Poker Hand Rankings: Official Top 10 Poker Hands
Sheli DShare
In brief: A poker hand is a set of 5 cards forming a recognized hand according to the official rules. It determines the winner at showdown. There are 10 such hands, ranked from strongest to weakest.
The ranking of poker hands (from strongest to weakest):
Royal Flush → Straight Flush → Four of a Kind → Full House → Flush → Straight → Three of a Kind → Two Pair → One Pair → High Card
Whether you're new to the table with friends or about to play your first tournament, one truth stands above all else: mastering poker hands is the absolute prerequisite. Without this knowledge, it's impossible to know whether you should bet, call, or fold.
In Texas Hold'em—the most widely played variant in the world—each player receives 2 private cards and can combine them with the 5 community cards on the table to form the best possible 5-card hand. This final hand, at showdown, determines the winner of the pot.
This comprehensive guide provides you with everything you need: precise definitions, concrete examples with real cards, probabilities of occurrence, tie-breaking rules, and proven tips for memorizing the ranking in a few games. Follow the guide.
What is a poker hand?
A poker hand—also called a hand—is a set of 5 cards whose value is defined by the official rules of the game. Each hand has a name, a rank in the hierarchy, and a precise probability of appearance.
It's important to distinguish two concepts often confused by beginners:
- The starting hand: In Texas Hold'em, these are your 2 hole cards that only you can see. They provide indications of your potential but do not yet constitute a complete hand.
- The final hand: Formed by 5 cards by combining your private cards with the community cards on the board (flop, turn, river). This is what counts at showdown.
The game rules state that there are exactly 2,598,960 different possible hands in a 52-card deck. Of these millions of combinations, all fall into one of the 10 official categories. Knowing these categories is understanding the essence of poker logic.
Official Ranking of Poker Hands — From Strongest to Weakest
The harder a hand is to get, the more powerful it is. This principle is at the heart of the hand hierarchy. Here is the complete ranking of the 10 poker hands, with a definition, a visual example, its strategic strength, and its rarity for each.
#1 — Royal Flush
The supreme hand in poker. It consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10, all of the same suit. It is a special case of the Straight Flush—the highest possible.
Example:
There are only 4 possible Royal Flushes in the entire 52-card deck. If you get one, you cannot lose the pot. Play it slowly to maximize your winnings.
#2 — Straight Flush
Definition: Five consecutive cards of the same suit (excluding the royal version). In case of a tie between two straight flushes, the one with the highest card wins.
Example:
The smallest possible Straight Flush is A-2-3-4-5 of the same suit, where the Ace acts as a 1 to form the straight. This hand is called a Steel Wheel in jargon.
#3 — Four of a Kind
Definition: Four cards of the same rank, accompanied by a fifth card of any rank (the kicker). If two players have four of a kind, the one with the higher-ranked four of a kind wins.
Example:
Four of a kind is so strong that it's extremely rare to lose with it. The only hands that beat it are a Straight Flush or a Royal Flush. In practice, it's almost always a good idea to "slow-play" to extract maximum chips.
#4 — Full House
Definition: Three cards of the same rank (three of a kind) accompanied by a pair of two cards of the same rank. We say "Aces full of Kings" to describe a Full House consisting of three Aces and a pair of Kings.
Example:
In case of a tie, the rank of the three of a kind is compared first: Aces full always beats Kings full, regardless of the pair. If the three of a kind is identical (possible in Hold'em with the board), then the pair is compared.
#5 — Flush
Definition: Five cards of the same suit, not consecutive. The values of the cards can be any, as long as they all share the same suit.
Example:
In case of a tie, the cards of the flush are compared in descending order. An "Ace-high Flush" (the highest card is an Ace) is the best possible flush, excluding a Straight Flush. The suit (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) is irrelevant.
#6 — Straight
Definition: Five consecutive cards of different suits. The value of the highest card determines the strength of the straight in case of a tie.
Example:
The Ace can act as a 1 to form the smallest possible straight: Ace-2-3-4-5 (called a Wheel). However, the straight cannot "wrap around" the Ace: Q-K-A-2-3 is not a valid straight.
