Straight Flush
Five cards in a sequence in the same suit are called a straight flush.
If two straight flushes compete, the hand with the highest-ranking cards
in the flush sequence wins. For example, a hand composed of A-K-Q-J-10
(Royal Flush) beats a hand composed of K-Q-J-10-9. The royal flush is
the highest standard hand and beats all other hands.
Four of a Kind
Any four cards of the same rank form four of a kind. If two players have
four of a kind, the hand with the four higher cards wins.
Full House
Three of a kind and one pair form a full house. The full house with three
of a kind with highest-ranking cards wins against another full house with
lower ranking three of a kind.
Flush
A hand of any five cards all of the same suit is called a flush. A flush
with the highest-ranking cards beats another flush hand. If the highest
cards from each players hand tie, the next highest-ranking cards determine
the winner, and so on.
Straight
A hand of any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit is a straight.
The straight with the highest-ranking cards at the head of the sequence
is the winner against another straight hand. The highest possible straight
is A-K-Q-J-10. The lowest possible straight is 5-4-3-2-A.
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank, such as three 8s, form three of a kind.
The highest-ranking three cards wins against another three of a kind.
Three aces are the highest; three 2s are the lowest.
Two Pair
Two cards of the same rank and two matching cards of any other rank form
two pair. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another
hand of two pair. If the highest-ranking pair ties, the hand with the
second highest-ranking pair wins. If all the pairs in both hands tie,
the hand with the highest-ranking fifth card wins.
One Pair
Any two cards of the same rank form one pair. The hand with the highest-ranking
pair wins against another hand of one pair. If both hands have the same
pair, the highest ranking unmatched card in the hand determines the winner.
If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched
cards are compared, and so on.
High Card
A hand with no matched cards is called high card. The hand is commonly
referred to as the “runt!” With two competing high card hands, the hand
with the highest-ranking card wins. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards
tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on.
Other Poker Hand Rules Rules
For Aces
In a straight, the Ace can rank either high or low, depending on the card
sequence. The ace is high in the sequence A-K-Q-J-10. Aces rank low in
the sequence 5-4-3-2-A. You cannot use the ace to wrap a lower sequence
with a higher sequence, such as 3-2-A-K-Q. Aces rank high in all other
hands except an ace is low in a low hand (high/low) game.
Poker Hand Resolution
All poker hands are resolved using the best 5-card hand. The exceptions
are in games such as three card poker and Pai Gow Poker where 2 and 3-card
hands are used to resolve the hands.
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