POKERSTARS GUIDE TO

HAND RANKINGS
 TEXAS HOLD’EM
HAND RANKINGS
Before you hit the online poker tables, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the basic hand rankings and rules that govern Texas
Hold’em. Here are the 10 hands every player should know before joining the action.

HIGH CARD ONE PAIR TWO PAIR THREE OF A KIND STRAIGHT

Any hand that does not qualify
under the categories listed. In
the event of a tie, the highest
card wins, such as ‘ace-high’.
Two cards of matching rank,
and three unrelated side
cards. In the event of a tie, the
player with the highest, and
if necessary, second or third-
highest side card wins.
Two cards of matching
rank, two cards of different
matching rank, and one
kicker. If both players have an
identical Two Pair, the highest
kicker wins.
Three cards of the same
rank, and two unrelated side
cards. In the event of a tie, the
player with the highest, and
if necessary, second-highest
side card (‘kicker’) wins.
Five non-suited cards in
sequence. In the event of a tie,
the highest ranking card at the
top of the sequence wins.

FLUSH FULL HOUSE FOUR OF A KIND STRAIGHT FLUSH R O YA L F L U S H

Five cards of the same suit,
not in sequence. In the event
of a tie, the player holding the
highest ranked cards wins.
Three cards of the same rank,
and two cards of a different,
matching rank. In the event
of a tie, the highest three
matching cards wins.
Four cards of the same rank,
and one side card or ‘kicker’.
In the event of a tie, the player
with the highest side card
(‘kicker’) wins.
Five cards in sequence, of the
same suit. In the event of a tie,
the highest rank at the top of
the sequence wins
Poker’s most famous hand, a
royal flush, cannot be beaten.
It consists of the ace, king,
queen, jack and ten of a single
suit.

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