The 10 Poker Hand Rankings in Texas Hold'em
Knowing hand rankings is the absolute foundation of poker. In Texas Hold'em, you make the best five-card hand from any combination of your two hole cards and five community cards. Here are all ten hands, ranked from strongest to weakest.
| Rank | Hand | Example | Approx. Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ | Extremely rare |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ 10♥ J♥ | Very rare |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | K♣ K♦ K♥ K♠ 3♦ | Rare |
| 4 | Full House | Q♠ Q♣ Q♦ 9♥ 9♠ | Uncommon |
| 5 | Flush | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦ | Uncommon |
| 6 | Straight | 5♣ 6♥ 7♦ 8♠ 9♣ | Moderate |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | J♠ J♦ J♥ 4♣ 9♠ | Moderate |
| 8 | Two Pair | A♠ A♣ 7♦ 7♥ K♣ | Common |
| 9 | One Pair | 10♠ 10♥ A♦ 6♣ 3♠ | Very common |
| 10 | High Card | A♠ J♣ 9♦ 6♥ 2♣ | Most common |
Hand Descriptions in Detail
Royal Flush
The unbeatable hand — Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all of the same suit. No hand can beat it. If two players somehow hold a royal flush, the pot is split.
Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit. The highest card determines the winner if two players hold straight flushes. An Ace can be used as a low card to form A-2-3-4-5 (the "wheel" straight flush).
Four of a Kind (Quads)
All four cards of the same rank. Ties are broken by the rank of the four-of-a-kind, then the kicker (fifth card).
Full House
Three cards of one rank and two of another. A full house of Queens over Nines (QQQ-99) beats Jacks over Aces (JJJ-AA) because the three-of-a-kind component ranks higher.
Flush
Any five cards of the same suit (not in sequence). Compare the highest card, then work down through each card to determine a winner.
Straight
Five consecutive cards of any suit. Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (A-2-3-4-5). The highest top card wins in a tie.
Three of a Kind (Trips or a Set)
Three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated cards. "Trips" use one hole card; a "set" uses a pocket pair plus a board card — sets are generally stronger as they're harder to read.
Two Pair
Two different pairs. The higher pair wins a tie; if identical, the lower pair is compared, then the kicker.
One Pair
Two cards of matching rank. Determined by the pair's rank first, then up to three kicker cards.
High Card
No combination is made. The player with the highest card wins, with ties broken by comparing cards in descending order.
Common Tiebreaker Mistakes to Avoid
- Remember that suits never determine a winner in Texas Hold'em — no suit is ranked higher than another.
- In a full house, the three-of-a-kind part ranks first — Aces full of Twos (AAA-22) beats Kings full of Aces (KKK-AA).
- The board can sometimes play — if the five community cards form a better hand than any player's hole cards, the pot is split.