Poker hand rankings: what beats what
The one thing you must know cold before every other decision: the ten hands, strongest to weakest, and why they rank that way.
The ten hands, top to bottom
Picture a ten-rung ladder. The top rung is the royal flush, the one hand nobody at the table can beat. Just below it come the straight flush, four of a kind and the full house — the three monsters you might see once in a whole session. The middle rungs are the everyday deciders: a flush, then a straight, then three of a kind, then two pair. The bottom two, one pair and high card, win far more pots than beginners expect, because most hands simply miss the board entirely. Every showdown is settled by this order first; only when two players land on the same rung do kickers break the tie. Tap any hand below to see a real example, how it's made and how often it hits.
What beats what?
Tap any hand to see a real example, how it's made and how often it hits. This is the #1 thing every new player must know — cold.
Royal Flush
- How it's made
- A, K, Q, J, 10 — all the same suit.
- Beats
- Everything. This is the absolute nuts.
- Pro tip
- You may play thousands of hands before you ever see one. It cannot be beaten, so bet it for maximum value.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 649,740
Straight Flush
- How it's made
- Five cards in sequence, all one suit.
- Beats
- Four of a kind and everything below it.
- Pro tip
- Only a higher straight flush beats it. Watch the board — if the community cards are one suit and connected, someone may hold it.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 72,193
Four of a Kind
- How it's made
- All four cards of one rank, plus any kicker. Also called 'quads'.
- Beats
- Every full house and below.
- Pro tip
- A monster. The only real danger is a straight flush, which is rare. Get the money in.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 4,165
Full House
- How it's made
- Three of a kind plus a pair. Read aloud as 'kings full of sevens'.
- Beats
- Flushes, straights and everything lower.
- Pro tip
- The higher three-of-a-kind wins when two players both have a full house — the pair only breaks true ties.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 694
Flush
- How it's made
- Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
- Beats
- Straights, trips, two pair and below.
- Pro tip
- Ties are broken by the highest card, so the 'nut flush' (ace-high) is far stronger than a low one.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 508
Straight
- How it's made
- Five cards in sequence of mixed suits. Ace can be high or low.
- Beats
- Three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card.
- Pro tip
- Beware: on a single-suited board a flush beats you. The 'wheel' A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 254
Three of a Kind
- How it's made
- Three cards of one rank. Called 'a set' when it uses your pocket pair.
- Beats
- Two pair, one pair and high card.
- Pro tip
- Sets are hidden and win big pots. Trips using a board card are more obvious and easier to read.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 47
Two Pair
- How it's made
- Two different pairs, plus a fifth kicker card.
- Beats
- One pair and high card.
- Pro tip
- Strong but vulnerable. The higher top pair wins ties, then the second pair, then the kicker.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 21
One Pair
- How it's made
- Two cards of the same rank, plus three kickers.
- Beats
- High card only.
- Pro tip
- The bread-and-butter hand. Kickers matter — A-J beats K-J when both pair jacks.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 2.4
High Card
- How it's made
- No combination at all — your single highest card plays.
- Beats
- Only a weaker high card.
- Pro tip
- Usually a fold unless you're bluffing. 'Ace-high' still wins plenty of small pots at showdown.
Chance on any 5 cards: 1 in 2
Rarer means higher
Why does the order run this way? Rarity — the harder a hand is to make, the higher it ranks. Deal five random cards and you'll make a flush about once every 509 tries, but a full house only about once every 694 — the full house is genuinely scarcer, which is exactly why it wins the head-to-head. Carry that instinct to the table: the rarer a hand would have to be, the more a big bet pointing at it should make you believe it.
The classic traps
Two orderings trip up nearly every beginner: a flush beats a straight, and a full house beats a flush. Burn those in and you'll dodge the most common showdown misreads. One exception to file away for later: Short Deck ranks a flush above a full house and puts three of a kind above a straight — so always confirm the ruleset before you sit.
Ties and kickers
When two players make the same category, the higher cards win: the bigger trips in a full house, the highest card in a flush, the better kicker with one pair. If every relevant card matches, the pot is split — suits never break the tie in Hold'em.
- Ten hands: royal flush down to high card — know the order cold.
- A hand ranks higher because it's rarer.
- A flush beats a straight; a full house beats a flush.
- Same category? Kickers decide; identical hands split the pot.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 16/20 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
What is the strongest hand in poker?
The royal flush (A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit) is the best possible hand.
Which is higher: a flush or a straight?
A flush beats a straight because a flush is rarer.
