Poker
Straight flush poker
A straight flush is a five-card poker hand where every card belongs to the same suit and the ranks form an unbroken sequence. It ranks above four of a kind and is beaten only by a higher straight flush or a royal flush.
- Cards required
- Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
- Highest hand
- A-K-Q-J-10 (royal flush)
- Lowest hand
- 5-4-3-2-A
- Ranking rule
- Higher top card wins between two straight flushes.
Key points
- A straight flush beats every other hand except a higher straight flush or a royal flush.14
- The ace can be high or low, but not both at once, so A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight flush and A-K-Q-J-10 the highest.45
- If wild cards are used, a wild card can be assigned to complete the straight flush.2
- In games like Texas hold ’em and five-card draw, the straight flush is the strongest natural hand.13
Example straight flush hands
| Hand | Suit | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ | Spades | 9-high |
| Q♥ J♥ 10♥ 9♥ 8♥ | Hearts | Q-high |
| 5♣ 4♣ 3♣ 2♣ A♣ | Clubs | 5-high (ace low) |
| A♦ K♦ Q♦ J♦ 10♦ | Diamonds | Royal flush |
Where this term is used
Related terms
Poker
Straight flush vs royal flush
Explains the difference between a straight flush and a royal flush.
Poker
Straight flush
General definition of a straight flush in poker.
Poker
Straight poker
Covers the straight hand, which is five consecutive cards of any suit.
Poker
Straight flush vs flush
Compares a straight flush to a flush, which is five cards of the same suit not in sequence.
Poker
Royal flush poker
Describes the royal flush, the highest straight flush.
Poker
Royal straight flush
Another term for the ace-high straight flush.
Sources
- List of poker hands en.wikipedia.org Defines the straight flush and its ranking in standard poker.
- Non-standard poker hand en.wikipedia.org Explains how wild cards can complete a straight flush.
- Texas hold 'em en.wikipedia.org Confirms the straight flush applies in Texas hold 'em.
- Ranking of Poker Hands pagat.com Provides the ranking rules and ace-high/low behaviour.
- Poker Rules - Pagat pagat.com Details the ace's dual role and the comparison between straight flushes.
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.