What Is a Straight in Poker?

In poker, a straight is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, not all of the same suit. If the ace is counted as high or low, the straight hand can be either A-5-4-3-2 or 10-J-Q-K-A.

If the ace is counted as high, the straight hand is A-K-Q-J-10; if the ace is counted as low, it is 5-4-3-2-A. .

PRO TIP:In poker, a straight is a five-card hand made up of five cards of consecutive rank, such as 5-6-7-8-9. Aces can be high or low in a straight, so an Ace-2-3-4-5 is a valid straight. Straights are ranked according to the highest card in the hand, so a 7-8-9-10-J would beat a 5-6-7–8–9.

A straight beats three of a kind and a flush. If two players have a straight, the player with the highest card in the hand wins.

The term “straight” can also refer to the sequence of cards themselves. In this case, it would be a sequence such as 10-J-Q-K-A or 5-4-3 -2 -A.

When used in this way, it is pronounced “straights” (plural).