Poker Hands Order - Poker Hand Rankings at PokerStars How to Play Poker Poker Hands At PokerStars, we deal many varieties of poker, some of which use different hand rankings. Hold’em , Omaha , Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw all use the traditional ‘high’ poker rankings. Omaha Hi/Lo , Razz and Stud Hi/Lo use the ‘Ace to Five’ (‘California’) low hand rankings for low hands. 2-7 Single Draw and 2-7 Triple Draw use the ‘Deuce to Seven’ (‘Kansas City’) lowball rankings for low hands. Lastly, Badugi uses a special ranking of hands unique to that game. Know your stuff? Play our interactive game at the bottom of this page. Traditional High Poker Hand Ranks + Straight Flush: Five cards in numerical order, all of identical suits. In the event of a tie: Highest rank at the top of the sequence wins. The best possible straight flush is known as a royal flush, which consists of the ace, king, queen, jack and ten of a suit. A royal flush is an unbeatable hand. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank, and one side card or ‘kicker’.

In the event of a tie: Highest four of a kind wins. In community card games where players have the same four of a kind, the highest fifth side card ('kicker') wins. Full House: Three cards of the same rank, and two cards of a different, matching rank. In the event of a tie: Highest three matching cards wins the pot. In community card games where players have the same three matching cards, the highest value of the two matching cards wins. Flush: Five cards of the same suit. In the event of a tie: The player holding the highest ranked card wins. If necessary, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards can be used to break the tie. If all five cards are the same ranks, the pot is split. The suit itself is never used to break a tie in poker. Straight: Five cards in sequence. In the event of a tie: Highest ranking card at the top of the sequence wins. Note: The Ace may be used at the top or bottom of the sequence, and is the only card which can act in this manner.

A,K,Q,J,T is the highest (Ace high) straight; 5,4,3,2,A is the lowest (Five high) straight. Three of a kind: Three cards of the same rank, and two unrelated side cards. In the event of a tie: Highest ranking three of a kind wins. In community card games where players have the same three of a kind, the highest side card, and if necessary, the second-highest side card wins. Two pair: Two cards of a matching rank, another two cards of a different matching rank, and one side card. In the event of a tie: Highest pair wins. If players have the same highest pair, highest second pair wins. If both players have two identical pairs, highest side card wins. One pair: Two cards of a matching rank, and three unrelated side cards. In the event of a tie: Highest pair wins. If players have the same pair, the highest side card wins, and if necessary, the second-highest and third-highest side card can be used to break the tie. High card: Any hand that does not qualify under a category listed above.

In the event of a tie: Highest card wins, and if necessary, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest and smallest card can be used to break the tie. Ace To Five Lowball Hand Ranks + This method of ranking low hands is used in traditional Hi/Lo games, like Omaha Hi/Lo and Stud Hi/Lo, as well as in Razz, the ‘low only’ Stud game. Note that suits are irrelevant for Ace to Five low. A flush or straight does not ‘break’ an Ace to Five low poker hand. Aces are always a ‘low’ card when considering a low hand. Please also note that the value of a five-card low hand starts with the top card, and goes down from there. Five Low, or Wheel: The Five, Four, Three, Deuce and Ace. In the event of a tie: All Five-high hands split the pot. Six Low: Any five unpaired cards with the highest card being a Six. In the event of a tie: The lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. Thus 6,4,3,2,A defeats 6,5,4,2,A.

If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. Seven Low: Any five unpaired cards with the highest card being a Seven. In the event of a tie: The lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. Eight Low: Any five unpaired cards with the highest card being an Eight. In the event of a tie: The lower second-highest ranking card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. An Eight Low is the weakest hand that qualifies for low in Omaha Hi/Lo and Stud Hi/Lo. However in Razz, there is no such ‘qualifier’ and the lowest hand will always win the pot, even if it is a nine low, queen low, or even a pair! Deuce To Seven Lowball Hand Ranks + The Deuce to Seven Lowball hand rankings are the exact opposite of the traditional ‘high’ hand rankings.

Therefore, the worst possible hand in traditional high poker – seven-five high, with different suits, becomes the best possible hand in deuce to seven lowball (a ‘perfect seven’ low or ‘wheel’). In practice, an ace always plays as a high card in Deuce to Seven (so A,5,4,3,2 is an ace low, not a straight). Straights and flushes count against your hand in Deuce to Seven. Seven Low: Any five unpaired, unconnected cards of different suits, with the highest card being a seven. The best possible hand is 7,5,4,3,2, also known as a ‘wheel’ or ‘number one’. In the event of a tie: The lower second card wins the pot. Thus 7,5,4,3,2 beats 7,6,5,3,2 (a ‘Seven-Five low’ is better than a ‘Seven-Six low’). If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. Eight Low: Any five unpaired, unconnected cards of different suits, with the highest card being an eight.

