Poker is a popular card game that has been played for centuries. It is a game of skill, strategy, and luck that requires players to make the best possible hand using five cards.
There are several different variations of poker, but most follow the same basic rules. One important aspect of the game is knowing the order of poker hands.
The order of poker hands is crucial to understanding the game and making informed decisions when playing. In this article, we will explore the different hands in poker and their rankings.
Firstly, let’s talk about the highest-ranking hand in poker – the royal flush. This hand consists of an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 all in the same suit. It is extremely rare and difficult to obtain but if you do manage to get it then you have an unbeatable hand.
Next up we have the straight flush. This hand consists of any five cards in numerical order all in the same suit.
An example would be 5-6-7-8-9 of hearts. The higher the top card in your straight flush, the stronger your hand is.
Following that we have four-of-a-kind or quads as they are commonly known as. This hand consists of four cards with the same rank and one other card known as a ‘kicker’. For example four Kings with a 3 would beat four Jacks with a 10 kicker.
After that comes a full house which consists of three cards with one rank and two cards with another rank. For example three Queens and two 8s would be considered as a full house. The higher ranking three-of-a-kind wins if two players have full houses.
The next hand on our list is a flush which consists of any five cards all in the same suit but not in numerical order like straight flushes are. For example Ace-King-7-4-2 all in diamonds would be considered as a flush. The highest card in the flush determines its ranking.
Next up comes a straight which consists of any five cards in numerical order but not all in the same suit. For example 9-8-7-6-5 of different suits would be considered as a straight. The higher the top card in your straight, the stronger your hand is.
Following that we have three-of-a-kind which consists of three cards with the same rank and two other cards known as kickers. For example three Jacks with a King and 3 kicker would be considered as three-of-a-kind.
The second last hand is two pairs which consists of two cards with one rank, two cards with another rank, and one other card known as a kicker. For example two Aces, two 5s, and a Queen would be considered as two pairs.
Finally, we have one pair which consists of two cards with the same rank and three other cards known as kickers. For example one pair of Kings with a Queen, 10 and 8 kicker would be considered as one pair.
In conclusion, knowing the order of poker hands is essential to playing the game well. It is important to remember that if multiple players have the same hand then it comes down to whoever has the highest ranking card or kicker in their hand. Now that you know these rankings you can go ahead and start playing poker like a pro!
