Poker hand rankings

In this article, we’ll break down all poker hand rankings in detail, show examples of each hand, and explain how the winner is determined at showdown. 

This is foundational knowledge—without it, you cannot move forward to understanding ranges, poker maths, and building a profitable strategy.

Poker Hand Ranking Chart

Below are all poker combinations by rank, from weakest to strongest.

Now let’s discuss each combination individually. 

What Each Poker Hand Means

We’ll cover not only definitions, but also real in-game examples, so it’s clear exactly how hands are formed and how the winner is determined at showdown.

It’s important to remember one core rule: in Texas Hold’em, a player’s final hand always consists of the best five cards that can be made from their two hole cards and the five community cards on the board. 

Sometimes both hole cards are used in the final hand, sometimes only one, and sometimes a player uses only the board cards.

High Card

The weakest possible hand in poker is a high card, often referred to in comparison spots via the kicker. You have this when none of the available cards can form any other combination: no pair, no straight, no flush.

In that case, hand strength is determined by the highest card, and if that ties between players, the next cards are compared in descending order.

In this spot, we have no pair and no other made hand, so our holding is ace-high.

Although this hand appears weak, in practice it can still win the pot—especially if no player improves post-flop*.

If an opponent has, for example, K♣️Q♣️, we win the hand because an ace outranks a king.

*Post-flop in poker is the stage of the game that begins after the first three community cards (the flop) are dealt. 

You can learn more about betting rounds in poker in our article. Click through and read it. 

What Is a Kicker in Poker

A kicker is a card that is not part of the main combination but is used to determine the winner when players have the same hand type.

You encounter kickers quite often, because many poker combinations can be shared by multiple players at once. In these situations, side cards determine whose hand is stronger.

Let’s look at an example. 

In this case, both players have the same combination—a pair of aces. However, the first player has the higher kicker—a king—while the second has a queen.

Therefore, the pot is won by the higher kicker. 

One Pair

A pair is one of the most common combinations in poker. It consists of two cards of the same rank and three additional cards. 

We make a pair quite frequently—roughly every second hand that reaches showdown features this combination for at least one player.

In this case, we have a pair of queens with a strong ace kicker*. If the opponent also has a pair of queens, the winner is decided by the kickers.

Our highest kicker is an ace, so we win the hand unless the opponent has a stronger combination or the exact same five-card hand. 

A pair often looks like a modest holding, but in practice it is very often the winning hand at showdown. 

*A kicker is a card that does not directly form the player’s poker combination, but determines the winner at showdown when multiple players have identical combinations. 

Two Pair

Two pair is formed when we have two different pairs and one additional card.

This combination appears less often than one pair, but still comes up regularly in play.

In this example, we have two pair—kings and eights. When two players both hold two pair, we determine the winner by the stronger pair first. 

For example, kings and eights beat kings and twos. 

Three of a Kind

Three of a kind is a combination of three cards of the same rank. In poker terminology, we distinguish two variants:

• A set—when we hold a pocket pair and the third card appears on the board.

• Trips—when we hold one card, and two matching cards are on the board.

By the rules, it is the same hand class, but strategically these spots are played differently.

In the example above, we have a set of nines. A set is considered a very strong hand because it is difficult for opponents to put us on exactly three of a kind.

In this case, we have trips jacks. If two players show three of a kind, we compare the rank of the trips first. For example, three jacks always beat three nines; if the trips are identical, the winner is determined by the kicker. 

Straight

A straight is a sequence of five consecutive cards. Suits do not matter here. The key condition is that the cards must run in order.

In this example, we made a nine-high straight. An interesting feature of straights is that an ace can play a dual role.

It can be used as either the highest card or the lowest. 

In the case above, we made an ace-to-ten straight. 

And in this case, we made a five-high straight (wheel). 

If two players have a straight, the winner is determined by the highest card in the sequence.

Flush

A flush is a combination of five cards of the same suit that do not form a sequence. It is a strong hand that often wins sizeable pots.

In this case, we made an ace-high flush. If two players have a flush, suits are not compared. We compare card ranks within the flush.

First, the highest flush card is compared, then the next one.

