Poker Hands
There are a wide range of game variations when it comes to Poker but one thing remains constant no matter what style you play and that’s the hand combinations that are possible in Poker. A Poker hand will always be made up of five cards and will always have the same combinations in every type of Poker game. To learn the possible Poker combinations and what their value is, you must first know the rank of each card. Ranking from highest to lowest, you have the Ace, the King, the Queen and the Jack, which are all considered the Royal cards. After that the value is determined by the number on each card, counting down from 10 all the way back down to the ace, which can be considered high or low in Poker.
The ranking of the Poker hands is determined a little differently and has more to due with statistical probabilities and not just card value. Based on a 52 card deck, there are different probabilities for achieving a five card combination. When the card combination has a lower probable outcome, then its value as a hand goes up (see starting hands & outs).
There are 2,598,960 possible five card hand combinations that can be dealt in a hand of poker. The number of ways each ranking hand can possibly be dealt is outlined below.
Again, the hands that have the highest probabilities, making them easier to be dealt, are worth the least. For example, the highest card (with 1,302,540 combinations) is the most common and so it’s worth the least out of all of them. On the other hand, the royal flush (with only 4 possible combinations) is the rarest and hardest to get, making it the most valuable and highest in rank.
Pictured below you’ll find the poker hands ranked from highest to lowest
| Royal straight flush or Royal Flush |
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The highest in a 5 card straight all of the same suit (e.g. A, K, Q, J, 10 all of hearts)
| Straight Flush |
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5 cards in sequence (straight) all in the same suit (e.g. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 of spades - 9 high straight flush)
| Four of a kind |
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Four Cards of the same denomination (e.g. 10, 10, 10, 10, Q - quad tens)
| Full House |
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Three cards of one denomination and a pair (two of another) (e.g. Q, Q, Q, 5, 5 - full house queens full of fives - tied hands are decided by the best three of a kind first, then the best pair)
| Flush |
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Five cards all in the same suit but not in denomination sequence eg. Kh, 10h 7h, 6h, 3h - a queen high flush
| Straight |
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Five cards in denomination sequence of any suit eg. 45678 - staight eight high
| Three Of A Kind |
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Three cards of the same denomination also known as Trips eg 777a9 - trip 7's
| Two Pairs |
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two pairs of the same denominations - If tied with the same the higher pair then the highest low pair wins, if these are tied then highest other card (or kicker) decides it eg AA 66 2 - two pairs aces and 6's
| One Pair |
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one pair of the same denomination eg. Kh Ks A 7 4 - A pair of Kings
| High Card |
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If none of the above hands are made then the highest card wins (e.g. Q, 5, 2, 7, 8 - is a Queen high which would be beaten by a king high - K, 5, 3, 7, 8) |