You flop a flush and your opponent turns over a full house. Who takes the pot?
A full house outranks a flush in standard poker, so the full house wins.
Your set of nines runs into an opponent's straight. Which hand wins?
A straight ranks above three of a kind, so the straight scoops it.
Rank these lowest to highest: two pair, flush, one pair.
One pair < two pair < flush.
Two players both make a heart flush. What breaks the tie?
The higher top card wins (then the next, and so on); suits never break ties in Hold'em.
Which hand is the rarest (and therefore highest) below?
Four of a kind is rarer than a full house or flush, so it ranks above both.
What beats a full house?
Only four of a kind, straight flush and royal flush beat a full house.
'Kickers' come into play when…
Kickers break ties between hands of the same rank.
Q-9 vs Q-J, both make a pair of queens. Who wins?
Same pair of queens, so the higher kicker (J beats 9) wins.
Which is the lowest-ranked made hand?
High card is the weakest holding — no combination at all.
In standard poker, does three of a kind beat two pair?
Three of a kind ranks above two pair.
Which game deliberately flips flush and full house?
Short Deck ranks a flush above a full house (and trips above a straight).
A full house is described as…
Three of one rank + a pair of another = full house.
If two hands are identical in every card, the pot is…
Identical hands chop the pot; suits don't break the tie.
Which is higher: two pair or three of a kind?
Three of a kind beats two pair.
A straight flush is…
Sequential AND suited — second only to the royal flush.
Why should a board that can make a full house make you cautious?
Monsters are rare; when the board enables one and money goes in, someone may well have it.
The full ranking order (high to low) starts royal flush, straight flush, then…
…four of a kind, then full house, flush, straight, trips, two pair, pair, high card.
The single most important thing to know before any other poker decision is…
You can't make a correct decision without instantly knowing what beats what.
Review — all 20 questions & answers tap to expand
-
What is the strongest hand in poker?
Answer Royal flush
The royal flush (A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit) is the best possible hand.
-
Which is higher: a flush or a straight?
Answer Flush
A flush beats a straight because a flush is rarer.
-
You flop a flush and your opponent turns over a full house. Who takes the pot?
Answer Their full house
A full house outranks a flush in standard poker, so the full house wins.
-
Your set of nines runs into an opponent's straight. Which hand wins?
Answer The straight
A straight ranks above three of a kind, so the straight scoops it.
-
Rank these lowest to highest: two pair, flush, one pair.
Answer one pair, two pair, flush
One pair < two pair < flush.
-
Two players both make a heart flush. What breaks the tie?
Answer The highest card in the flush
The higher top card wins (then the next, and so on); suits never break ties in Hold'em.
-
Which hand is the rarest (and therefore highest) below?
Answer Four of a kind
Four of a kind is rarer than a full house or flush, so it ranks above both.
-
What beats a full house?
Answer Four of a kind (and above)
Only four of a kind, straight flush and royal flush beat a full house.
-
'Kickers' come into play when…
Answer Two players have the same category of hand
Kickers break ties between hands of the same rank.
-
Q-9 vs Q-J, both make a pair of queens. Who wins?
Answer Q-J
Same pair of queens, so the higher kicker (J beats 9) wins.
-
Which is the lowest-ranked made hand?
Answer High card
High card is the weakest holding — no combination at all.
-
In standard poker, does three of a kind beat two pair?
Answer Yes
Three of a kind ranks above two pair.
-
Which game deliberately flips flush and full house?
Answer Short Deck
Short Deck ranks a flush above a full house (and trips above a straight).
-
A full house is described as…
Answer Three of a kind plus a pair
Three of one rank + a pair of another = full house.
-
If two hands are identical in every card, the pot is…
Answer Split
Identical hands chop the pot; suits don't break the tie.
-
Which is higher: two pair or three of a kind?
Answer Three of a kind
Three of a kind beats two pair.
-
A straight flush is…
Answer Five cards in sequence, all the same suit
Sequential AND suited — second only to the royal flush.
-
Why should a board that can make a full house make you cautious?
Answer Because strong hands are rare, so if one is possible, respect the betting
Monsters are rare; when the board enables one and money goes in, someone may well have it.
-
The full ranking order (high to low) starts royal flush, straight flush, then…
Answer Four of a kind
…four of a kind, then full house, flush, straight, trips, two pair, pair, high card.
-
The single most important thing to know before any other poker decision is…
Answer The hand rankings, cold
You can't make a correct decision without instantly knowing what beats what.