Poker
Poker hands
A poker hand is the combination of cards a player holds to compete against others, usually five cards, and its strength is judged by a fixed ranking system that determines who wins the pot.
- Hand size
- Standard poker hands are five cards; in variants with more than five available, only the best five-card combination counts.75
- Ranking categories
- There are 10 categories, from high card up to straight flush, with an ace-high straight flush called a royal flush.24
- Comparison method
- A higher category beats a lower one; within the same category, better ranked cards decide the winner.17
- Community-card games
- In Texas hold 'em and Omaha, players build the best five-card hand from hidden and shared cards.36
Key points
- The standard ranking has 10 hand categories, from high card (weakest) to royal flush (strongest).2
- In games like Texas hold 'em, you choose the best five-card combination from your hole cards and community cards.3
- When two hands fall in the same category, the winner is decided by comparing the ranks of the cards, starting with the highest.1
- The worst hand in poker is 2-7 offsuit (a high card with no straight or flush potential), often called a 'bad hand' or 'trash hand'.3
- The ranking order is based on probability: rarer hands beat more common ones.2
Standard poker hand rankings (highest to lowest)
| Category | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | Ace-high straight flush (A-K-Q-J-10, all same suit) | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ |
| Straight flush | Five consecutive cards, all same suit | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ |
| Four of a kind | Four cards of the same rank | K♣ K♦ K♥ K♠ 2♠ |
| Full house | Three of a kind plus a pair | J♣ J♦ J♥ 4♠ 4♥ |
| Flush | Five cards, all same suit, not consecutive | A♣ 10♣ 7♣ 6♣ 2♣ |
| Straight | Five consecutive cards, not all same suit | 8♠ 7♦ 6♥ 5♣ 4♠ |
| Three of a kind | Three cards of the same rank | Q♠ Q♦ Q♥ 9♣ 2♠ |
| Two pair | Two different pairs | A♠ A♦ 8♣ 8♥ 3♠ |
| One pair | Two cards of the same rank | 10♠ 10♦ K♣ 7♥ 4♠ |
| High card | No pair, no straight, no flush | A♠ K♦ 9♣ 5♥ 2♠ |
The worst hand in poker
In Texas hold 'em, the worst starting hand is widely considered to be 2-7 offsuit (a 2 and a 7 of different suits).3 It cannot make a straight (too many gaps), rarely makes a flush, and is easily dominated by higher cards. Players often call such weak hands 'trash' or 'rags'.
The term 'bad hand' in poker generally refers to any hand with low card ranks and no drawing potential, such as 2-3 offsuit or 3-8 offsuit. These hands are usually folded before the flop in most variants.
Common questions
What are winning poker hands?
Winning poker hands are those that outrank all opponents' hands according to the standard ranking. The highest category (royal flush) wins; if two players have the same category, the higher card ranks decide the winner.
What are the poker hands in order?
From highest to lowest: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card.1 This order is used in nearly all poker variants.
What are good poker hands?
Good poker hands are those in the top half of the ranking: any pair, especially high pairs (aces, kings), and hands that can make straights or flushes. In Texas hold 'em, premium starting hands include A-A, K-K, Q-Q, and A-K suited.
What are the ranks of poker hands?
The ranks are the 10 categories listed above, from high card (lowest) to royal flush (highest). Within each category, the rank of individual cards (e.g., ace beats king) breaks ties.
Where this term is used
Not the same as
- 5 card poker hands — is a specific variant where each player receives exactly five cards, while 'poker hands' refers to the general concept of a five-card set used in any variant
- Poker hands probability — is the mathematical likelihood of being dealt each hand type, not the hand itself or its ranking
Related terms
Sources
- List of poker hands en.wikipedia.org Provides the standard list of poker hand rankings and comparison rules.
- Wikipedia:Today's featured list/April 4, 2014 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Confirms the 10 categories and the basis of ranking on probability.
- Texas hold 'em starting hands en.wikipedia.org Supports details on Texas hold 'em starting hands and the worst hand (2-7 offsuit).
- Outline of poker en.wikipedia.org Used for the outline of poker, confirming the royal flush definition.
- Poker en.wikipedia.org Supports the five-card hand size and the selection of best five from more cards.
- Texas hold 'em en.wikipedia.org Provides information on community-card hand building in Texas hold 'em.
- Poker Rules - Pagat pagat.com Confirms the standard hand size and comparison method across poker variants.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.