For example, A♦️K♦️J♦️9♦️7♦️ is stronger than Q♦️J♦️T♦️8♦️3♦️

Players sometimes mistakenly treat a low flush as invulnerable, but in practice an opponent can make a higher flush.

Full House

A full house is a combination made up of three of a kind and a pair. It appears relatively rarely and is usually a very strong hand.

Here is an example of a full house: three queens and two sevens. When two players have a full house, we compare the trips first, then the pair. 

If one player has the higher trips, they win. If the trips are identical, the pair strength is evaluated: the player with the stronger pair takes the pot. 

Four of a Kind

Four of a kind is a combination of four cards of the same rank and one additional card. It is one of the rarest and strongest hands in poker.

In this example, we hold quad jacks. If two players show quads, the winner is determined by the rank of the four cards. 

For example, quad aces beat quad kings.

If all four cards are on the board, the winner is determined by the kicker.

Straight Flush

A straight flush is a combination that satisfies both straight and flush conditions at the same time: five consecutive cards of the same suit. It is an exceptionally rare and powerful hand.

In this hand, we have a king-high straight flush. If two players make a straight flush, the winner is determined by the highest card in the sequence.

Royal Flush

Royal flush is the strongest possible hand in poker. It looks like this: 

That is, five consecutive cards of the same suit from ace to ten. The probability of making this hand is extremely small—approximately 1 in 649,000.

The Difference Between a Hand and a Combination

In training materials and poker discussions, the words “hand” and “combination” are often used as synonyms. In practice this is acceptable, but from a rules perspective there is an important distinction between these concepts.

Combination is a specific type of card pattern that has its own place in the hand-strength hierarchy. These combinations include pair, two pair, set, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, and others. They determine which hand is stronger at showdown.

Hand is the final five-card holding we form from the available cards in a deal. In Texas Hold’em, a player has two hole cards and there are five community cards on the board. From these seven cards, we always choose the best five, which form the final hand.

In practical terms, this distinction matters because at showdown we always compare final five-card hands, not just the presence of combinations. A player may hold a pair in the hole, but if the board contains stronger cards, those may make up the final hand instead.

That is why experienced players think not only about combinations, but about which five cards ultimately make their best hand.

What Happens If Players Have the Same Combination

When two players show the same hand type at showdown, comparison follows strict rules.

1. First, compare the main part of the combination

2. If that is equal, compare kickers

3. If those are also equal, the pot is split

For example:

• Pair vs pair: compare the pair rank, then the three kickers

• Two pair vs two pair: first the top pair, then the lower pair, then the kicker

• Trips vs trips: first the trips, then kickers

• Full house vs full house: first the trips, then the pair

• Straight vs straight: highest card in the sequence

• Flush vs flush: compare cards in descending order

Suits do not affect hand comparison in poker. This is one of the core principles. A spade flush is not higher than a diamond flush just because it is spades. Comparison is based strictly on ranks.

If the best five cards are completely identical for both players, the result is a split pot—the pot is divided equally.

What Beginners Need to Understand Beyond Hand Rankings

Learning poker hand rankings is only the first step. Next, a player needs to understand two things.

Poker is not a game where you simply wait for a big hand. You don’t win only at showdown. You also win when you know the rules of poker, understand position in poker, and can read the board in poker, while also learning to think in ranges rather than in terms of one specific card.

In addition, strong and weak hands are decided not on the river, but from starting hand selection. Not every hand deserves to enter the pot. That is exactly why, after learning combinations, it is useful to move on to starting hands in poker. We have carefully prepared an article on this topic for you—click through and read. 

Conclusion

Poker hand rankings are the foundation of the entire game. Without understanding how poker hands are formed, how kickers work, and why one holding beats another, it is impossible to feel confident during a hand.

But it’s crucial to go beyond memorisation. A player must not only know that a full house beats a flush, and that four of a kind is beaten only by a straight flush and a royal flush. They need to understand how these hands emerge from board texture, how often they occur, how they are compared, and how they influence long-term strategy.

At FunFarm, this is exactly how we build training: so players understand not isolated facts, but the game system as a whole. Follow the link and become part of our close-knit team.