Hand Rankings

It's time to brush up on those all important hand rankings. Here's a list of the possible hands and how they rank, together with a short definition and, in the hope that a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, an example image.


The highest ranked card is an Ace, and the ranking runs
from the Ace down through the picture cards all the way to 2.


Any two cards of the same rank, for example two 5's. The
ranking of pairs mirrors that of the cards in general, so the
strongest pair is a pair of Aces and the weakest a pair of 2's.


Two sets of cards of the same rank, for example two 5's
and two Jacks.


Also called trips, this is where you have three cards of the
same rank, for example three 5's.


Five cards in sequential rank order, for example 5, 6, 7, 8
and 9. An ace may be used as both a high and a low card.


Five cards of the same suit, for example five diamonds.


A combination of a pair and three of a kind.


Four cards of the same rank, for example four 2's.


A straight (see above) but with all the cards in the same suit.


The daddy of all poker hands, a royal flush is a straight
flush involving the 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace.