a kind, three of a kind, pairs (including two pairs and single pairs), and high card. Just remember that if you have an even number of cards, there won’t be a kicker.

Here are some examples to help you understand how incomplete hands are scored:

– A hand with 10-10-K beats a hand with 10-10-6-2 because the king (K) is higher than the 6. But a hand with 10-10-6 is beaten by a hand with 10-10-6-2 because of that fourth card.

– In another scenario, a single 10 beats a hand with 9-6. However, a hand with 9-6 beats a hand with 9-5-3, which in turn beats a hand with just 9.

Now let’s talk about ranking suits in standard poker. Normally, suits are not ranked, and if there are equal hands, the pot is split evenly. However, there are certain situations in different poker variants where suits do matter. For example:

– When you draw cards to decide where players get to sit.

– When determining the first bettor in a game of stud poker.

When it’s time to divide an irregularly shaped pot, we need to figure out who will receive the odd chip. In North America, suits are ranked in reverse alphabetical order: Spades (the highest suit), Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs (the lowest suit). But in other parts of the world, the ranking can differ. For example, in Greece and Turkey, Hearts is the highest suit, followed by Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs. In Austria and Sweden, Hearts is also the highest suit, but the order is Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs. Italy ranks Hearts first, then Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades. In Brazil, Diamonds is the high suit, followed by Spades, Hearts, and Clubs. Finally, in Germany, Clubs takes the top spot, followed by Spades, Hearts, and Diamonds.