High Card (
Probability 1 in 2)
In the series of cards from 2 (the lowest) through Ace (the highest), the higher the card number, the higher the rank of the card. After 10 come, in order, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. The Ace is the highest ranked card, the high card.
So, if you have Ace-High:
this beats King-High
A Pair (
1 in 2.4)
Any two cards of the same rank. For example, 2 threes, two Jacks, two Aces.
So a pair of Kings
beats a pair of Tens
Two Pairs (
1 in 21)
Just how it sounds, this is when you have two pairs. Two sets of two cards of the same rank. This is ordered by the highest of your pairs first.
So Queens and Sevens
would beat Jacks and Nines
Three of a kind (
1 in 47.3)
This is when you have three cards of the same rank, for example;
Trip Jacks
Straight (
1 in 254.8)
Five cards in sequential rank order, in a row. For example: 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen. Remember that an Ace can be played high or low. A, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Please note that King, Ace, 2, 3, 4 is not a straight. Straights are ordered by the top card in the sequence.
So a Seven-High Straight:
would beat a Five-high Straight:
Flush (
1 in 508.8)
A flush is when all your cards have the same suit, like five cards, all of Clubs.
For example, a King-High Flush:
Full house (
1 in 694.2)
A combination of three of a kind and a pair. They are ordered first by the rank of the three of a kind.
So Nines over Deuces:
would beat a Sevens over Kings:
Four of a kind (
1 in 4,165)
Just like it sounds, four cards of all the same rank. This is one of the highest hands in poker – you don’t see many of them! Also known as Quads.
For example, 4 Queens:
Straight Flush (
1 in 72,193)
The best hand type is when all your cards are in sequence and they are all the same suit. These are ordered by the top card in the sequence, so an Ace-High Straight Flush (known as a Royal Flush) is the best possible hand in poker.
Royal Flush (
1 in 649,740)
A Straight Flush ending in an Ace - if you have this then you have then you have hit gold!