#7 — Three of a Kind
Definition: Three cards of the same rank accompanied by two unrelated cards. In Hold'em, we distinguish between a set (pair in hand + one community card) and trips (one card in hand + two community cards of the same rank).
Example:
A Set (pair in hand) is strategically superior to Trips (two community cards) because it is much harder for your opponents to detect. Three of a Kind beats Two Pair, but loses to Straight, Flush, Full House, and higher.
#8 — Two Pair
Definition: Two pairs of cards of the same rank, accompanied by a fifth card of any rank (the kicker). We compare the highest pair first, then the second pair, then the kicker if necessary.
Example:
Important: it's impossible to have three pairs in poker. Your hand always consists of exactly 5 cards. If you have the potential to form three pairs with your 7 cards in Hold'em, you automatically keep the two best pairs plus the best kicker.
#9 — One Pair
Definition: Two cards of the same rank, accompanied by three different cards (the kickers). The highest pair wins. If the pairs are identical, the kickers are compared one by one.
Example:
A Pair is the most common combination at the end of a Texas Hold'em hand. A pair of Aces (the highest possible) is often enough to win a pot, but a low pair can easily be beaten. The value of your kicker is often decisive.
#10 — High Card
Definition: None of the above combinations could be formed. The hand's strength is determined by the rank of the highest card, then by the next highest in case of a tie.
Example:
Contrary to popular belief, "High Card" is actually less frequent than a pair in Texas Hold'em, because with 7 cards available it's difficult to form nothing. It often remains sufficient to win the hand if the opponent also has nothing — that's the art of bluffing.
Summary table of poker combinations by rank
Here is the complete table of the 10 poker hands, ranked from strongest to weakest. Print it or save it to consult during your first games. Click here to download and print the poker combinations table
| # | Combination | Description | Example | Beats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A-K-Q-J-10 same suit | A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥ | Everything |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 5 consecutive cards same suit | 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ 8♣ 9♣ | #3 to #10 |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | 4 cards of the same rank | A♥ A♠ A♦ A♣ K♣ | #4 to #10 |
| 4 | Full House | Three of a Kind + Pair | A♥ A♠ A♦ K♣ K♥ | #5 to #10 |
| 5 | Flush | 5 cards of the same suit | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦ | #6 to #10 |
| 6 | Straight | 5 consecutive cards | 7♠ 8♥ 9♣ 10♦ J♠ | #7 to #10 |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | 3 cards of the same rank | Q♥ Q♠ Q♦ 9♣ 4♥ | #8 to #10 |
| 8 | Two Pair | 2 different pairs | J♠ J♥ 8♣ 8♦ A♥ | #9 and #10 |
| 9 | Pair | 2 cards of the same rank | K♠ K♥ 9♠ 5♦ 2♣ | #10 |
| 10 | High Card | No combination | A♥ J♠ 9♦ 6♣ 3♠ | Nothing |
Which combination wins in poker?
The basic rule is simple: the highest-ranked combination wins the pot. But in practice, tie situations regularly occur. Here's how to resolve them.
The kicker: the great tie-breaker
The kicker is the card(s) that do not directly form part of the combination but serve to break ties between two hands of the same rank. It is one of the most important concepts in Texas Hold'em poker.
Example: two players have a pair of Kings
Player A wins due to their Queen (Q) kicker beating Player B's Jack (J).
Tie-breaking rules according to combination
- Straight Flush / Straight: the highest card in the straight wins.
- Four of a Kind / Three of a Kind: the rank of the identical cards, then the kicker.
- Full House: first the rank of the three of a kind, then the pair.
- Flush: the 5 cards of the same suit are compared card by card, from highest to lowest.
- Two Pair: the highest pair, then the second pair, then the kicker.
- Pair: the rank of the pair, then up to 3 kickers.
