Texas Holdem Hands Ranking

Flush
A flush is any five cards of the same suit. The cards are not in sequence. If they were in sequence, it would be a straight flush. If there is more than one flush, the winning hand is determined by the rank order of the highest card, or cards, in the flush. A flush composed of AvQvJv6v5v is higher than A+Q+J+4+3+.

Straight
Five sequenced cards, not all of the same suit, compose a straight. If more than one straight is present, the highest card in the sequence determines the winning hand. A jack-high straight Jv10*9+8+7+ will beat this 9*8*7+6*5+ nine-high straight.

Three of a kind
Three cards of the same rank, along with two unrelated cards is called three of a kind. This hand is also referred to as trips, or a set. If you held 8+8v8*K+4+ you could refer to it as ” . . . trip 8s,” or “a set of 8s.”

Two pair
Two cards of one rank along with two cards of another rank and one unrelated card composes two pair. The higher rank determines which two pair is superior. If two players hold two pair and each has the same high pair, then the rank of the second pair determines the winner. If both players hold the same two pair, then the rank of the unrelated side card determines the winning hand. If the hand is identical, then the players split the pot. For example, Q+Qv8*8+ 4+ queens and 8s is superior to Q*Q+5+5*K+ queens and 5s.

One pair
One pair is simply two cards of one rank and three unrelated cards. If two players hold the same pair, then the value of the unrelated side cards determines the winning hand.

No pair
No pair consists of five unrelated cards. When no player has a pair, then the rank order of the unrelated cards determines the winning hand. For example, if Harry has A-Q-9&3 and Adrien has A-J-10-3-2, then Harry wins because A-Q ranks higher than A-J.

Low hands
In split-pot games, like Omaha/& the best low hand composed of five unrelated cards with the rank of 8 or lower, captures half the pot. A hand like 7+6v4*3+A+ beats 7+6+5v3*A+, but will lose to 7*4v3v2+A*. Determining the best low hand takes a bit of practice, but if you always begin with the highest of the low cards and continue in descending order, you can’t go wrong.