One of the key elements to the game of poker is knowing as much as possible about the poker hands that exist, as these will determine the outcome of whether an individual is successful or not.
There are a number of different hands that can be achieved, which can make poker rather difficult to understand to those who have not experienced the classic casino table game before or if they have limited experience.
Our poker experts at TheRockiesCasino.ca understand that this is something that so many can still struggle with at times, whilst they also realise that having the resource available even when the different hands are known is also incredibly helpful at times as bettors can refer back to it every now and again, which is why we have created this dedicated poker hands page where each poker hand is ranked!
Difference in poker hands
Depending on the type of poker game being played, there are some differences to the way that poker hands will operate. This means what might be the best poker hand in one game could ultimately be one of the worst poker hands in another.
One of the prime examples that can be felt when it comes down to the different poker hand rankings available is between the high games and the low games.
Whilst many will typically play a game of Texas Hold’em due to the game’s popularity around the world and the fact that it has subsequently become the variant that almost everyone will turn to play at some point, bettors who have played this game will know that the higher the poker hand ranking that they have, the better their chances of being able to obtain a win. This is the same for those who play the variant seven-card stud.
However, when it comes to playing games such as razz, the best poker hands are flipped, as individuals will be looking to try and obtain the lowest poker hand possible in order to win. Furthermore, high-low split poker games can also be played, which will mean both the highest-ranking and the lowest-ranking hands will win.
Therefore, it is rather easy to see that playing different poker games can make things a little difficult at times and why looking at a poker chart may help from time to time to keep a player’s mind as fresh as possible.
What are the poker hands and how do they rank?
There are a total of 10 different poker hands that can be obtained when playing the casino table game, with this section identifying the best poker hands in a high game such as Texas Hold’em and providing the poker hands ranked in order.
- Five of a Kind – This is the best poker hand possible to acquire, although it is only possible when more than one deck of cards is being used or the Jokers have been included. It is relatively easy to understand, as it simply means having five of the same cards. The higher the value, the better the hand.
- Straight Flush – A Straight Flush is typically the best poker hand available traditionally, as each card will be different but will be of the same suit and in value order. For instance, a run of 9, 8, 7, 6 & 5 of the same suit would be considered a Straight Flush. An Ace in a high game will be worth the most and those that land an A, K, Q, J & 10 of the same suit will have a ‘Royal Flush’.
- Four of a Kind – The same as a five of a kind but with just one less card. For instance, a player who has all the ‘4’s and a ‘2’ will still have a four of a kind.
- Full House – A Full House is a hand that features a three of a kind and a pair, with it being ranked initially by the three of a kind before the pair.
- Flush – A Flush is when players have a poker hand that consists of the same suit, although the cards can be different in value. For example, each card may be a Spade, but there could be a 10, 4, 5, 7 and 9 being held. Each Flush is ranked by the highest card that appears.
- Straight – This poker hand is achieved when players are able to build a 5-card sequence that can not be broken but may consist of different suits. A sequence of J, 10, 9, 8 & 7 but with a variety of different suits is an example.
- Three of a Kind – A poker hand that features three of the same cards is known as a three of a kind.
- Two Pair – Two Pair is a poker hand that is achieved when players have two pairs in their hand, with the highest valued pair being considered the best poker hand ranking when this outcome occurs.
- Pair – A Pair is simply just one pair that is achieved and this is then used as one of the very first poker hands that can be achieved.
- High Card – This poker hand can be essentially known as ‘nothing’ as players here will have a hand that they can not do anything with and are unable to make any of the above outcomes possible.
The probability of each poker hand occurring
Unsurprisingly, the probability of being able to obtain the poker hands ranked in the order that they are in reduces the higher up the poker hand chart you go.
Disregarding the Five of a Kind outcome for the sake of playing with just one deck of cards, the chances of achieving a Royal Flush is 1 in 649,737 as there are only 4 possible combinations available.
A Straight Flush has 36 total combinations meaning a 1 in 72,193 chance, whilst at the other end of the poker hand rankings, a High Card will appear 1 in 0.99 chances, with 1,302, 540 different combinations possible.
Summary
There are a number of different poker hands available and we hope that this poker hands chart will help prove to be a valuable learning resource for those that need a little extra help with the order in which they rank.
Naturally, playing poker regularly will help as each ranking will be learned the more players are exposed to it, though!
