Poker hand ranking is an integral factor in poker as it determines who wins the pot. It also helps you make strategic decisions such as folding or saving chips when you suspect your opponent has a better hand.
The ranking of poker hands varies from game to game, but in most instances winning poker hands are ranked according to suit. The highest ranked suits are spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs in decreasing order of value.
Five-card draw
Five-card draw is one of the most beloved poker variants. It often serves as the first option that new players learn when it comes to online casinos.
In 5-card draw, each player is dealt five cards face down. After that, betting commences.
After each player discards an arbitrary number of cards, new random cards from the deck are dealt out. The remaining players then compare their hands and reveal which is best to win the pot.
Bluffing is an integral part of poker. In certain games, such as hold’em, players can pull off a brilliant bluff and walk away with significant winnings. Conversely, in 5-card draw bluffs are less common and usually involve weaker holdings.
Straight flush
A straight flush is a poker hand composed of five cards in sequence, such as 5-6-7-8-9. It is one of the strongest hands available; only the royal flush can surpass it in strength.
The highest straight flush is a Royal Flush, composed of ten cards of the same suit. This natural hand ranks as both the best and highest hand in poker rankings.
However, a straight flush can also be made from any five-card sequence of the same suit if you have an Ace in it – which counts either high or low depending on its position in the sequence.
To determine the rank of a straight flush, the top card of each hand is compared. If they are equal, then the highest card wins.
Royal flush
A royal flush is the strongest possible combination in poker, but also one of the rarest. It consists of 10 Jack, Queen, King and Ace cards of one suit.
There are a few ways to increase your chances of making a royal flush. Play in a draw game instead of stud, or attempt to bluff your way into the pot.
A royal flush is the rarest poker hand, ranking just behind a straight flush and below a full house. While it comes out less frequently than a full house, its rarity makes it worth striving for.
Four of a kind
Poker hand rankings are determined by the cards a player receives. Generally, the lowest ranking hand wins out.
In a game such as Texas Hold’em, the highest winning hands are a Royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind and full house. Following that come flushes, straights and three of a kind.
Poker hand rankings are determined using a standard deck of 52 cards with 2,598,960 possible combinations. Hands are ranked according to the rank of their top card (known as “the kicker”), which determines their ranking.
Two pair
Poker hand rankings are essential components of playing any game of poker. They allow players to determine whether they possess a strong hand that could potentially win them the pot.
Comparing pairs of cards that contain two pairs, the higher pair always wins regardless of the other cards. For instance, J-J-2-2-4 defeats 10-10-9-9-8 because the jacks outrank the tens.
In a deck of 52 cards, there are 123,552 possible Two Pair hand combinations and 858 distinct ranks of these hands. Each Two Pair hand is ranked from highest pair to second highest pair followed by kicker.
Two pair is an easily graspable hand that can be beneficial in most scenarios. However, it’s not the strongest hand available; three of a kind, straights and flushes all outpace it as do other better Two Pair hands.
