In poker, players form sets of five playing cards, called hands, according to the rules of the game.[1] Each hand has a rank, which is compared against the ranks of other hands participating in the showdown to decide who wins the pot.[2] In high games, like Texas hold 'em and seven-card stud, the highest-ranking hands win. In low games, like razz, the lowest-ranking hands win. In high-low split games, both the highest-ranking and lowest-ranking hands win, though different rules are used to rank the high and low hands.[3][4]
Each hand belongs to a category determined by the patterns formed by its cards. A hand in a higher-ranking category always ranks higher than a hand in a lower-ranking category. A hand is ranked within its category using the ranks of its cards. Individual cards are ranked, from highest to lowest: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.[5] However, aces have the lowest rank under ace-to-five low or ace-to-six low rules, or under high rules as part of a five-high straight or straight flush.[6][7]Suits are not ranked, so hands that differ by suit alone are of equal rank.[8]
There are nine categories of hand when using a standard 52-card deck, except under ace-to-five low rules where straights, flushes and straight flushes are not recognized. An additional category, five of a kind, exists when using one or more wild cards. The fewer hands a category contains, the higher its rank.[9] There are ways to deal five cards from the deck but only distinct hands, because the order in which cards are dealt or arranged in a hand does not matter.[10] Moreover, since hands differing only by suit are of equal rank, there are only 7,462 distinct hand ranks.[11]
Hand-ranking categories
*
Only possible when using one or more wild cards
**
Category does not exist under ace-to-five low rules
Five of a kind is a hand that contains five cards of one rank, such as 3♥3♦3♣3♠3 ("five of a kind, threes"). It ranks above a straight flush but is only possible when using one or more wild cards, as there are only four cards of each rank in the deck.[6] Five of a kind, aces, A♥A♦A♣A♠Jkr, becomes possible when a joker is added to the deck as a bug, a form of wild card that may act as a fifth ace.[5] Other wild card rules allow jokers or other designated cards to represent any card in the deck, making it possible to form five of a kind of any rank.[12]
Each five of a kind is ranked by the rank of its quintuplet. For example, Q♠Q♥Q♣Q♦Q ranks higher than 6♣6♠6♦6♥6.[6][13]
A straight flush is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, all of the same suit, such as Q♥J♥10♥9♥8♥ (a "queen-high straight flush").[4] It ranks below five of a kind and above four of a kind.[5] Under high rules, an ace can rank either high (as in A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥, an ace-high straight flush) or low (as in 5♦4♦3♦2♦A♦, a five-high straight flush), but cannot simultaneously rank both high and low (so Q♣K♣A♣2♣3♣ is an ace-high flush, but not a straight).[6][13] Under deuce-to-seven low rules, an ace always ranks high (so 5♠4♠3♠2♠A♠ is an ace-high flush). Under ace-to-six low rules, an ace always ranks low (so A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥ is a king-high flush).[14] Under ace-to-five low rules, straight flushes are not possible (so 9♣8♣7♣6♣5♣ is a nine-high hand).[7]
Each straight flush is ranked by the rank of its highest-ranking card. For example, 10♣9♣8♣7♣6♣ ranks higher than 8♥7♥6♥5♥4♥, which ranks higher than 6♠5♠4♠3♠2♠. Straight flush hands that differ by suit alone, such as 7♦6♦5♦4♦3♦ and 7♠6♠5♠4♠3♠, are of equal rank.[6][13]
