Expecting from Ivan - Poker Hands

Everyone sitting at the poker table for the first time faces the primary question: what are the poker hand rankings, and which is strongest? Understanding the hierarchy of hands is essential, as it forms the foundation without which a successful strategy cannot be built. This article is your complete guide to the world of poker hands.

Here, you will not only find the order of poker hands but also detailed examples, odds of getting them, and tips to help you avoid mistakes. We will cover everything from the 'Kicker' to the 'Royal Flush,' and at the end, you'll be able to download a handy cheat sheet.

What is a poker hand?

A poker hand (or a hand) consists of five cards that determine a player's strength in a round. In the most popular poker games such as Texas Hold'em, a player uses their two hole cards and five community cards on the table (board) to form the best possible five-card hand. The winner of the round is the one whose hand ranks higher compared to that of their opponents.

Poker hand rankings table

To quickly determine which hand is stronger, use this table. All poker hands are listed in order—from the strongest (Royal Flush) to the weakest (High Card)

Basic rules for comparing hands

Before we delve into each hand in detail, it is essential to grasp three fundamental rules that resolve 99% of disputed situations.

1. The kicker is the deciding factor. If two players have identical poker hands (e.g., both have a pair of Kings), the winner is determined by the kicker—the highest card not included in the main hand. If Player 1 has K-K-A-Q-J and Player 2 has K-K-A-Q-10, Player 1 wins thanks to the Jack (J) kicker, which is higher than the Ten (10).

2. The suits don't matter. In most poker games, including Texas Hold'em, all suits are equal. A spade flush is not stronger than a heart flush. The strength of a flush is determined only by the rank of its cards.

3. Split Pot. If players have completely identical five-card hands (including all kickers), the pot is split evenly between them.

Detailed analysis of each poker hand

Now let's dive into the details and examine all the card combinations thoroughly, with examples and advice.

1. High Card

[Image: Hand with high Ace card, no pairs or other matches]

Definition

This is the weakest possible hand, where you don't even have a pair. The strength of the hand is determined by the highest card.

Example

• Your cards: A♣ Q♦

• Community cards: 9♠ 7♥ 4♣ 2♠ J♦

• Your best five-card hand: A♣ Q♦ J♦ 9♠ 7♥ — "Ace High".

Probability

The chance of just having a high card is approximately 50.1%. This is the most common scenario in poker.

Tip for Beginners

With such a hand, you should almost always play passively or fold in response to aggression. Winning a hand with a high card is possible, but it usually happens if none of your opponents have managed to gather anything either.

2. One Pair

[Image: Hand with a pair of Kings and three other cards]

Definition

Two cards of the same rank. For example, two Jacks or two Sevens.

Example

• Your cards: K♠ Q♣

• Community cards: K♥ 9♦ 5♠ 2♣ J♥

• Your best hand: K♠ K♥ Q♣ J♥ 9♦ — "Pair of Kings" with Queen, Jack, and Nine kickers.

Probability

The chance of making a pair in Texas Hold'em on the river (with two random hole cards) is approximately 42.3%.

Tip for Beginners

The strength of a pair greatly depends on its rank (a pair of Aces is much stronger than a pair of Deuces) and on your kicker. A pair with a good kicker is a common winning hand.

3. Two Pair

[Image: Hand with two pairs, e.g., Aces and Eights]

Definition

Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

Example

• Your cards: A♥ 8♠

• Community cards: A♣ 8♦ Q♥ K♠ 2♣

• Your best hand: A♥ A♣ 8♠ 8♦ K♠ — "Two Pair, Aces and Eights" with King kicker.

Probability

The probability of making two pairs on five cards is about 4.75%.

Tip for Beginners

This is a strong hand, and with it, you should often bet for value (to increase the pot). Be wary of potential straights and flushes on the board.

4. Three of a Kind

[Image: Hand with three Nines]

Definition

Three cards of the same rank. There is a distinction between a "set" (you have a pocket pair, and the third card appears on the board) and "trips" (one card in your hand, two on the board). A set is considered a stronger and more deceptive hand.

Example

• Your cards: 9♠ 9♣ (pocket pair)

• Community cards: 9♥ K♦ 2♠ 5♣ J♦

• Your best hand: 9♠ 9♣ 9♥ K♦ J♦ — "Set of Nines".

Probability

The chance of hitting a set with a pocket pair on the flop is about 12%. The overall probability of making three of a kind is 2.1%.

Tip for Beginners

A set is a very powerful and often concealed hand. With it, you want to build the pot as much as possible, as you'll often be well ahead of your opponents.

5. Straight

[Image: Five cards in sequence, e.g., 5-6-7-8-9 of different suits]

Definition

Five cards of differing suits, in sequence. For example, 5-6-7-8-9. An Ace can be the highest card (A-K-Q-J-T) or the lowest (A-2-3-4-5).

Example

• Your cards: 7♥ 8♣

• Community cards: 5♠ 6♦ 9♥ K♠ 2♦

• Your best hand: 5♠ 6♦ 7♥ 8♣ 9♥ — "Straight from Five to Nine".

Probability

The chance of making a straight is about 0.39%.

Tip for Beginners

A straight is a strong hand but vulnerable to flushes and full houses. Always pay attention to how many cards of the same suit are on the board.

