Lesson 3
Hand Rankings
The ten poker hands, from high card to royal flush. Knowing them cold is non-negotiable.
Poker hands are ranked by how rare they are. The rarer a hand, the stronger it is. Memorize this list — it’s the foundation of every decision you’ll make.
- 1. Royal Flush — A K Q J 10, all same suit
- 2. Straight Flush — five consecutive cards, same suit
- 3. Four of a Kind — four cards of the same rank
- 4. Full House — three of a kind + a pair
- 5. Flush — five cards of the same suit, not consecutive
- 6. Straight — five consecutive cards, mixed suits
- 7. Three of a Kind — three cards of the same rank
- 8. Two Pair — two pairs of different ranks
- 9. One Pair — two cards of the same rank
- 10. High Card — none of the above, highest card wins
Heads-up
Common beginner mistakes: thinking three pair beats two pair (it doesn’t — you only count the top two), or that a flush beats a full house (it doesn’t — full house wins).
Tip
When two players have the same hand type, kickers decide. For example, two players with a pair of Aces compare their second-best card next.