Poker combination probabilities
Knowing the frequency of hands helps you make better decisions at the table. Two contexts must be distinguished: 5-card probabilities (basic theoretical calculation) and 7-card probabilities (Texas Hold'em reality).
| Combination | Possible combi. (5 cards) | Prob. on 5 cards | Prob. on 7 cards (Hold'em) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 4 | 0.000154 % | 0.0032 % |
| Straight Flush | 36 | 0.00139 % | 0.0279 % |
| Four of a Kind | 624 | 0.024 % | 0.168 % |
| Full House | 3,744 | 0.144 % | 2.60 % |
| Flush | 5,108 | 0.197 % | 3.03 % |
| Straight | 10,200 | 0.392 % | 4.62 % |
| Three of a Kind | 54,912 | 2.11 % | 4.83 % |
| Two Pair | 123,552 | 4.75 % | 23.5 % |
| Pair | 1,098,240 | 42.3 % | 43.8 % |
| High Card | 1,302,540 | 50.1 % | 17.4 % |
How to easily memorize poker combinations?
Remembering the 10 combinations in the correct order can seem daunting at first. In reality, with the right methods, it takes less than an hour. Here are the most effective techniques.
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Keep the table handy during your first gamesPrint or save the summary table above. Consulting it in real time naturally anchors the order in your memory without stress.
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Memorize the ranking in blocks of 3Divide the 10 hands into three groups: premium hands (Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind), strong hands (Full House, Flush, Straight), and common hands (Three of a Kind, Two Pair, Pair, High Card). Each group is easier to remember than a list of 10.
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Associate each hand with a mental imageRoyal Flush = a royal crown. Four of a Kind = four castle towers. Full House = a house. Flush = a monochrome rainbow. These images create memorable anchors.
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Recite the ranking backwardsOnce the ascending order is mastered, practice reciting from High Card to Royal Flush. This bidirectional exercise consolidates memorization more effectively.
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Play regularly — online or with friendsNothing replaces practice. After 5 to 10 games, recognizing hands becomes second nature. Apps like Poker Trainer allow you to practice without real money.
Differences between Texas Hold'em and Omaha combinations
The ranking of the 10 combinations is identical in the vast majority of variants. What changes is how you form them.
- 2 private cards + 5 community cards
- You can use 0, 1 or 2 of your hole cards
- The best 5-card hand from the 7 available
- The most widespread variant in the world
- 4 private cards + 5 community cards
- Must use exactly 2 hole cards and 3 from the board
- High combinations are more frequent
- A Flush or a Straight is often not enough to win
- Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, A-5 Lowball…
- The goal is to have the weakest hand
- Inverted ranking: High Card is the best hand
- Flushes and Straights do not count or count negatively
Common mistakes by beginners with combinations
Even with the ranking in mind, some mistakes are systematically made by new players. Here are the most common and how to avoid them.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions about poker hand rankings
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The best poker hand is the Royal Flush: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 of the same suit. It is absolutely unbeatable and occurs only once in every 649,740 5-card hands. There are only 4 possible in a 52-card deck (one for each suit).
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From strongest to weakest: Royal Flush → Straight Flush → Four of a Kind → Full House → Flush → Straight → Three of a Kind → Two Pair → One Pair → High Card. This ranking applies to Texas Hold'em and Omaha (and most standard variants).
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A Flush is stronger than a Straight. The Flush ranks 5th, and the Straight ranks 6th. A Flush (5 cards of the same suit) therefore always beats a Straight (5 consecutive cards of different suits).
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The most effective method combines several approaches: keeping the chart handy during the first games, memorizing hands in blocks (premium / strong / common), associating each combination with a mental image, and most importantly, playing regularly. Within 5 to 10 games, recognition becomes automatic.
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The Royal Flush is the rarest combination with 1 chance in 649,740 in 5-card poker. In Texas Hold'em (7 cards), the probability increases slightly to about 1 in 30,000, but remains extremely low. Some players play thousands of games without ever seeing one.
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No. Three of a Kind (3 cards of the same rank) is stronger than Two Pair. Three of a Kind ranks 7th, Two Pair ranks 8th. This is one of the most common mistakes among beginners: a player with Two Pair of Aces and Kings loses to any Three of a Kind, even Three of a Kind of 2s.
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