When it comes to the game of poker, one of the most important things to know is what cards beat what. This knowledge can make all the difference in whether you win or lose.
In this article, we will go over the hierarchy of poker hands and what each hand beats. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
High Card:
The lowest ranking hand in poker is known as the high card. This hand contains no pairs or any other combinations and is simply determined by the highest card in your hand. If two players have high card hands, then the player with the highest card wins.
Pair:
As the name suggests, a pair is when you have two cards of the same rank. For example, two aces would be a pair of aces. If two players have pairs, then the player with the higher ranking pair wins.
Two Pair:
Two pair is when you have two sets of pairs in your hand. For example, if you had a pair of kings and a pair of jacks, you would have two pair. If two players have two pairs, then the player with the highest ranking pair wins.
Three-of-a-Kind:
A three-of-a-kind is when you have three cards of the same rank in your hand. For example, if you had three kings in your hand, that would be considered a three-of-a-kind. If two players have three-of-a-kind hands, then whoever has the higher ranking three-of-a-kind wins.
Straight:
A straight consists of five consecutive cards that are not all of the same suit. For example, 5-6-7-8-9 would be considered a straight. If multiple players have straights, then whoever has the highest ranking straight wins.
Flush:
A flush consists of five cards of the same suit. For example, if all five cards in your hand were hearts, that would be considered a flush. If two players have flushes, then whoever has the highest ranking card in their flush wins.
Full House:
A full house consists of three-of-a-kind and a pair. For example, if you had three kings and two jacks, that would be considered a full house. If two players have full houses, then whoever has the higher ranking three-of-a-kind wins.
Four-of-a-Kind:
A four-of-a-kind is when you have four cards of the same rank in your hand. For example, if you had four queens in your hand, that would be considered a four-of-a-kind. If two players have four-of-a-kind hands, then whoever has the higher ranking four-of-a-kind wins.
Straight Flush:
A straight flush is five consecutive cards of the same suit. For example, 7-8-9-10-Jack all in diamonds would be considered a straight flush. This is one of the strongest hands in poker and beats all other hands except for a royal flush.
Royal Flush:
The strongest hand in poker is a royal flush which consists of 10-Jack-Queen-King-Ace all in the same suit. This hand cannot be beaten.
Now that you know what cards beat what in poker, you can confidently sit down at any table and play to win!
