Poker Hand Rankings: Complete Guide from Royal Flush to High Card

Knowing which hand beats which is the absolute foundation of Texas Hold'em. This guide walks you through the official hand rankings from strongest to weakest, with clear examples for each. Mastering this hierarchy is your first step to playing confidently.

The Official Hand Ranking Hierarchy

Reading helps, but hands-on repetition sticks. Practice this idea at casual tables on Louis & Friends using free virtual chips — no purchase required for the learning tables.

Poker hands are ranked based on the rarity and strength of the five-card combination you can make using your two hole cards and the five community cards. Here is the complete list from best to worst.

Royal Flush

This is the best possible hand in poker. A Royal Flush is an Ace-high straight flush, meaning the cards A, K, Q, J, and 10, all of the same suit.

• Example: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ T♠
• Why it's the best: It's an unbeatable natural hand. There are only 4 possible Royal Flushes in a deck.

Straight Flush

Any five consecutive cards of the same suit. A Straight Flush is the second-strongest hand.

• Example: 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
• Key detail: If two players have a Straight Flush, the one with the higher top card wins. A 9-high Straight Flush beats an 8-high Straight Flush.

Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same rank, plus one unrelated card (the kicker).

• Example: Q♣ Q♦ Q♥ Q♠ 2♠
• How to compare: The rank of the four matching cards decides the winner. Quad Queens beat Quad Jacks. The kicker only matters if, by some rare chance, two players have the same four of a kind (possible in community card games).

Full House

A combination of Three of a Kind and a Pair. It's sometimes called a "boat."

• Example: K♠ K♦ K♣ 7♥ 7♣
• How to compare: First, compare the rank of the Three of a Kind. Kings full of sevens (K-K-K-7-7) beats Queens full of Aces (Q-Q-Q-A-A). If the three-of-a-kind ranks are the same, then the pair is compared.

Flush

Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.

• Example: A♦ J♦ 9♦ 4♦ 2♦
• How to compare: Compare the highest card in the flush. If those are equal, compare the second-highest, and so on. A flush with A, J, 9, 4, 2 beats a flush with A, 10, 9, 4, 2 because the Jack beats the Ten.

Straight

Five consecutive cards of mixed suits.

• Example: 8♠ 7♦ 6♥ 5♣ 4♠
• Key detail: An Ace can be used as the low card in a 5-4-3-2-A straight (also called a "wheel") or as the high card in a A-K-Q-J-10 straight. Straights are compared by their highest card. A 10-high straight (T-9-8-7-6) beats a 9-high straight (9-8-7-6-5).

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank, plus two unrelated cards.

• Example: 5♣ 5♥ 5♠ K♦ 2♣
• How to compare: The rank of the three matching cards is compared first. Three Fives beat Three Fours. If those are identical, the highest remaining card (kicker) is compared, and then the second kicker if needed.

Two Pair

Two different pairs of cards, plus one unrelated card.

• Example: J♠ J♦ 4♣ 4♥ 9♠
• How to compare: First, compare the highest pair. Jacks and Fours beat Tens and Nines. If the highest pairs are the same, compare the lower pair. If both pairs are identical, the fifth card (kicker) decides the winner.

One Pair

Two cards of the same rank, plus three unrelated cards.

• Example: A♥ A♣ Q♠ 7♦ 3♥
• How to compare: Compare the rank of the pair. A pair of Aces beats a pair of Kings. If pairs are the same, compare the highest kicker, then the second, then the third.

High Card

If you don't have any of the above hands, your highest card plays.

• Example: A♣ J♦ 9♥ 5♠ 2♣ (Ace-high)
• How to compare: Compare the highest card. If equal, go to the second-highest, and so on. Ace-King-Queen-Jack-9 beats Ace-King-Queen-Jack-8.

Worked Example: Comparing Two Strong Hands

Let's see the rankings in action. Imagine the final board shows K♠ Q♠ J♦ 4♣ 4♥.

• Player 1 holds: A♠ T♠
• Player 2 holds: K♦ K♥

Evaluating the hands:

• Player 1 uses the A♠ and T♠ with the board. Their best five-card hand is A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♦ T♠. This is an Ace-high straight (A-K-Q-J-T).
• Player 2 uses their K♦ K♥ with the board. Their best hand is K♦ K♥ K♠ Q♠ J♦. This is Three of a Kind (Kings), with a Queen and Jack kicker.

The result: A straight beats Three of a Kind. Player 1 wins the pot. This example shows why knowing the exact hierarchy is crucial—a seemingly powerful pocket pair can lose to a straight or flush on the board.

Common Mistakes When Evaluating Hands

1. Forgetting to use exactly five cards. You must always choose the best five-card combination from the seven available (your two hole cards plus the five community cards). You cannot use six or four cards.
2. Overvaluing a high pair on a coordinated board. A pair of Aces is strong before the flop, but if the board shows three hearts, a straight possibility, or paired cards, your one pair may be vulnerable.
3. Misreading a flush. All five cards must be the same suit. Having four hearts and one spade is not a flush; it's just four hearts.
4. Ties and kicker confusion. When hands are of the same rank (e.g., both players have a pair of Queens), the winner is decided by the next highest card (kicker). If you hold Q♠ J♣ and your opponent holds Q♥ T♦ on a Q-7-4-2-A board, your Jack kicker beats their Ten, so you win.

The fastest way to internalize these rankings is through practice. Try playing a few hands at a free practice table, focusing solely on identifying the winning hand at showdown. Platforms like Louis & Friends offer a great environment for this kind of focused learning with virtual chips.