In poker, the priority order of hands determines which hand wins in a showdown. The strength of a player’s hand is ranked based on a combination of the cards they hold, with higher-ranked hands beating lower ones. Understanding the poker hand rankings and priority order is essential for any player, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced pro.
Here’s the poker hand ranking order from highest to lowest:
1. Royal Flush
- Description: A, K, Q, J, 10 all of the same suit (e.g., ♠ A, K, Q, J, 10)
- Priority: The highest and unbeatable hand. It’s the rarest combination in poker.
2. Straight Flush
- Description: Five consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., ♠ 9, 10, J, Q, K)
- Priority: A very strong hand, beaten only by a Royal Flush.
3. Four of a Kind
- Description: Four cards of the same rank (e.g., ♠ 7, ♦ 7, ♥ 7, ♣ 7)
- Priority: A dominant hand, often requiring a kicker to break ties between players with the same Four of a Kind.
4. Full House
- Description: Three of a kind plus a pair (e.g., ♠ 10, ♦ 10, ♣ 10, ♠ 7, ♣ 7)
- Priority: A powerful hand, typically beating all hands except for Four of a Kind and higher.
5. Flush
- Description: Five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence (e.g., ♠ 2, ♠ 5, ♠ 8, ♠ 10, ♠ K)
- Priority: A flush beats a straight but loses to a Full House and higher combinations.
6. Straight
- Description: Five consecutive cards of mixed suits (e.g., 4♣, 5♦, 6♠, 7♣, 8♥)
- Priority: Strong, but is beaten by any flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, or higher.
7. Three of a Kind
- Description: Three cards of the same rank (e.g., ♠ 6, ♦ 6, ♣ 6)
- Priority: A solid hand, but generally ranked lower than a straight or higher.
8. Two Pair
- Description: Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank (e.g., ♠ 8, ♣ 8, ♦ Q, ♥ Q)
- Priority: Beats One Pair but is still lower than Three of a Kind.
9. One Pair
- Description: Two cards of the same rank (e.g., ♠ 4, ♥ 4)
- Priority: A common hand but lower in value compared to the others listed above.
10. High Card
- Description: When no other hand is made, the highest card wins (e.g., ♠ K, ♦ Q, ♣ 8, ♥ 6, ♠ 2)
- Priority: The lowest hand in poker. High Card hands are used when no player has formed any of the higher-ranked hands.
Tie-Breaking in Poker
If two players have the same hand rank, tie-breakers are used to determine the winner. For example:
- For a Full House: The player with the higher three-of-a-kind wins.
- For a Flush: The highest card in the flush determines the winner.
- For a Pair: The player with the higher pair wins. If the pairs are the same, the kicker (the next highest card) is used.
By understanding the poker priority order, players can make better decisions and assess their hand strength relative to the potential hands of their opponents.
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