In the event of a tie: The lower second card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. Nine Low: Any five unpaired, unconnected cards of different suits, with the highest card being a nine. In the event of a tie: The lower second card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. Ten Low: Any five unpaired, unconnected cards of different suits, with the highest card being a ten. In the event of a tie: The lower second card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest, fourth-highest and fifth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. Note: There is no ‘qualifier’ for low in Deuce to Seven lowball games. The above are just examples of hands that may come up in play – the lowest hand will always win the pot in Deuce to Seven, even if it is a pair or worse!

Badugi Hand Ranks + Badugi does not use traditional poker hand rankings and it takes some practice to learn how to correctly read the hands. Badugi hand rankings are somewhat related to the Ace to Five rankings; like in Ace to Five, an ace always plays as a low card. However, unlike Ace to Five, each card in your hand must be a different suit and a different rank, in order to count. Badugi hands consist of four cards, instead of the usual five. Because of this it is impossible to make a five-card straight, and having four cards in sequence does not hurt your hand. Remember, if you have cards of the same suit, only one of them counts, and if you have pairs, only one of them counts. Badugi: A badugi is any hand which consists of four unpaired cards, each a different suit. In the event of a tie: The lower second card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest and fourth-highest cards in the hand can be used to break the tie. Three-Card Hand: Any hand consisting of three unpaired cards of different suits, but a fourth paired or suited card. The lowest three unpaired cards of different suits play.

Because there is a pair, one of the fours does not count, so it is simply ignored, making a 4,2,A three-card hand Because there are two hearts in this hand, one of them is ignored, making a 3,2,A three-card hand. In the event of a tie: The lower second card wins the pot. If necessary, the third-highest card in the hand can be used to break the tie. The fourth (paired or suited) card does not count toward the hand and is not used to break ties. Two-Card Hand: Any hand consisting of two unpaired cards of different suits, but two paired or suited cards. The lowest two unpaired cards of different suits play. Because there are two pairs, one of each pair is discarded, making a 5,A two-card hand. Because there are three hearts, two of them are discarded, making a 2,A two-card hand. In the event of a tie: The lower second card wins the pot. The third and fourth (paired or suited) cards do not count toward the hand and are not used to break ties. One-Card Hand: A hand consisting of only one playable card. The lowest card plays.

Since there are four Aces, three of them are discarded, making a one-card hand of just an Ace. Since there are four cards of the same suit, three of them are discarded, making a one-card hand of just a Three. In the event of a tie: The pot is split between two equal one-card hands. Ready to test your knowledge of poker hand rankings? Play our tutorial now. Are you a new player? Download the Free Poker Software Just download the free PokerStars software to start playing. Downloading the software is simple. Learn How to Download the Poker Software straight vs flush - Poker Forums straight vs flush | Become a Member Save? This is a discussion on straight vs flush within the online poker forums, in the Learning Poker section; i dont understand why a flush is higher than a straight when a straight you need a ccertain 5 cards but in the other hand Visit our comprehensive poker strategy section and our exclusive poker odds for dummies guide!

SEARCH 23rd April 2010, 4:59 AM ancrob [2] Game: all of them straight vs flush i dont understand why a flush is higher than a straight when a straight you need a ccertain 5 cards but in the other hand a flush you could use any of the 13 same suit cards. what is your opinion? #2 23rd April 2010, 5:32 AM juiceeQ [35,246] Poker at: PokerStars Game: NL Holdem You have more card combinations to make a straight, since they do not have to be of the same suit. You have only 13 outs to make any flush. That is why a flush is higher in value. #3 23rd April 2010, 6:52 AM cAPSLOCK [2,554] Look at it this way... You hold 89h.

The cards that can help you make a straight are: 7777TTTT6666JJJJ5555QQQQ But the cards that help you make a flush are: A234567TJQK of hearts only. In a large sample of hands where 7 cards are dealt ( like in a hand of holdem or stud) you will see 2 flushes for every three straights more or less. That said.. counter intuitively after a flop a hand with 4 to a straight has a slightly worse chance of seeing the straight than 4 to a flush has of seeing a flush. (8 outs vs. 9) #4 23rd April 2010, 9:52 AM trucker103 [1,029] re: Poker & straight vs flush just the way it is as said way more options too hit str8 than flush usually u get paid off more with flush also . so gl at the tables and welcome to cards chat #5 Game: NLH re: Poker & straight vs flush I used to think the same thing as the OP.

