In Hold ‘em and Omaha Poker, the ranking of each card used in a five-card high poker hand goes from highest to lowest: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2.
All suits are considered equal in rank. Additionally, the Ace can be considered low if it starts a straight or a straight flush.
Before you start playing on poker tables, it’s essential to know the basic hand rankings. Here are the 10 hands every player should be familiar with before joining the game:
Royal Flush: The best possible poker hand. It consists of the 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all of the same suit (e.g. all hearts).
Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of spades).
Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank (e.g. four Aces).
Full House: Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank (e.g. three Kings and two Queens).
Flush: Five cards of the same suit (e.g. any five diamonds).
Straight: Five consecutive cards of different suits (e.g. 3 of hearts, 4 of clubs, 5 of spades, 6 of hearts, and 7 of diamonds).
Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank (e.g. three Jacks).
Two Pair: Two sets of two cards of the same rank (e.g. two 8s and two Queens).
One Pair: Two cards of the same rank (e.g. two 5s).
High Card: When no player has any of the above hands, the highest card in their hand is considered the “high card.” The highest card wins in the event of a tie.
In the event of a tie between two players with the same hand, the tie-breaker is determined by the highest card or cards in their hand. If those are also the same, the second-highest card is used for the tie-breaker, and so on until the tie is resolved. If the players have identical hands, the pot is split equally between them.
