Poker Hand Rankings

One of the most important basics you need to master before you start playing poker is poker hand rankings. No matter which variation of poker you plan on playing, knowing the poker hand rankings will help you evaluate the circumstance you are in and determine the best strategy to use in order to win the round.

The lowest poker hand is of course the High Card. When all players have no poker hand combination, the player with the highest card in his hand wins the round. You can beat a High Card with a Pair. In general poker games, you will win with a Pair rather frequently.

You can beat a pair with Two Pair. As the name suggests, Two Pair is basically a combination of two pairs. Although Two Pair is usually strong enough to win a round, it can be beaten by players who hold a Three of a Kind.

You can defeat a Three of a Kind by constructing a Straight. A Straight is a series of five off-suited cards in a row. On the other hand, five same-suited cards construct a Flush. In order to defeat a Flush, you need to have a Full House. Full House is a hand constructed by combining a Three of a Kind and a Pair.

Next, we have the Four of a Kind. Four of a Kind is noted as the third highest hand in the game of poker. The only way you can defeat a Four of a Kind is with a Straight Flush – a series of five same-suited cards in a row – or a Royal Flush (same-suited 10-J-Q-K-A).