Strongest to weakest
This order applies to traditional high poker games such as Hold’em and Omaha High. Do not carry it unchanged into lowball or some short-deck variants. A means ace, K king, Q queen and J jack.
The symbols ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ are suits. A flush needs five cards of the same suit, not simply five red or five black cards. Each row below is an independent example rather than part of one shared deal.
| Rank | Hand | Five-card example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush: an ace-high suited sequence | A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥ |
| 2 | Straight flush: a suited sequence | 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ 4♠ |
| 3 | Four of a kind | 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ 9♣ K♦ |
| 4 | Full house: three of a kind and a pair | 8♠ 8♦ 8♣ 4♥ 4♣ |
| 5 | Flush: five cards of one suit | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦ |
| 6 | Straight: five consecutive ranks | 9♠ 8♥ 7♦ 6♣ 5♠ |
| 7 | Three of a kind | 6♠ 6♥ 6♦ A♣ 9♣ |
| 8 | Two pair | K♠ K♥ 3♦ 3♣ 8♥ |
| 9 | One pair | 10♠ 10♥ A♦ 7♣ 4♥ |
| 10 | High card | A♣ J♥ 9♦ 6♠ 3♣ |
What if both players have the same category?
With one pair, compare the pair first, then the highest differing side card, continuing if necessary. With two pair, compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the fifth card. Aces and twos therefore beat kings and queens.
For a full house, compare the three-of-a-kind rank before the pair. Three eights with two twos beat three sevens with two aces. For a flush, compare the highest card, then the next until a difference appears. The suit itself does not decide the winner.
An ace can be high or low
A 2 3 4 5 is a valid straight, but it is five-high and loses to 2 3 4 5 6. At the other end, 10 J Q K A is the highest straight. A sequence cannot wrap around the ace: Q K A 2 3 is not a straight.
When both straights have the same top card, they tie. A side card outside the sequence cannot break that tie. Four consecutive cards alone, however close they look, are not a completed straight.
When does your hole card stop mattering?
If the Hold’em board is Q♣ Q♦ Q♥ Q♠ A♣, every remaining player has four queens with an ace kicker. One player might hold a king and another a deuce, but their best five cards are identical. They split the pot they are both eligible to contest.
That explains why a higher hole card does not always win. Think about the final five, not your private cards in isolation. If all-in players contributed different amounts, eligibility for the main pot and side pots is handled separately.
Use a quick comparison check
Look for flushes and sequences, then matching ranks. Write down the five cards you will use, in the order relevant to their comparison, and compare them with your opponent’s five. This avoids counting three pairs or inventing a sixth-card tiebreaker.
Remember Omaha’s difference: four cards of one suit on the board do not give you a flush with only one matching hole card. You must use two hole cards and three board cards. Examples on this page that play the entire board apply to Hold’em.
Common questions
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes under traditional high-hand rankings. A flush beats a straight, but a full house beats a flush.
Do spades beat hearts?
Not when comparing Hold’em or Omaha High hands. Suits create flushes, but do not break a tie between equal hands.
Can I have three pair?
You may see three pairs among seven cards, but your final hand contains only five. Choose your highest two pairs and the best available fifth card.
Rules and references
These references explain general poker rules. Hoot’s current product details are described in our fair-play guide.