If you’re new to poker, you must learn about hand rankings. It is because hand rankings determine who the winner is in a poker game. Without knowing how {{poker hands ranked}, you’ll be severely disadvantaged when playing against other players that have memorized them.
The good news is that poker hand rankings are pretty simple, as you need to be aware of only a handful of things related to card and hand rankings. Here’s a quick rundown of the most important ones:
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The Ace Is The Strongest Card
It’s important to know poker card rankings as much as hand rankings, as it determines which hand is strongest in case two are of a similar combination. For example, between two flushes, the one with higher cards wins. And the Ace is the highest card in poker. So if you have an Ace in a particular hand combination, you have a stronger hand compared to other players with a similar hand combination.
The Royals Come After The Ace
Playing cards were not invented during the Middle Ages in Europe. Instead, they go way back to the first few centuries. Some say they were from Egypt, while others argue they’re from China. And aside from the King, the original playing cards from these cultures did not have the other two royals.
But because the West popularized these cards, they have stuck and become among the strongest cards in most games that use the standard deck. Poker is no exception, which is why the second highest card in poker is the King. While not as powerful as an Ace, a King can still win you a lot of hands.
The third highest card in poker is the Queen. Like the King, the Queen is a powerful card that can help you win a lot of hands. And the last of the royals is Jack. While not as strong as the Ace, King, or Queen, it is still a very valuable card. Many professional poker players consider the Jack one of the deck’s most important cards.
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The Ten Is The Final High Card
The fifth and final high card in poker is the Ten. While not as strong as the other high cards, the Ten is not any less important than the Ace or the royals.
The Royal Flush Is The Strongest Hand
Since we’re on the topic of the high cards, it’s time to learn about the highest hand in poker: the Royal Flush. A Royal Flush is a hand that contains the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit. You’ll take the pot if you’re lucky enough to get this hand.
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Low Card Rankings
There are also Low Card rankings in poker. These cards will typically lose you the hand in Omaha and Texas Holdem poker hands if you go up against players with the same hand combination but better cards. Nevertheless, there are situations where they will not negatively affect your hand, so don’t fold just because you got these cards. After Ten, the last high card, it goes Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, and the lowest of them all, Two.
An interesting thing you should know about is the “Two-to-Seven” Ranking. It is the lowest hand ranking in poker, and it’s used in games like Omaha Hi-Lo and Stud. However, in Omaha Hi and free Texas Holdem hands, it isn’t very helpful unless played as a part of a hand. And even then, hands with Twos lose against similar hands with higher cards.
Straights, Flushes, and Straight Flushes
Straights contain five cards of sequential order regardless of suit, and flushes are five cards sharing the same suit but of varying order. They’re respectively the sixth and fifth in poker hand strength.
Then there’s the Straight Flush, which, as the name suggests, is a mix of both. While not as strong as a Royal Flush, a Straight Flush is the second strongest hand. That means you can take down a good number of pots with it.
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The Four Of A Kind Is The Third Strongest Hand
The third strongest hand in poker is the Four of a Kind. A Four of a Kind is a hand with four cards of the same rank and an unpaired card that has no bearing on the hand. While not as strong as a Straight Flush or Royal Flush, a Four of a Kind can win you pots, but you have to be very keen on your opponent’s hands.
The Full House Comes Next
The fourth strongest hand in poker is the Full House, which consists of three cards of the same rank and a pair. While not as strong as a Four of a Kind, a Full House is nothing to scoff at. After all, it wouldn’t be one of poker’s most well-known hands if it was feeble.
Low-Ranking Hands
With the more popular and higher-ranking cards out of the way, it’s time to move on to low-ranking hands. Because they aren’t strong hands, the general rule is to fold when you get them and feel that someone else has at least a Full House.
These consist of Three of a Kind, Two Pair, Pair, and a High Card. The highest is the Three of a Kind, three cards of the same rank that don’t have a pair. It beats a Pair and Two Pair but nothing else. It is followed by Two Pairs, a Pair, and a High Card.
The Bottom Line
Learning the different hand rankings in poker is essential if you want to be successful at the game. Without knowing them, you’ll be at a severe disadvantage against other players who do. So take the time to learn them and memorize them. It’ll pay off in the long run.
