Since its introduction in the 1800s, the game of Poker has evolved to take the form of numerous popular Poker variations. While the gameplay rules and other aspects of all these Poker variations are different, they have one thing in common. As a player, your main aim in almost all Poker games is to form the best five-card hand.
So, knowing the different Poker hand rankings and how they’re formed is of paramount importance. Here’s a look at the different hand combinations in standard Poker and other popular game versions.
Royal Flush
This the best hand to have in Poker. A Royal Flush comprises five top cards Each of these cards must be of the same suit. A Royal Flush in Video Poker gameshat rare, with odds of drawing such a hand being 1 in 649,740. But having a Royal Flush means you’ll get a substantial payout.
Straight Flush
This is the second-best hand you can have in Poker. A Straight Flush consists of five cards in sequence and from the same suit. For example, J-10-9-8-7 (all spades) form a Straight Flush in Poker. If there are two Straight Flushes, the one with the higher-ranking card is deemed the winner. According to the top Poker books, the odds of having a Straight Flush in Poker are 72,192.
Four of a Kind
This Poker hand is made up of four cards carrying the same rank. This card combination is also known as “Quads” and is called ‘Poker.
When comparing two Four of a Kinds, the higher set of four cards wins. For instance, between the two sequences 5-5-5-5-2 and 4-4-4-4-A, the former is the higher one. The odds of having a Four of a Kind in Poker games are 1:4,167.
Full House
Three cards of the same rank and a pair of other ranks make the Full House card combination. For example, three fours and two eights form a Full House in Poker.
When comparing two Full House hands, the ranking of the initial three cards is used to determine which one is higher. That way, 5-5-5-2-2 is beaten by 7-7-7-3-3. There is one in 693 chances of having a Full House in Poker.
Flush
A Flush consists of five cards of the same suit at land-based and online casinos. But note that the cards don’t need to be in sequence here. An example of Flush would be Q-J-T-7-2, all of which belong to the hearts suit.
If two players have a Flush, the highest card determines the winner. If the highest cards are also the same, then the next card from both sequences is compared; if they are the same too, the third card from both combinations is compared, and so on. Getting a Flush in Poker has odds of 1 in 508.
Straight
In Poker games, a Straight combination is made up of five consecutive cards that are of different suits. An example of a Straight card combination is Queen (hearts) – Joker (diamonds) – 10 (Spades) – 9 (clubs) – 8 (diamonds).
If two players hold Straight sequences, the one with the highest top card is deemed the winner. Getting a Straight card combination in Poker has comparatively better chances, with the odds of drawing such a hand being 1 in 132.
Three of a Kind
The name of this combination says it all. A Three of a Kind consists of three cards of the same rank in Poker games. The other two cards can be of any rank. An example of a Three of a Kind is 7-7-7-3-2. Regardless of whether you use the Video Poker strategy, the odds of having this hand are 1 in 46.3 times.
Two Pair
In most card-based games, a Pair is made up of two identical cards. As for the Two Pair, it consists of two pairs of different ranks, such as 7-7-6-6-2. The chances of getting a Two Pair in Poker are one in 20 times.
Pair
A hand combination comprising a single pair is called Pair in Poker games. An example of a Pair would be 7-8-8-K-Q. As for the drawing odds, they are one in 2 times here.
High card
These five cards don’t make any of the above Poker hands. An example of a high card is A-4-6-T-K.
Summing Up
So, these were the Poker hand rankings you needed to know about. You can now make more informed decisions at Poker tables. If you want to learn about the origins and evolution of Poker, then check our article on Poker history. Happy gaming!