EN
Italiano
NederlandsPoker Hand Rankings
The ten poker hands from best to worst, with an example of each and the exact odds of being dealt it. Then test yourself: name the hand, and pick the winner at a Hold'em showdown.
Poker hands ranked from best to worst
Odds are for the cards you're dealt: five cards, or the best five of seven as in Texas Hold'em.
- 1AKQJ10Five cards: 1 in 649,740
Royal flush
Ace, king, queen, jack and ten of the same suit: the best hand in poker.
Seven cards: 0.0032% - 298765Five cards: 1 in 72,193
Straight flush
Five cards in sequence, all of one suit. The higher top card wins.
Seven cards: 0.028% - 3QQQQ7Five cards: 1 in 4,165
Four of a kind
Four cards of the same rank. Higher quads win; the fifth card breaks a tie.
Seven cards: 0.168% - 4KKK44Five cards: 1 in 694.2
Full house
Three of a kind plus a pair. The three cards decide first, then the pair.
Seven cards: 2.60% - 5AJ862Five cards: 1 in 508.8
Flush
Five cards of one suit, not in sequence. The highest card decides, then the next.
Seven cards: 3.03% - 6109876Five cards: 1 in 254.8
Straight
Five cards in sequence, any suits. The ace can be high (10 to ace) or low (ace to 5).
Seven cards: 4.62% - 7777K2Five cards: 1 in 47.3
Three of a kind
Three cards of the same rank and two others. Also called trips, or a set.
Seven cards: 4.83% - 8JJ55AFive cards: 1 in 21.0
Two pair
Two different pairs. The higher pair decides, then the lower pair, then the fifth card.
Seven cards: 23.50% - 91010A84Five cards: 1 in 2.37
One pair
Two cards of the same rank. Equal pairs are decided by the other three cards.
Seven cards: 43.82% - 10AQ963Five cards: 1 in 2.00
High card
No pair, straight or flush: the highest card plays, then the next highest.
Seven cards: 17.41%
Test yourself
Name the best hand from seven cards, or pick the winner of a Hold'em showdown. Every rank comes up equally often in the first quiz.
How ties are broken
Compare the hand ranks
A higher-ranked hand always wins: any flush beats any straight, however high the straight.
Then the cards that make the hand
Between two hands of the same rank, the higher pair, three of a kind or top card wins. In a full house the three cards count first.
Then the kickers
If those are equal too, compare the remaining cards of each best five, highest first. The first difference decides.
Split if all five match
Identical five-card hands split the pot. Suits never rank: a flush in hearts is no better than one in spades.
Poker hand odds and probabilities
Exact counts from checking every possible hand: 2,598,960 five-card hands and 133,784,560 seven-card hands.
| Hand | Five-card hands | Five cards: 1 in | Seven-card hands | Seven cards: chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 4 | 649,740 | 4,324 | 0.0032% |
| Straight flush | 36 | 72,193 | 37,260 | 0.028% |
| Four of a kind | 624 | 4,165 | 224,848 | 0.168% |
| Full house | 3,744 | 694.2 | 3,473,184 | 2.60% |
| Flush | 5,108 | 508.8 | 4,047,644 | 3.03% |
| Straight | 10,200 | 254.8 | 6,180,020 | 4.62% |
| Three of a kind | 54,912 | 47.3 | 6,461,620 | 4.83% |
| Two pair | 123,552 | 21.0 | 31,433,400 | 23.50% |
| One pair | 1,098,240 | 2.37 | 58,627,800 | 43.82% |
| High card | 1,302,540 | 2.00 | 23,294,460 | 17.41% |
With seven cards you're more likely to make one pair (43.82%) or even two pair (23.50%) than to end up with no pair at all (17.41%). The rankings still follow five-card poker, where the rarer hand always ranks higher.
Questions
What are the poker hands in order?
From best to worst: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair and high card. The rarer a hand is, the higher it ranks.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush is rarer: there are 5,108 ways to be dealt one in five cards against 10,200 for a straight. A full house beats both.
What happens if two players have the same hand?
Compare the ranks that make the hand first (the higher pair, the higher three of a kind, the higher top card of a straight), then the kickers: the other cards in the best five, from the highest down. If all five cards match in rank, the pot is split. Suits never break a tie.
Is an ace high or low in poker?
Both, in a straight: 10-J-Q-K-A is the highest straight and A-2-3-4-5 (the wheel) the lowest. A straight can’t wrap around, so Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight. Everywhere else the ace is the highest card.
What are the odds of a royal flush?
1 in 649,740 in five cards, and 1 in 30,940 with seven cards to choose from, as in Texas Hold’em when you see all five board cards.
How do poker hands work in Texas Hold’em?
Each player makes the best five-card hand from their two cards and the five on the board, using both, one or none of their own cards. If the board itself is the best hand for everyone still in, they split the pot.
Where to play poker
Poker rooms and live poker tables at casinos we've reviewed, with their licences, bonuses and payment methods.
More free tools
18+Poker for money carries risk. Set a budget before you play, and see our responsible gambling guide for free help.