Yahoo! Games

POKER RULES

Play Now!

History
Basics
Game Play
Betting
Glossary

Go To: General Rules - Hands - Tie Breaks - Rules of Hold'em

Hands

A poker hand consists of five cards. Depending on the poker variation being played, these may be the only five cards a player has, or they may be the best set of five cards the player can make from a larger set. From highest to lowest, cards rank as follows: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. For purposes of forming a straight or straight flush, aces can also be considered lower than 2s.

Poker hands rank as follows, from highest to lowest:

Straight flush: five cards in sequence, all the same suit, such as

The highest possible straight flush, AKQJ10 of one suit, is also known as a "royal flush," as in

Four of a kind: four cards of the same rank (plus any fifth card), such as

4 of a kind

Full house: three cards of one rank, plus a pair of another rank, such as

Flush: five cards of the same suit, e.g.,

Flush

Straight: five cards in sequence, such as

Three of a kind: three cards of the same rank, plus two other unmatched cards, e.g.,

3 of a kind

Two pair: two cards of the same rank, plus two other cards of a different rank, plus one unmatched card, e.g.,

Dead Man's Hand

Pair: two cards of the same rank, plus three other unmatched cards, such as

Pair

Nothing: any hand not meeting the requirements of a pair or higher hand, e.g.,

Nothing

A hand of higher rank always beats a hand of lower rank. Thus, even though aces and kings are the highest cards, the hand 2-2-2-2-3 beats a hand of A-A-A-K-K because four of a kind is always higher than a full house.

Back to Top

Next: Tie Breaks

Hands
	A poker hand consists of five cards. Depending on the poker variation being played, these may be the only five cards a player has, or they may be the best set of five cards the player can make from a larger set. From highest to lowest, cards rank as follows: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. For purposes of forming a straight or straight flush, aces can also be considered lower than 2s. Poker hands rank as follows, from highest to lowest: Straight flush: five cards in sequence, all the same suit, such as The highest possible straight flush, AKQJ10 of one suit, is also known as a "royal flush," as in Four of a kind: four cards of the same rank (plus any fifth card), such as Full house: three cards of one rank, plus a pair of another rank, such as Flush: five cards of the same suit, e.g., Straight: five cards in sequence, such as Three of a kind: three cards of the same rank, plus two other unmatched cards, e.g., Two pair: two cards of the same rank, plus two other cards of a different rank, plus one unmatched card, e.g., Pair: two cards of the same rank, plus three other unmatched cards, such as Nothing: any hand not meeting the requirements of a pair or higher hand, e.g., A hand of higher rank always beats a hand of lower rank. Thus, even though aces and kings are the highest cards, the hand 2-2-2-2-3 beats a hand of A-A-A-K-K because four of a kind is always higher than a full house. Back to Top Next: Tie Breaks