6. Flush

[Image: Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence]

Definition

Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.

Example

• Your cards: K♠ 9♠

• Community cards: A♠ Q♠ 5♠ 2♥ 7♣

• Your best hand: A♠ K♠ Q♠ 9♠ 5♠ — "Ace-high Flush".

Probability

The probability of making a flush is approximately 0.20%.

Tip for Beginners

When comparing two flushes, the winner is determined by the higher card in the combination. An Ace-high flush is the strongest. If there are 4 cards of the same suit on the board, be cautious: your opponent may have a higher flush.

7. Full House

[Image: Hand with three Jacks and two Fives]

Definition

A combination of three of a kind and a pair. For example, three Jacks and two Fives.

Example

• Your cards: J♠ J♣

• Community cards: J♥ 5♣ 5♦ K♠ 2♣

• Your best hand: J♠ J♣ J♥ 5♣ 5♦ — "Full House, Jacks over Fives".

Probability

The chance of making a full house is about 0.14%.

Tip for Beginners

This is one of the most powerful hands in poker. You only lose to a Four of a Kind, a Straight Flush, or a Royal Flush. Boldly raise and re-raise your opponents.

8. Four of a Kind

[Image: Hand with four Sevens]

Definition

Four cards of the same rank.

Example

• Your cards: 7♠ 7♦

• Community cards: 7♣ 7♥ K♠ 2♣ A♥

• Your best hand: 7♠ 7♦ 7♣ 7♥ A♥ — "Four of a Kind, Sevens" with an Ace kicker.

Probability

The chance of making four of a kind is only 0.024%. It is an extremely rare and strong hand.

Tip for Beginners

If you're lucky enough to get four of a kind, your main task is to extract the maximum value from your opponents. Fear no cards on the board, as you only lose to a higher four of a kind (which is nearly impossible) or a straight flush.

9. Straight Flush

[Image: Hand with five cards of the same suit in sequence, e.g., 5-6-7-8-9 of hearts]

Definition

Five cards of the same suit, in sequence.

Example

• Your cards: 8♥ 9♥

• Community cards: 5♥ 6♥ 7♥ Q♠ K♦

• Your best hand: 5♥ 6♥ 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ — "Nine-high Straight Flush".

Probability

The probability of making a straight flush is approximately 0.0014%.

Tip for Beginners

This is the second strongest poker hand. Getting it is a huge stroke of luck. With this hand, your job is to avoid scaring off your opponent and to win as large a pot as possible.

10. Royal Flush

[Image: Iconic hand A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit]

Definition

This is a special case of the straight flush—five highest cards of one suit from Ten to Ace. It is the absolute nuts, the strongest and most legendary poker hand.

Example

• Your cards: A♠ K♠

• Community cards: Q♠ J♠ 10♠ 3♥ 4♥

• Your best hand: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ — "Royal Flush"!

Probability

The chance of getting a Royal Flush is a minuscule 0.000154%. Many players don't get one in their lifetime.

Tip for Beginners

Congratulations! You have the best hand in poker. It cannot be beaten. Just think about how to take your opponent's entire stack.

Poker hand probabilities table

A visual representation of odds helps clarify how rare strong poker hands are.

[Image: Vertical or horizontal bar chart, where the length of bars clearly shows the difference in probabilities. The longest bar is "High Card," the shortest (barely visible) is "Royal Flush"]

Top 3 beginner mistakes in determining hands

1. Confusing the rank of a Straight and a Flush. Remember once and for all: A Flush always ranks higher than a Straight. Five cards of the same suit beat five cards in sequence.

2. Forgetting about the kicker. Two players with a pair of Aces don't always result in a split pot. The player with the higher next card (the kicker) wins. This is one of the key poker hand ranking rules.

3. Incorrectly defining a "low" straight. The combination A-2-3-4-5 is a straight (Ace as one). The combination Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight, just an Ace-high hand.

How to quickly remember all the combinations?

The best way is by practice. But to start, use mnemonics. Remember a simple sequence: pairs (one, two), three of a kind, sequence (straight), colour (flush), house (full house), four of a kind, coloured sequence (straight flush). And to ensure the hand ranking table is always at hand, download our PDF cheat sheet.

[Button: Download Poker Combinations PDF Cheat Sheet]

Now you know all about poker hand rankings. You understand what a kicker is, how to compare hands, and how rare truly strong card combinations are. This is the first and most crucial step towards meaningful play.

But knowing combinations is just the beginning. True poker starts when you learn to read opponents' hands, make the right bets, and avoid expensive mistakes.

Want to take the next step and turn knowledge into real money?

Get the first lesson of our flagship course "FF-Start" absolutely free!

 In it, a professional coach will explain the fundamental concepts that will help you start winning today.

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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about combinations

• Which is higher, a set or trips? 

Technically, they are the same combination—a three of a kind. But a "set" (pocket pair + card on the board) is considered more valuable because it is harder for opponents to read.

• Do suits matter when comparing? 

No. A spade flush is equal in strength to a heart flush. The strength is determined only by the rank of the cards.

• Which combinations most often win in Texas Hold'em? 

While everyone dreams of the royal flush, most pots are won by simple Texas Hold'em combinations—one or two pairs. Skillfully playing these is what distinguishes a strong player.