Hold'em Hand Rankings — From Royal Flush to High Card
First Things First: Learn the Rankings
Before you play a single hand of Hold'em, you need to know the hand rankings cold. You don't want to win and not know it.
From strongest to weakest:
1. Royal Flush
A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
The A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit. The absolute nuts — unbeatable. Extremely rare; many players never see one in their lifetime.
2. Straight Flush
9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
Five consecutive cards of the same suit. A Royal Flush is technically the highest Straight Flush.
3. Four of a Kind (Quads)
K♠ K♥ K♦ K♣ 3♠
Four cards of the same rank. Almost always a winner.
4. Full House
J♠ J♥ J♦ 7♣ 7♠
Three of a kind plus a pair. If both players have a Full House, the higher three-of-a-kind wins.
5. Flush
A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. If both players have a Flush, compare the highest card down.
6. Straight
8♠ 7♥ 6♣ 5♦ 4♠
Five consecutive cards of any suit. The Ace can be used high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (A-2-3-4-5, called a "wheel").
7. Three of a Kind (Trips / Set)
Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ 8♣ 3♠
Three cards of the same rank. "Set" refers to having a pocket pair that hits the board; "trips" means one hole card plus two board cards of the same rank.
8. Two Pair
K♠ K♦ 9♥ 9♣ A♠
Two different pairs. Compare the higher pair first, then the lower, then the kicker.
9. One Pair
J♠ J♣ A♦ 7♥ 3♣
Two cards of the same rank. The most common hand you'll make.
10. High Card
A♠ K♦ 9♥ 6♣ 2♠
No combination made. Your highest card represents your hand — e.g., "Ace high."
Common Questions
Q: Why does a Flush beat a Straight? A Flush is statistically harder to make, so it ranks higher.
Q: What if we both have Two Pair? Compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the kicker (the fifth card).
Q: What's a kicker? The unpaired card(s) that break ties. Both players have A-A? The one with a King kicker beats the one with a Jack kicker. Kickers matter more than beginners expect.
Memory Trick
Royal → Straight Flush → Quads → Full House → Flush → Straight → Trips → Two Pair → One Pair → High Card
After a few hands at the table, you'll have it memorized naturally. Once you do, the next post covers the concept that separates winning players from everyone else: position.