Poker Hand Rankings In Order (High To Low)
Here is the standard ranking order used in most poker games (including Texas Hold’em).
- Straight Flush (includes Royal Flush)
- Four Of A Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three Of A Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
Quick note: In Hold’em, you make your best five-card hand using any combination of your two hole cards and the five community cards.
If you want the full beginner roadmap (formats, strategy basics, bankroll, and safety), start with Online Poker Guide: Rules, Strategy & Tips. This article focuses on the part that makes decisions stable: knowing what beats what, and recognizing it fast on a screen.
Straight Flush (Including Royal Flush)
What it is: Five cards in sequence, all the same suit.
Example:
Board: 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 2♦ K♥
Your hand: 6♠ 5♠
Best hand: 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ (straight flush)
Royal flush is simply the highest straight flush: A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit.
Four Of A Kind (Quads)
What it is: Four cards of the same rank.
Example:
Board: Q♦ Q♣ Q♠ 7♥ 2♣
Your hand: Q♥ A♠
Best hand: Q♦ Q♣ Q♠ Q♥ A♠ (quads with ace kicker)
Beginner mistake: assuming quads “can’t happen.” Online poker shows more hands, so rare things appear more often than you expect.
Full House
What it is: Three of a kind + a pair.
Example:
Board: J♣ J♦ 4♠ 4♥ K♠
Your hand: J♠ 9♣
Best hand: J♣ J♦ J♠ 4♠ 4♥ (jacks full of fours)
If the board pairs twice, full houses are very possible. Don’t overvalue a flush or straight in these spots.
Flush
What it is: Five cards of the same suit (not in sequence).
Example:
Board: A♠ 9♠ 3♠ K♦ 7♥
Your hand: Q♠ 2♠
Best hand: A♠ Q♠ 9♠ 3♠ 2♠ (ace-high flush)
Tip: In Hold’em, the flush is determined by your top five suited cards. Kickers matter.
Straight
What it is: Five cards in sequence, mixed suits.
Example:
Board: 9♦ 8♣ 2♠ K♥ 7♠
Your hand: 6♥ 10♣
Best hand: 10♣ 9♦ 8♣ 7♠ 6♥ (straight)
Important: The ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A). It can’t wrap around (A-2-3-4-K is not a straight).
Three Of A Kind (Trips/Set)
What it is: Three cards of the same rank.
There are two common forms in Hold’em:
- Set: you have a pocket pair and hit a third on the board
- Trips: the board is paired and you hold the matching rank
Example (Set):
Board: 9♣ 6♦ 2♠ K♥ Q♣
Your hand: 6♠ 6♥
Best hand: 6♠ 6♥ 6♦ K♥ Q♣
Two Pair
What it is: Two different pairs, plus a kicker.
Example:
Board: A♦ 9♣ 9♦ 5♠ 2♥
Your hand: A♣ 7♠
Best hand: A♦ A♣ 9♣ 9♦ 7♠ (aces and nines)
Two pair is strong, but it can be dominated on coordinated boards where straights and flushes are possible.
One Pair
What it is: One pair plus three kickers.
Example:
Board: K♠ 10♦ 7♥ 3♣ 2♦
Your hand: K♦ 9♠
Best hand: K♠ K♦ 10♦ 9♠ 7♥ (pair of kings)
Beginner leak: treating one pair like a “monster.” It’s often just a medium-strength hand, especially against lots of action.
High Card
What it is: No pair, no straight, no flush. Highest card plays.
Example:
Board: A♦ J♣ 8♠ 4♥ 2♣
Your hand: K♠ 10♦
Best hand: A♦ K♠ J♣ 10♦ 8♠ (ace-high)
High card hands win more often than people think in heads-up pots, but rarely win big multiway pots.
The Fastest Way To Read The Board (Online Poker Habit)
Online poker gives you less time and more hands. You need a repeatable board-reading routine.
Use this quick scan every street:
Step 1: Is There A Made Hand On The Board?
Look for:
- paired board (full house / trips possible)
- three to a flush
- four to a straight
Step 2: What Is The Best Possible Hand?
Ask: “What’s the strongest thing someone can have here?”
Step 3: Where Does My Hand Fit?
- Am I value betting?
- Am I bluff-catching?
- Am I drawing?
If you want to stop making “autopilot” calls, this routine is huge.
Common Beginner Mistakes With Hand Rankings
These errors happen constantly, especially online.
- Forgetting the best five-card rule (playing six or seven cards mentally)
- Misreading straights (missing the “one-gap” sequences)
- Overvaluing one pair in multiway pots
- Ignoring paired boards (full houses and trips appear)
- Not counting suits (flushes complete more often than you think)
If you want the broader “leaks” list, pair this with Common Mistakes New Online Poker Players Make later in the series.
Real Hand Scenarios You’ll See All The Time
Scenario 1: “I Have Top Pair, I Must Be Good”
Board: A♣ 9♦ 4♠ 7♠ 2♦
You: A♥ J♠
You have top pair, good kicker. This is often a value hand, but it’s not invincible. Against heavy raising, you could be behind two pair or a set.
Scenario 2: “The Board Is Scary”
Board: K♠ Q♠ J♦ 10♠ 2♥
You: A♠ 9♣
You made a straight (A-K-Q-J-10), but the board has four spades, so flushes are possible. Hand strength isn’t just “what you have,” it’s what the board allows.
Scenario 3: “The Board Paired Twice”
Board: J♣ J♦ 4♠ 4♥ A♠
You: A♦ Q♣
You have two pair (aces and jacks) but the board itself is paired twice, meaning full houses are very possible. This is a classic spot where beginners overpay.
Quick Takeaways
- Memorize the ranking order once, then practice reading boards quickly
- In Hold’em, you always make the best five-card hand
- One pair is often not strong in multiway pots
- Paired boards and suited boards change everything
- Use a simple scan routine before you click call
Mini FAQ
What Is The Highest Hand In Poker?
A straight flush is the highest hand. A royal flush is the highest straight flush.
Does A Flush Beat A Straight?
Yes. Flush beats straight.
Can An Ace Be Low In A Straight?
Yes. A-2-3-4-5 is a valid straight (the “wheel”).
Where To Go Next
You’ve now locked in the hand ranking system, which makes every future decision more stable.
If you want to reinforce this, the best next move is to learn the skill that decides most beginner profit or loss online: what hands to play before the flop, and how to avoid bleeding chips with weak starts.
Continue with The Essentials Of Preflop Strategy In Online Poker.
