Skip to rankings

Public reference · Texas Hold’em

Poker hand rankings

Ten standard hands, ordered from strongest to weakest. Compare exactly five cards.

Build your best five

Use the strongest five-card combination available from your hole cards and the board.

  1. Royal flush

    Definition: Ten, jack, queen, king, and ace in the same suit.

    Tie-break: All royal flushes tie; suits never rank above one another.

  2. Straight flush

    Definition: Five consecutive ranks in the same suit, below a royal flush.

    Tie-break: Compare the highest card; A–2–3–4–5 counts as five-high.

  3. Four of a kind

    Definition: Four cards of one rank plus one other card.

    Tie-break: Compare the four-of-a-kind rank, then the kicker.

  4. Full house

    Definition: Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

    Tie-break: Compare the three-of-a-kind rank, then the pair rank.

  5. Flush

    Definition: Five cards of the same suit that are not consecutive.

    Tie-break: Compare cards from highest to lowest until one differs.

  6. Straight

    Definition: Five consecutive ranks in more than one suit.

    Tie-break: Compare the highest card; the ace-low A–2–3–4–5 straight is five-high.

  7. Three of a kind

    Definition: Three cards of one rank plus two cards of different ranks.

    Tie-break: Compare the three-of-a-kind rank, then each kicker from highest to lowest.

  8. Two pair

    Definition: Two cards of one rank, two of another rank, and one kicker.

    Tie-break: Compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the kicker.

  9. One pair

    Definition: Two cards of one rank plus three cards of different ranks.

    Tie-break: Compare the pair rank, then the three kickers from highest to lowest.

  10. High card

    Definition: Five cards that make none of the categories above.

    Tie-break: Compare cards from highest to lowest until one differs.

Before the showdown

Beginner essentials

Ace-low straight: Ace can sit below 2 in A–2–3–4–5. That straight is five-high, the weakest straight.

Kickers: Unpaired side cards settle ties after the made hand is compared, highest first.

Board plays: If the five community cards are your strongest hand, your hole cards do not improve it.

Exact ties: If players share the same best five ranks—often from a shared board—the pot is split. Suits never break the tie.