Poker Hand Rankings

Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings

In Texas Hold'em, you make the best possible five-card hand from seven cards: your two hole cards and five community cards. The hand rankings below apply to all standard poker games including Hold'em, Omaha, and Five-Card Draw.

How Hands Are Ranked

The ranking system is based on mathematical probability — the harder a hand is to make, the higher it ranks. A Royal Flush (odds of 649,739 to 1) beats everything, while a mere High Card (about 50% probability) is the weakest possible holding.

Quick Reference: What Beats What

Here's every poker hand ranked from best to worst, with the probability of making each hand using all 7 cards in Hold'em:

• Royal Flush beats everything — 0.0032% (30,939 to 1)
• Straight Flush beats Four of a Kind — 0.028% (3,589 to 1)
• Four of a Kind beats Full House — 0.17% (594 to 1)
• Full House beats Flush — 2.60% (37 to 1)
• Flush beats Straight — 3.03% (32 to 1)
• Straight beats Three of a Kind — 4.62% (21 to 1)
• Three of a Kind beats Two Pair — 4.83% (20 to 1)
• Two Pair beats One Pair — 23.5% (3.3 to 1)
• One Pair beats High Card — 43.8% (1.3 to 1)
• High Card — the weakest hand, 17.4%

Key Rules to Remember

• All four suits are equal — no suit is higher than another
• Only the best five cards count, even though you have seven to choose from
• If two players have the same hand type, the one with higher cards wins
• Kickers matter — if main hand components tie, the highest remaining card(s) decide
• The Ace can play high (in A-K-Q-J-T) or low (in A-2-3-4-5)

Tiebreaker Rules

When two players hold the same hand type, specific rules determine who wins:

Flush vs Flush

Compare the highest card in each flush. If tied, compare the second-highest, then third, fourth, and fifth. An Ace-high flush (A-J-8-5-3 of hearts) beats a King-high flush (K-Q-J-9-2 of spades). Suit doesn't matter — only card ranks.

Straight vs Straight

The straight with the higher top card wins. A-K-Q-J-T ("Broadway") is the best straight. A-2-3-4-5 (the "wheel") is the lowest — the Ace counts as low here. Two straights with the same top card split the pot.

Full House vs Full House

The three-of-a-kind portion decides first. Kings full of Twos (K-K-K-2-2) beats Queens full of Aces (Q-Q-Q-A-A). If the trips match (possible with board trips), the higher pair wins.

Two Pair vs Two Pair

Compare the higher pair first. If tied, compare the lower pair. If both pairs match, the fifth card (kicker) decides. Aces and Threes with a King kicker beats Aces and Threes with a Queen kicker.

One Pair vs One Pair

Higher pair wins. If pairs are equal, compare kickers in order: first, second, then third kicker. This is why "AK" is so much better than "A2" when you pair your Ace — the King kicker wins more tiebreakers.

Common Hand Ranking Mistakes

• "My two pair beats your two pair because I have three pairs." Only the best five cards count. If you have A-A-K-K-Q-J-5, your hand is Aces and Kings with a Queen kicker. The J-5 are irrelevant.
• "Flush over flush goes to the suit." Suits are never ranked in Hold'em. If two players have an Ace-high flush in different suits, they split the pot (but this requires 4+ of a suit on the board).
• "Ace is always high." The Ace plays low in the A-2-3-4-5 straight (the "wheel"). It cannot wrap around — Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
• "I had a bigger full house because my kicker was higher." Full houses have no kicker. The three-of-a-kind rank decides first, then the pair. There's no fifth card in play.
• "Three pair." There is no such hand. You use the best five cards, which means the best two pair plus the highest kicker.

Hand Rankings by Street

Your hand strength changes dramatically as community cards are revealed. A pair of Aces is dominant pre-flop but vulnerable to straights and flushes by the river. Use our poker odds calculator to see exactly how your winning percentage shifts from pre-flop through the river.

Pre-Flop

With only two cards, hand strength is based on pair vs non-pair, card ranks, and suited vs offsuit. See our starting hands chart for a complete guide to which hands to play from each position.

Post-Flop

Three community cards change everything. You now have five of seven cards visible. Strong starting hands can miss the flop (AA vs a coordinated board), and weak hands can hit monsters (suited connectors flopping a flush). Count your outs to determine draw equity.

Turn and River

Each additional card narrows possibilities. By the river, your hand is final. Compare it to the board texture and consider what your opponent could hold. The turn and river are where pot odds matter most — are you getting the right price to chase your draw?

Most Common Hands in Hold'em

At showdown, the most frequent winning hands are One Pair and Two Pair. Don't underestimate top pair with a good kicker — it wins far more pots than the dramatic Royal Flushes you see in movies. Understanding relative hand strength in the context of the board and opponent ranges is more valuable than memorizing exact probabilities.

For a complete list of pre-flop hand strengths and which hands to play from each position, check the starting hands chart. To calculate your exact odds in a specific scenario, use our poker odds calculator.