Poker hand rankings
Ten hands, best at the top. In Texas Hold'em you make the best five-card hand from your two hole cards and the five cards on the board.
- 1
Royal Flush
Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten, all of the same suit.
7-card odds0.0032%
- 2
Straight Flush
Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit.
7-card odds0.0279%
- 3
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank, plus any fifth card.
7-card odds0.168%
- 4
Full House
Three cards of one rank plus a pair of another rank.
7-card odds2.60%
- 5
Flush
Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
7-card odds3.03%
- 6
Straight
Five cards in sequence, of mixed suits.
7-card odds4.62%
- 7
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated cards.
7-card odds4.83%
- 8
Two Pair
Two different pairs plus one unrelated card.
7-card odds23.5%
- 9
One Pair
Two cards of the same rank plus three unrelated cards.
7-card odds43.8%
- 10
High Card
No pair or better. The hand is named by its highest card.
7-card odds17.4%
How ties are broken
When two players hold the same type of hand, compare the cards that make it first, then the side cards. Only five cards ever count.
- Pairs, trips and quads: the higher rank wins. If equal, the highest kicker decides.
- Two pair: compare the top pair, then the second pair, then the kicker.
- Straights: the highest card in the sequence wins. A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight.
- Flushes and high card: compare from the highest card down, one card at a time.
- Full houses: the three of a kind decides first, then the pair.
- Suits never break ties. Identical hands split the pot.
Poker hand probabilities
"5 cards" is the chance of being dealt the hand straight from the deck. "7 cards" is the chance that it is your best hand in Hold'em, using your two hole cards and all five board cards.
| Hand | Combinations (5 cards) | Probability (5 cards) | Probability (7 cards) | Odds against (7 cards) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 4 | 0.000154% | 0.0032% | 30,939 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 36 | 0.00139% | 0.0279% | 3,589 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 624 | 0.0240% | 0.168% | 594 to 1 |
| Full House | 3,744 | 0.1441% | 2.60% | 37.5 to 1 |
| Flush | 5,108 | 0.1965% | 3.03% | 32.1 to 1 |
| Straight | 10,200 | 0.3925% | 4.62% | 20.6 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 54,912 | 2.1128% | 4.83% | 19.7 to 1 |
| Two Pair | 123,552 | 4.7539% | 23.5% | 3.26 to 1 |
| One Pair | 1,098,240 | 42.2569% | 43.8% | 1.28 to 1 |
| High Card | 1,302,540 | 50.1177% | 17.4% | 4.74 to 1 |
Common questions
- What is the best hand in Texas Hold'em?
- A royal flush: A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit. It cannot be beaten, and you will make one about once in 30,940 hands.
- Does a flush beat a straight?
- Yes. A flush beats a straight, and a full house beats a flush.
- Do suits matter in poker hand rankings?
- No. In Texas Hold'em all four suits are equal. Two identical hands in different suits split the pot.
- What beats a full house?
- Four of a kind, a straight flush and a royal flush. A higher full house also beats a lower one.
- How many cards make a poker hand?
- Always five. In Hold'em you choose the best five out of seven: your two hole cards plus the five community cards.