An ace-high straight flush, such as A♦K♦Q♦J♦10♦, is called a royal flush or royal straight flush and is the best possible hand in ace-high games when wild cards are not used.[5][15][16] A five-high straight flush, such as 5♥4♥3♥2♥A♥, is called a steel wheel and is both the best low hand and usually the best high hand of the showdown in ace-to-five high-low split games.[4]
Four of a kind
Four of a kind, fives
Four of a kind, also known as quads, is a hand that contains four cards of one rank and one card of another rank (the kicker), such as 9♣9♠9♦9♥J♥ ("four of a kind, nines"). It ranks below a straight flush and above a full house.[5]
Each four of a kind is ranked first by the rank of its quadruplet, and then by the rank of its kicker. For example, K♠K♥K♣K♦3♥ ranks higher than 7♥7♦7♠7♣Q♥, which ranks higher than 7♥7♦7♠7♣10♠. Four of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as 4♣4♠4♦4♥9♣ and 4♣4♠4♦4♥9♦, are of equal rank.[6][13]
Full house
A full house, sixes over kings
A full house, also known as a full boat or a tight or a boat (and originally called a full hand), is a hand that contains three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as 3♣3♠3♦6♣6♥ (a "full house, threes over sixes" or "threes full of sixes" or "threes full").[17][18] It ranks below four of a kind and above a flush.[5]
Each full house is ranked first by the rank of its triplet, and then by the rank of its pair. For example, 8♠8♦8♥7♦7♣ ranks higher than 4♦4♠4♣9♦9♣, which ranks higher than 4♦4♠4♣5♣5♦. Full house hands that differ by suit alone, such as K♣K♠K♦J♣J♠ and K♣K♥K♦J♣J♥, are of equal rank.[6][13]
Flush
A jack-high flush
A flush is a hand that contains five cards all of the same suit, not all of sequential rank, such as K♣10♣7♣6♣4♣ (a "king-high flush" or a "king-ten-high flush").[19] It ranks below a full house and above a straight.[5] Under ace-to-five low rules, flushes are not possible (so J♥8♥4♥3♥2♥ is a jack-high hand).[7]
Each flush is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking card. For example, K♦J♦9♦6♦4♦ ranks higher than Q♣J♣7♣6♣5♣, which ranks higher than J♥10♥9♥4♥2♥, which ranks higher than J♠10♠8♠6♠3♠, which ranks higher than J♥10♥8♥4♥3♥, which ranks higher than J♣10♣8♣4♣2♣. Flush hands that differ by suit alone, such as 10♦8♦7♦6♦5♦ and 10♠8♠7♠6♠5♠, are of equal rank.[6][13]
Straight
A ten-high straight
A straight is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, not all of the same suit, such as 7♣6♠5♠4♥3♥ (a "seven-high straight"). It ranks below a flush and above three of a kind.[5] Under high rules, an ace can rank either high (as in A♦K♣Q♣J♦10♠, an ace-high straight) or low (as in 5♣4♦3♥2♥A♠, a five-high straight), but cannot simultaneously rank both high and low (so Q♠K♠A♣2♥3♦ is an ace-high hand).[6][13] Under deuce-to-seven low rules, an ace always ranks high (so 5♥4♠3♥2♣A♦ is an ace-high hand). Under ace-to-six low rules, an ace always ranks low (so A♣K♠Q♠J♦10♠ is a king-high hand).[14] Under ace-to-five low rules, straights are not possible (so 10♥9♠8♣7♣6♦ is a ten-high hand).[7]
Each straight is ranked by the rank of its highest-ranking card. For example, J♥10♥9♣8♠7♥ ranks higher than 10♠9♠8♣7♥6♠, which ranks higher than 6♣5♠4♥3♠2♦. Straight hands that differ by suit alone, such as 9♣8♣7♣6♦5♦ and 9♠8♠7♠6♥5♥, are of equal rank.[6][13]
An ace-high straight, such as A♣K♣Q♦J♠10♠, is called a Broadway straight,[20] while a five-high straight, such as 5♠4♦3♦2♠A♥, is called a baby straight,[21]bicycle or wheel and is the best possible hand in ace-to-five low games (where it is a high card hand, not a straight).[22][23]
Three of a kind
Three of a kind, queens
Three of a kind, also known as trips or a set, is a hand that contains three cards of one rank and two cards of two other ranks (the kickers), such as 2♦2♠2♣K♠6♥ ("three of a kind, twos" or "trip twos" or a "set of twos"). It ranks below a straight and above two pair.[5]
