Poker Hand Rankings
All ten poker hands from best to worst, with an example of each, how often you will make it, and exactly how ties are broken.
The 10 poker hands, best to worst
Every hand in Texas Hold'em is made of exactly five cards. A higher hand always beats a lower one, whatever the card values: the weakest flush still beats the best straight.
| # | Hand | Example | Chance by the river |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush A, K, Q, J and 10, all of the same suit. The best possible hand. |
A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠ | 0.0032% |
| 2 | Straight Flush Five cards in a row, all of the same suit. |
9♥8♥7♥6♥5♥ | 0.028% |
| 3 | Four of a Kind Four cards of the same rank, plus one other card (the kicker). |
Q♣Q♦Q♥Q♠7♦ | 0.17% |
| 4 | Full House Three of a kind plus a pair. |
K♥K♦K♠4♣4♥ | 2.6% |
| 5 | Flush Any five cards of the same suit, not in a row. |
A♦J♦8♦6♦2♦ | 3.0% |
| 6 | Straight Five cards in a row, of mixed suits. The ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A). |
10♣9♦8♥7♠6♣ | 4.6% |
| 7 | Three of a Kind Three cards of the same rank, plus two unrelated cards. Also called trips, or a set when you hold a pocket pair. |
8♠8♥8♦K♣3♥ | 4.8% |
| 8 | Two Pair Two different pairs, plus a kicker. |
J♥J♠5♣5♦A♠ | 23.5% |
| 9 | One Pair Two cards of the same rank, plus three unrelated cards. |
A♣A♦9♠6♥3♣ | 43.8% |
| 10 | High Card None of the above. Your highest card plays, then the next highest, and so on. |
K♦J♠8♣5♥2♠ | 17.4% |
“Chance by the river” is how often your best five cards out of seven (your two hole cards plus all five board cards) make that hand. Faded cards in the examples are not part of the hand itself but still count as kickers.
How ties are broken
When two players have the same type of hand, compare them like this:
- Pairs, trips and quads: the higher rank wins (a pair of kings beats a pair of queens). If the ranks are equal, compare kickers from highest to lowest.
- Two pair: compare the higher pair first, then the lower pair, then the kicker.
- Full house: the three of a kind decides it. K-K-K-2-2 beats Q-Q-Q-A-A.
- Flushes and high card: compare the highest card, then the second highest, and so on down to the fifth.
- Straights: the straight with the higher top card wins. 6-5-4-3-2 beats 5-4-3-2-A.
- Exactly the same five cards: the pot is split. Suits never break a tie.
Example: the kicker decides
Board: A♥9♣7♦4♠2♥
Player A holds A♦Q♣ and player B holds A♠J♠. Both have a pair of aces, so the kickers decide: A's best five cards are A-A-Q-9-7 and B's are A-A-J-9-7. Player A wins with the queen kicker.
Common questions
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush (five cards of one suit) ranks above a straight (five cards in a row), because it is rarer.
Is three of a kind better than two pair?
Yes. Three of a kind beats two pair, even though two pair uses more matching cards.
Do suits matter in Texas Hold'em?
No. There is no ranking of suits. If two hands are otherwise identical, the pot is split.
Can the ace be low in a straight?
Yes, but only in 5-4-3-2-A, which is the lowest straight. Straights cannot wrap around: Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
How many cards make a poker hand?
Exactly five. In Texas Hold'em you use the best five of your seven cards (two hole cards plus five on the board). A sixth or seventh card never counts.
What happens if the best hand is on the board?
If no player can beat the five community cards, everyone still in the hand “plays the board” and the pot is split between them.
What is a kicker?
A kicker is a card that is not part of your pair, trips or quads but still counts towards your five-card hand. When two players have the same pair, the higher kicker wins.