Hand Rankings

When playing poker, sometimes the most frustrating part of the game is figuring out which hand outranks another at the poker table. A poker hand consists of 5 cards. In No-Limit Texas Hold'em you make the best 5 card hand out of your 2 hole cards and the 5 community cards. Here is the order in which they are ranked, beginning with the hightest.

Five card sequence from 10 to the Ace in the same suit. (eg. 10, J, Q, K, A) If you get this hand you're unbeatable! This is the ultimate nuts!

Any five card sequence in the same suit. (eg. 8, 9, 10, J, Q or A, 2, 3, 4, 5 - aces can be played high or low). All of the cards must be the same suit and consequtive. Ranking between straights is determined by the value of the high end of the straight.

All four cards of the same index/value. (eg. King, King, King, King).

Three-of-a-kind and a pair. (eg. Ace, Ace, Ace, 10, 10) Ties on a full house are broken by the ranking of the three-of-a-kind.

Any five cards of the same suit, but in any sequence. (eg. Ace, Queen, 9, 4, 6 of Spades).

Any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit. (eg. 8, 9, 10, J, Q mixed suits) Aces can be played high or low, but a straight cannot wrap, meaning you do not have a straight if you have Queen, King, Ace, Two, Three. The higher straight wins if two or more people have a straight. If a straight is tied, the pot is split (in Hold'em, you do not rank suits).

Three cards of the same index/value. (eg. 3, 3, 3) The highest set of 3 cards wins.

Two separate pairs. (eg. Queen, Queen, 5, 5) The pair with the highest value is used to determine the winner of a tie. If two players have the same two pair, the winner is determined by the highest 'kicker' card. If the board paired the 5's, and each player was holding a Queen, they would both have two pair. However, if one player is holding an Ace and the other player a 6, then the player with the Ace wins. If the highest kicker is on the board, the pot is split.

Two cards of the same index/value. (eg. 4, 4)

If no player has any of the above hands, then the highest value card in the hand determines the winner. If the highest cards are a tie then the second highest card is used to determine the winner. Suits are not used to break ties.