Each three of a kind is ranked first by the rank of its triplet, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kicker, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, 6♥6♦6♠Q♣4♠ ranks higher than 3♦3♠3♣K♠2♠, which ranks higher than 3♦3♠3♣J♣7♥, which ranks higher than 3♦3♠3♣J♠5♦. Three of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as 9♠9♥9♦10♦8♥ and 9♣9♠9♥10♦8♦, are of equal rank.[6][13]
In community card games, such as Texas hold 'em, three of a kind is called a set only when it comprises a pocket pair and a third card on the board.[24]
Two pair
Two pair, jacks and threes
Two pair is a hand that contains two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank and one card of a third rank (the kicker), such as J♥J♣4♣4♠9♥ ("two pair, jacks and fours" or "two pair, jacks over fours" or "jacks up").[17][25] It ranks below three of a kind and above one pair.[5]
Each two pair is ranked first by the rank of its higher-ranking pair, then by the rank of its lower-ranking pair, and finally by the rank of its kicker. For example, 10♦10♠2♠2♣K♣ ranks higher than 5♣5♠4♦4♥10♥, which ranks higher than 5♣5♠3♣3♦Q♠, which ranks higher than 5♣5♠3♣3♦J♠. Two pair hands that differ by suit alone, such as K♦K♠7♦7♥8♥ and K♣K♠7♣7♥8♣, are of equal rank.[6][13]
One pair
One pair, tens
One pair, or simply a pair, is a hand that contains two cards of one rank and three cards of three other ranks (the kickers), such as 4♥4♠K♠10♦5♠ ("one pair, fours" or a "pair of fours"). It ranks below two pair and above high card.[5]
Each one pair is ranked first by the rank of its pair, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kicker, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking kicker, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, 9♣9♦Q♠J♥5♥ ranks higher than 6♦6♥K♠7♥4♣, which ranks higher than 6♦6♥Q♥J♠2♣, which ranks higher than 6♦6♥Q♠8♣7♦, which ranks higher than 6♦6♥Q♦8♥3♠. One-pair hands that differ by suit alone, such as 8♠8♦10♥6♣5♠ and 8♥8♣10♣6♠5♣, are of equal rank.[6][13]
High card
High card, king
High card, also known as no pair or simply nothing, is a hand that does not fall into any other category, such as K♥J♥8♣7♦4♠ ("high card, king" or "king-jack-high" or "king-high").[17][26] Note that under ace-to-five low rules, straights, flushes and straight flushes are not possible, so such hands are instead high card hands.[7] It ranks below one pair.[5]
Each high card hand is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking card. For example, K♠6♣5♥3♦2♣ ranks higher than Q♠J♦6♣5♥3♣, which ranks higher than Q♠10♦8♣7♦4♠, which ranks higher than Q♥10♥7♣6♥4♠, which ranks higher than Q♣10♣7♦5♣4♦, which ranks higher than Q♥10♦7♠5♠2♥. High card hands that differ by suit alone, such as 10♣8♠7♠6♥4♦ and 10♦8♦7♠6♣4♣, are of equal rank.[6][13]
Under deuce-to-seven low rules, a seven-five-high hand, such as 7♠5♣4♦3♦2♣, is the best possible hand.[27] Under ace-to-six low rules, where aces have the lowest rank, a six-four-high hand, such as 6♣4♠3♥2♥A♦, is the best possible hand.[28] Under ace-to-five low rules, where aces have the lowest rank and straights, flushes and straight flushes are not possible, a five-high hand, such as 5♣4♠3♥2♥A♦ or 5♠4♠3♠2♠A♠, commonly known as a bicycle or wheel, is the best possible hand.[7][22]
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^Harrock, Richard (2011). "The Basics of Play". Poker for Dummies, Mini Edition. United States of America: Wiley Publishing, Inc. ISBN978-0-470-05565-6.
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^ abcdefScott, Alex (2010). "How to Play Lowball Draw". What I Know about Poker: Lessons in Texas Hold'em, Omaha and Other Poker Games. p. 24. ISBN978-0-9567151-3-5.
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