Rank Of Hands In Poker Articles | Poker

By: Richard Bleuze

Rank of Hands in Poker

The common denominator in most poker games is the hand rank.  The harder hands to obtain have the greatest value. 

In poker, poker players construct hands of five cards according to predetermined rules.  Of course, some rules do vary according to which variant of poker is being played.  However the hands are compared using a hand ranking system that is standard across all variants of poker.  Thus, the player with the highest ranking hand winning that particular deal in most variants of poker. In some variants, the lowest ranking hand can win or tie.

A poker hand always consists of five cards.  In some poker varients, there are more than five cards that are available to each player.  However, the best five card combination of those cards must be played.  Any cards that are not included in the hand do not affect its ranking. For example, if player A holds 3♠ Q♦ and player B holds 3♣ A♣, and five cards 4♣ 5♦ 6♦ 7♠ 10♥ are available to both players, the players hold equally ranking 3-4-5-6-7 straights despite the fact that the player B's ace ranks higher than the player A's queen.
 
Individual cards are ranked A (highest), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (lowest).  Generally, Aces can appear low (as if having a value of "1") when part of an A-2-3-4-5 straight or straight flush.  In the poker variants ace to five and ace to six lowball, the ace only plays low, and only plays high in deuce to seven lowball. The general rule is that individual card ranks are used to rank hands that are in the same rank category.
 
In addition, the suits of the cards are used to determine whether a hand forms a flush or straight flush.  Generally, in most variants, suits do not have an associated value, and play no part in determining the ranking of a hand.  Sometimes a ranking called high card by suit is used for randomly selecting a player to deal. Low card by suit usually determines the bring-in better in stud games.
 
Hands are ranked first by category, then by individual card ranks.  Thus, even the lowest hand that qualifies in a certain category defeats all hands in all lower categories.  As for example, 2♦ 2♠ 3♦ 3♣ 4♠, the lowest valued two pair hand, defeats all hands with just one pair or high card (such as A♠ A♦ K♦ Q♥ J♣).  Only between two hands in the same category are card ranks used to break ties.
 
A poker hand has the same hand ranking regardless of the order in which it is arranged by the deal, by a description, or by a picture.  Thus, a hand arranged as 10♠ 8♦ 10♦ 6♣ 10♣ is ranked the same as 10♣ 10♦ 10♠ 8♦ 6♣ even though in the first hand the three of a kind is not immediately obvious.
 
As a rule, if there are multiple hands of the same rank at the showdown, the pot is divided equally between the winning players.  Should the divided number creates fractions (odd chip), the first hand clockwise from the button/dealer gets the chip.

Below is a look from high to low:

Royal Flush: A combination of the highest straight (A-K-Q-J-10) and a flush.  Odds of being dealt this hand in five cards is 1 in 649,740.
Straight Flush: Any five cards in a row (i.e.  9-8-7-6-5), all of the same suit.  Odds in five cards is 1 in 72,193.
Four of a Kind: Four cards of identical rank (i.e.  2-A-A-A-A).  Odds in five cards is 1 in 4,165.
Full House: Three cards of one rank and two of another rank (i.e.  K-K-A-A-A).  Odds in five cards is 1 in 694.
Flush: Five cards of the same suit.  (i.e.  2-5-10-J-K of spades).  Odds in five cards is 1 in 509.
Straight: Any five cards in a row of any suit (i.e.  5-6-7-8-9 unsuited).  Odds of being dealt this hand in five cards is 1 in 255.
Three of a Kind: Also known as trips, any three cards of the same rank (i.e.  6-8-K-K-K).  Odds in five cards is 1 in 47.
Two Pair: Two pair of unrelated cards (i.e.  3-5-5-K-K).  Odds in five cards is 1 in 21.
Pair: The most basic hand in poker is the pair, two related cards (i.e.  3-5-7-9-9) Odds in five cards is 1 in 2.37.

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