The Ultimate Guide To Poker Hand Rankings

The first step to learning how to play poker is understanding the different hand rankings. This is because the hand rules apply to all variations of poker. It’s the basic and most important part of the game that new players can’t ignore. The good news is that the poker hand rankings are easy to learn. In this post, we’ll discuss the different poker hand rankings to help you understand how to play the game. We’ll also look at a few general tips to boost your winning chances at poker.

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The different poker hands and rules

A poker hand is made of five cards. Below, we take a closer look at the different poker hands and rules.

Royal flush

This is the best hand in poker, although it’s quite rare to see. Even some of the most experienced players have never hit one. The hand consists of A-K-Q-J-10, all of the same suit. If more than one player has a royal flush, the player with the highest card wins. The probability of making a royal flush is 1 in 649,940.

Straight flush

This hand consists of five consecutive cards, all of the same suit. For example, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Hearts. Like the royal flush, the straight flush is a difficult hand to see. If two players have straight flushes, the hand with the highest card wins. The probability of seeing a royal flush is 1 in 650,000.

Four of a kind

Also known as quads, the four-of-a-kind is a hand consisting of four cards of the same rank. For example, J, J, J, J, and 2. If two players have a four-of-a-kind, the hand with the highest value wins. For example, 10, 10, 10, 10, 2 is greater than 7, 7, 7, 7, J. If two players have quads of equal value, the hand with the highest ranking wickers will be the winner.

Full house

This hand is made up of a three-of-a-kind and a pair. For example, A, A, A, K, K. If two players have full houses in one round, the player with the highest three-of-a-kind wins. In the event two players have the same three-of-a-kind, as it’s often seen in Texas Hold’em, the hand with the highest pair wins. In the case of two identical full houses, the pot is split.

Flush

When you have five cards of the same suit, it’s called a flush. For example, A, J, 8, 4, 2. If two players have flushes, the hand with the highest card is the winner. In case the two highest cards in both hands are of the same rank, it moves to the second highest card, and on to the third and fourth if necessary. In the event, that there are two similar flushes the pot is split.

Straight

This poker hand is made up of five consecutive cards from different suits. If two players have a straight, the hand with the highest card is declared the winner. In this case, aces can be used as a high card or low card.

Three of a kind

When you have three cards of the same rank, you have a three-of-a-kind. For example, A, K, 5, 5, 5. If two players have the same three-of-a-kind, the hand with the highest kicker (the highest unpaired card) will win.

Two pairs

This hand is made up of two cards of the same rank, another pair of a different rank, and the fifth card of a different card. For example, Q, Q, 7, 7, 4. If two players have two pairs, the player with the higher second pair will be the winner. In the event of identical two pairs, the hand with the highest kicker is the winner.

One Pair

To make one pair, you must match two cards. For example, A, A, 7, 4, 2, 2. If two players have one pair, the player with the highest kicker wins.

High card

When no player makes a poker hand consisting of at least one pair. For example, A, Q, 9, 6, 3. The hand with the highest card wins.

Poker card rankings

Here are poker card rankings that every player looking to learn how to play poker should know.

Ace – The highest card in poker. It can also be a low card with a value of 1. In most forms of poker, an ace is considered to be both high and low.

King – The second highest ranking card. In some games, the king is the highest-ranking card. These cards have a picture of a king

Queen – Third highest starting card in a deck of poker game. There are four queens, namely the queen of spades, the queen of clubs, the queen of diamonds, and the queen of hearts.

Jack – The lowest face card that often represents the minimum standard. It’s usually between a ten and the queen. Most poker games require at least a pair of jacks before wagering begins.

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Poker hand rankings

Here are the poker hand rankings from the highest to the lowest

Royal flush – 10, J, Q, K, A, all in the same suit

Straight flush – Five cards of sequential value, all in the same suit

Four of a kind – Four cards of the same value

Full house – Three cards of the same value and two cards of another value

Flush – A hand containing all cards of the same suit

Straight – Five cards of consecutive value, but not all the same suit

Three of a kind – Three cards of the same value and two side cards of other values

Two pairs – Two different pairings in one hand

Pairs – Two cards of the same value

High card – The highest card value when you have no card combinations

How the winner is determined in poker

The winner in a game of poker is determined when players reveal their hands. A flush beats a straight, three-of-a-kind beats a pair, and so on. The winner is determined by identifying the highest five-card hand. If two players have identical hands, the rank of the cards will be used to determine the winner. For example, a straight of 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack is greater than a straight of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

For flushes, the highest-ranking cast is used to determine the winner. In addition, a King is greater than a Queen. In the event of similar high cards, the second high card is used. And if the hands are still identical, the third highest card will be used. So, a King-Jack 7, 6, 5 is weaker than a King-Jack 8, 4, 3.

Easy tips for winning poker

While there’s no sure way of winning a game of poker, you can employ a few strategies to boost your winning chances.

Play free games – Most online casinos offer free versions of poker. These games give you a chance to practice and hone your skills before trying the real money version. You can try your new strategy with a free game and see how it works before applying it in a real money situation. It also allows you to try a new casino and see how they operate before committing.

Use a special calculator – These calculators help you to calculate the winning probability of a game. There are many calculators you can try online. A search on the internet will reveal a wide range of calculators that can help you calculate winning probability.

Play your favorite variant of poker – There are different versions of poker. Play one you’re familiar with. This will not only help you to hone your strategy but also improve your winning chances. It also prevents you from losing money on variants of poker you’re not familiar with.

Don’t play for longer periods – This will help you to manage your bankroll. You can set like to two hours a day or a week. Once the time is up, you quit until the next time.

Conclusion

Familiarizing yourself with the various poker hands is a key step to understanding how the game works. The hand rules apply to all poker versions, and they’re easy to learn. However, you may need to practice some more to understand how they work and how you can win the game. Most importantly, choose a licensed online casino in the Philippines. This is important in ensuring the games are fair.

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