Before you can win at poker, you need to know what beats what. Memorizing hand rankings is the single most important first step — everything else builds on it.
The 10 Hands, Ranked
Hands are ranked from strongest to weakest. When two players both have the same hand type, the higher cards win.
1. Royal Flush
A K Q J 10 — all the same suit. The best possible hand in poker. It cannot be beaten. In a lifetime of play, most players see fewer than five.
2. Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit. Example: 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠. If two players have a straight flush, the higher top card wins.
3. Four of a Kind (Quads)
Four cards of the same rank. Example: K♠ K♥ K♦ K♣ 7♠. The fifth card (the “kicker”) breaks ties.
4. Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair. Example: J♠ J♥ J♦ 8♠ 8♥. Compare the three-of-a-kind rank first: J-J-J-8-8 beats 9-9-9-A-A.
5. Flush
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Example: A♣ 10♣ 7♣ 4♣ 2♣. Compare cards from highest to lowest to break ties.
6. Straight
Five consecutive cards of mixed suits. Example: 8♠ 7♥ 6♦ 5♣ 4♠. Ace can play high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (A-2-3-4-5, the “wheel”).
7. Three of a Kind (Trips / Set)
Three cards of the same rank. Example: 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ K♠ 2♥. Higher three-of-a-kind wins.
8. Two Pair
Two separate pairs. Example: Q♠ Q♥ 5♠ 5♦ A♣. Compare the higher pair first, then the lower pair, then the kicker.
9. One Pair
Two cards of the same rank. Example: J♠ J♦ A♥ 8♠ 3♣. Higher pair wins; ties broken by kickers.
10. High Card
No combination — your best hand is just your highest card. Example: A♠ K♦ 9♣ 6♥ 2♠ is “ace-high.”
A Memory Trick
Use this phrase to remember the order from weakest to strongest:
High card — Pair — Two pair — Trips — Straight — Flush — Full house — Quads — Straight flush — Royal flush
H-P-T-T-S-F-F-Q-S-R — not elegant, but it works.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting that the flush beats a straight. A lot of new players mix these up.
- Thinking two pair is strong. It’s the third-weakest hand. A single pair from your opponent that makes a full house on the board beats it.
- Misreading the board. Always check all five community cards — the best hand might not use your hole cards at all (you “play the board”).
What’s Next
Once you know hand rankings cold, the next thing to understand is position — where you sit relative to the dealer, and why it determines more of your win rate than anything else.