Poker Hands

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When learning to play poker, the most fundamental aspect that you must know and understand are the poker hands. These poker hands are used in most of the poker variants, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 5-card Stud, and many more. So, you won’t be learning them for just one type of poker game, but rather all of them.

Each poker hand has a different value placed on it, which will allow you to beat your opponents based on their hands. We will go from least valued to most valued poker hands, which will also let you know what hands they can beat.

#1: High Card


In this hand, you have a high card of King. The only hands this can win against are other high card hands, which have to have a high Queen or lower. If an opponent also has a high card of King, then the pot is split. Most people simply fold when they see they only have a high card, while others use experience and bluffing to try and win.

#2: One Pair

Whatever pair you have, which in this instance is a pair of 8’s, will only beat those players that have only a high card or a lower pair. In the case that two players have a pair of 8’s, then the player with the highest non-paired card wins; that is why it is often called, Pair with a High Card.

#3: Two Pair

You now have two pairs, 8’s and Aces. This will beat any hand previous to this one. In the case that there are two opponents with two pair hands, the opponent with the highest first, or second pair if they have the same highest first (Aces vs. Aces), pair wins.

#4: Three of a Kind

You will have three of the same value cards. Three 9’s will beat any three of a kind with cards valued below it.

#5: Straight

A Straight is when you have numerical ascending order, but without having the cards suit match. In other words, it will be a mix of different suited cards to make up a continuous numbered hand. You cannot have hands that “wrap around”, which means you cannot have King, Ace, Two, Three, Four. Ace can either be used to start or finish, never used in the middle.

#6: Flush

A Flush is when you have all five cards of the same suit, but are not in the numerical order. Here you have all five cards being Hearts.

#7: Full House

A Full House is when you have a Pair and a Three of a Kind at the same time. You may hear the expression, Full House “Jacks over Nine’s”. This means that there are 3 Jacks and 2 Nines, having the three of a kind first when said.

#8: Four of a Kind

A Four of a Kind is rare, making it a highly valued hand to have. It is when you have the same four cards of each suit in the deck.

#9: Straight Flush

The Straight Flush combines the Straight and the Flush into one hand. This means that you need to have all cards of the same suit, as well as having them in numerical order.

#10: Royal Flush

The Royal Flush, what every poker movie ever made has made into the best hand to ever get. It is when you get a Straight Flush comprising of the Ten to the Ace. It can be in any of the four suits, but the true Royal Flush is to get them in Spades.

Remember, these hands go in ascending order, which means that the hand that is below them, will automatically beat them, having the Royal Flush beating all the other hands.