What is the ranking of poker hands from strongest to weakest that you can make with a regular deck of 52 cards and five cards total?


Answer: The ranking of poker hands with 52 regular playing cards is:

1) A Royal Flush - this hand consists of ten, jack, queen, king and ace of a single suit (e.g. ten, jack, queen, king, ace, all of spades)
2) A Straight Flush - this hand consists of five consecutive cards in a single suit. The ace counts as either the highest or lowest, but not both at the same time. (e.g. five, six, seven, eight, nine, all of hearts)
3) Four-of-a-kind - this hand contains four of the same card (e.g. four tens)
4) Full house - Three-of-a-kind of the same card, and a pair of a different card. (e.g. three sevens and two jacks)
5) Flush - Five cards of the same suits (e.g. five spades)
6) Straight - Five consecutive cards, where the ace can count as either the highest or lowest card, but not both at the same time (e.g. ace, two, three, four, five). 
7) Three-of-a-kind - this hand contains three of the same card (e.g. three sevens)
8) Two pair - this hand contains two sets of two cards that are the same (e.g. two fives and two queens)
9) One pair - this hand contains one set of two cards that are the same (e.g. two tens)
10) High card - this hand contains none of the other options, and just has a high card.

For all poker hands, if they are of the same ranking, then one has to look at the height of the cards themselves to determine the strongest hand. A full house of three aces and two tens is stronger than a full house of three kings and two tens. At the same time, three kings and two tens beats three tens and two aces, because the kings are stronger.