Pillar Guide
Poker Hand Rankings, In Order
Quick Answer
From best to worst: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. This order is the same across nearly every standard poker variant, including Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and seven-card stud.
Key Takeaways
- The ranking order is fixed — a flush always beats a straight, everywhere you play standard poker.
- Suits have no relative rank in standard poker; a flush in spades is worth exactly the same as a flush in hearts.
- When two players have the same hand category, the tie is broken by card rank, then by kickers.
- Some home games use non-standard variants (like lowball); always confirm the ranking system before you play for money.
Table of Contents
The full ranking ladder
- 1Royal FlushA♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
- 2Straight Flush9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
- 3Four of a Kind9♣ 9♦ 9♥ 9♠ 2♣
- 4Full HouseK♦ K♠ K♣ 4♥ 4♠
- 5FlushA♦ J♦ 8♦ 6♦ 2♦
- 6Straight10♠ 9♥ 8♦ 7♣ 6♠
- 7Three of a Kind7♥ 7♦ 7♠ K♣ 4♦
- 8Two PairQ♣ Q♦ 6♥ 6♠ 2♣
- 9One Pair10♥ 10♦ K♠ 7♣ 3♦
- 10High CardA♠ J♦ 8♥ 5♣ 2♠
Each hand explained
1. Royal Flush
A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ — Ace-high straight flush. The best possible hand in standard poker.
2. Straight Flush
9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ — Five consecutive cards, all the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind
9♣ 9♦ 9♥ 9♠ 2♣ — Four cards of the same rank, plus any fifth card (the kicker).
4. Full House
K♦ K♠ K♣ 4♥ 4♠ — Three of a kind plus a separate pair.
5. Flush
A♦ J♦ 8♦ 6♦ 2♦ — Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
6. Straight
10♠ 9♥ 8♦ 7♣ 6♠ — Five consecutive cards of mixed suits.
7. Three of a Kind
7♥ 7♦ 7♠ K♣ 4♦ — Three cards of the same rank, plus two unrelated cards.
8. Two Pair
Q♣ Q♦ 6♥ 6♠ 2♣ — Two separate pairs, plus a fifth card.
9. One Pair
10♥ 10♦ K♠ 7♣ 3♦ — Two cards of the same rank, plus three unrelated cards.
10. High Card
A♠ J♦ 8♥ 5♣ 2♠ — No pair or better — ranked by the highest card, then the next-highest, and so on.
How ties are broken
When two players hold the same category of hand, the winner is decided by comparing card ranks in order:
- Same category, different ranks: the higher-ranked cards win. Two pair of queens beats two pair of sixes.
- Identical ranks: the highest unmatched card (the "kicker") decides it. Two players with a pair of tens each split the difference on their remaining three cards.
- Truly identical hands: the pot is split evenly between the tied players. This is common when the best hand is made using all five community cards.
Common misconception: a full house does not automatically beat a flush because it "uses more cards" — it beats a flush because full house is a rarer, higher-ranked category. The ranking order is based on statistical rarity, not the number of matching cards.
Common mistakes
- Assuming any straight beats any flush — it's the reverse; flush always outranks straight.
- Forgetting that suit has no bearing on hand strength in standard poker (no suit is "higher" than another).
- Misreading a "wheel" straight (A-2-3-4-5), where the ace counts as low, not high.
FAQ
Is a straight flush better than four of a kind?
Yes. A straight flush (five consecutive cards of the same suit) outranks four of a kind. It's the second-best possible hand after a royal flush.
Can an ace be both high and low?
Yes, but only at the ends of a straight. An ace can complete A-K-Q-J-10 (high) or A-2-3-4-5 (low, sometimes called "the wheel"), but it can't sit in the middle of a straight like Q-K-A-2-3.
Related Reading
Sources
Hand rankings reflect the standard order used across major poker tours, licensed cardrooms, and widely published rulebooks such as Robert's Rules of Poker.
Practice reading hands at real tables
Black Chip Poker spreads Texas Hold'em and Omaha on the Winning Poker Network, so you can put this ranking ladder to work at the tables.
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