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Poker Hand Rankings Chart
See all 10 named poker hand rankings, five-card frequencies, exact tie-break rules, and quiz drills for category and same-rank showdowns.
Poker hand rankings quick answer
Poker hands rank from Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, to High Card. Compare the hand category first. If both players have the same category, compare its defining ranks and then any kickers. Identical best five-card hands split the pot.
- A Royal Flush is the highest possible Straight Flush and is commonly shown as its own named rank.
- Any Flush beats any Straight, regardless of the cards' suits.
- Only the best five cards count in Texas Hold'em, even though seven cards are available.
- Suits do not break a tie at showdown in standard poker.
- The chart frequencies are for five cards dealt from a standard 52-card deck, not final Texas Hold'em odds.
How to compare poker hands at showdown
Start by naming each player's best five-card category. A Full House beats a Flush, so the ranks inside those hands do not need to be compared. Tie-break rules matter only when the categories match. That simple order prevents a common mistake: jumping to a high kicker before checking whether one player already has a better category.
Texas Hold'em gives each player seven available cards, but the showdown hand still contains exactly five. You may use both hole cards, one, or neither. If the board is A-A-K-K-Q, a player holding 9-8 and a player holding 7-6 both play A-A-K-K-Q. Their unused hole cards cannot break the tie.
For One Pair and Three of a Kind, compare the matching rank before the kickers. For Two Pair, compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, and only then the kicker. A Full House works differently: compare the three-of-a-kind part first. Eights full of Twos beat Sevens full of Aces.
Straights and Straight Flushes are compared by their highest card. Aces can sit above a King or below a Two, but they cannot wrap around. A-2-3-4-5 is a valid 5-high Straight, while Q-K-A-2-3 is not a Straight. Flushes are compared card by card from the highest rank down; the suit never decides the pot.
The percentages on this page describe a five-card deal from a 52-card deck. They explain why rare categories rank above common ones, but they are not your chance of finishing with that hand in Texas Hold'em. Hold'em probabilities depend on hole cards, community cards, remaining streets, and known dead cards.
Poker hands in order from best to worst
The frequencies use the 2,598,960 possible five-card hands from a standard deck. Royal Flush is separated from the other Straight Flushes to match the familiar ten-name chart.
| Rank | Hand | What it contains | Five-card frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit | 0.000154% |
| 2 | Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of one suit | 0.00139% |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | Four cards of one rank | 0.0240% |
| 4 | Full House | Three of one rank plus a pair | 0.1441% |
| 5 | Flush | Five cards of one suit, not consecutive | 0.1965% |
| 6 | Straight | Five consecutive cards, mixed suits | 0.3925% |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | Three cards of one rank | 2.1128% |
| 8 | Two Pair | Two different pairs | 4.7539% |
| 9 | One Pair | One pair plus three kickers | 42.2569% |
| 10 | High Card | No pair, Straight, or Flush | 50.1177% |
Poker tie-break rules by hand
Start with the first item in the tie-break column. Move to the next item only when the previous ranks match.
| Hand | Tie-break order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | Always the same ranks | Identical Royal Flushes split |
| Straight Flush | Highest card in the sequence | 9-high beats 8-high |
| Four of a Kind | Quads, then kicker | Four Kings beat four Queens |
| Full House | Trips, then pair | Eights full beat Sevens full |
| Flush | Highest card down through all five | A-Q-high beats A-J-high |
| Straight | Highest card in the sequence | 6-high beats the 5-high wheel |
| Three of a Kind | Trips, then both kickers | Three Queens beat three Jacks |
| Two Pair | High pair, low pair, then kicker | Aces and Fours beat Aces and Threes |
| One Pair | Pair, then three kickers | Kings with a Queen beat Kings with a Jack |
| High Card | Highest card down through all five | A-J-high beats A-10-high |
Sources and methodology
- PokerStars Learn: Poker hand rankings: Official learning reference for the five-card rule, ranking order, kickers, and split pots.
- WSOP: Poker hand rankings: Official WSOP reference for the ten named ranks, definitions, and five-card combinations.
Hand Rankings questions
What are the poker hand rankings from best to worst?
Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card. A Royal Flush is technically the highest possible Straight Flush but is usually listed separately.
Does a Flush beat a Straight?
Yes. Any valid five-card Flush beats any Straight in standard high poker. If two players have Flushes, compare the highest card in each Flush, then the second highest, and continue until a rank differs.
How do kickers work in poker?
A kicker is an unpaired card used after the main ranks tie. With one pair, compare the pair first and then all three kickers from highest to lowest. A kicker does not play when the best five cards are already identical.
Does the highest suit win a poker tie?
No. Spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs have equal value when comparing standard poker hands at showdown. If both players have the same five ranks, they split the pot.
Can an Ace be low in a Straight?
Yes, but only in A-2-3-4-5, which is a 5-high Straight known as the wheel. The Ace is high in 10-J-Q-K-A. Straights cannot wrap around, so Q-K-A-2-3 is invalid.
Which pair wins when both players have Two Pair?
Compare the higher pair first. If it matches, compare the lower pair. Use the fifth card as a kicker only when both pairs match. Aces and Fours beat Aces and Threes even if the second hand has a higher kicker.
Do I have to use both hole cards in Texas Hold'em?
No. A Texas Hold'em hand uses the best five cards from two hole cards and five community cards. You can use both hole cards, one, or neither. Omaha uses a different construction rule and requires exactly two hole cards.
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