Straights *seemed* like they'd be harder to get than flushes, but that's not the case. If you do the math there are: 1,098,240 ways to make one pair 123,552 ways to make two pair 54,912 ways to make three of a kind 10,200 ways to make a straight 5,108 ways to make a flush 3,744 ways to make a full house 624 to make four of a kind 36 ways to make a straight flush 4 ways to make a royal flush I like how cAPSLOCK puts it: Quote: Whats higher flush or straight ?!?!?!? - Poker Forums Whats higher flush or straight ?!?!?!? | Become a Member Save? This is a discussion on Whats higher flush or straight ?!?!?!? within the online poker forums, in the General Poker section; hi guys, I would just know what is higher - a flush or straight ? Because I was in a game and had a straight Register or Use the arrow to the right to read the next 1 page(s).

16th September 2007, 4:52 AM Dr.Nat [30] Whats higher flush or straight ?!?!?!? hi guys, I would just know what is higher - a flush or straight ? Because I was in a game and had a straight and the other guy had a flush and he won..... just want to know that ....thx for any answers! CardsChat recommends: Please see our Poker Hand Rankings #2 16th September 2007, 5:48 AM Chase_0101 [49] Online Poker at: Full Tilt Game: Hold'em A flush beats a straight. That's why the other guy won the hand. Here is the rankings in order!----- Royal FlushThe best possible straight flush Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace all of the same suit. Straight FlushCards of five consecutive ranks, all of the same suit 4 of a KindFour cards of any one rank, and any other card Full HouseThree cards of one rank, and two cards of a second rank.

FlushFive cards of the same suit that doesn't make a straight StraightCards of five consecutive ranks when not all five are of the same suit Three of a KindThree cards of the same rank and two unrelated cards Two PairTwo cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and a fifth One PairTwo cards of the same rank and three other unrelated cards High CardKnown as a 'Busted Hand'. Five unrelated cards – no pair, no flush, no straight. Nothing. #3 Online Poker at: STARS, BODOG Game: LUVWIFE&KIDS Here is the rankings in order!----- Royal FlushThe best possible straight flush ( Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace all of the same suit. Straight FlushCards of five consecutive ranks, all of the same suit 4 of a KindFour cards of any one rank, and any other card Full HouseThree cards of one rank, and two cards of a second rank.

FlushFive cards of the same suit that doesn't make a straight StraightCards of five consecutive ranks when not all five are of the same suit Three of a KindThree cards of the same rank and two unrelated cards Two PairTwo cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and a fifth One PairTwo cards of the same rank and three other unrelated cards High CardKnown as a 'Busted Hand'. Five unrelated cards – no pair, no flush, no straight. Nothing. #27 The Poker Hand Rankings | Pokerology.com Poker Hand Rankings By Tim Ryerson In this lesson you’re going to learn the first and most important step about how to play poker by learning the all important poker hand rankings. A standard poker hand consists of five cards. Each poker hand is ranked in a set order. The higher the rank, the less chance statistically you have of getting it. The higher the rank of your hand the better, because two pairs always beats one pair, and a flush always beats a straight. When two or more players have a hand of the same rank, then there are more ways to determine the best hand. Hopefully all these points will make perfect sense by the end of this lesson.

Poker Hands (from Best to Worst) Be sure to pay close attention and memorize the poker hand rankings. Let’s start with the best possible hand in poker…. Royal Flush A Royal flush consists of five cards of the same suit, in sequence from 10 through to Ace. Remember that all suits are equal in poker. If two or more players hold a royal flush (highly unlikely) then the pot is split, i.e. the players share the winnings. Straight Flush Five cards of the same suit, in sequence. This example shows a Jack high straight flush. If two or more players hold a straight flush then it is the highest that wins. For example, a Queen high straight flush beats a Jack high straight flush. You will notice that this is very similar to a Royal flush, and that’s because a Royal flush is in fact an ace high straight flush – but it’s given its very own ranking. Four of a Kind This hand contains four cards of the same rank/value. This example shows four 8’s, plus a 5 (remember that all poker hands must have five cards). If two or more players have four of a kind, then the highest value wins (e.g. four 9’s beats four 8’s).

If two or more players share the same four of a kind, which can happen when using community cards (more on that later) then the winner is decided by the fifth card. So a player with four 8’s and a 6 would beat a player with four 8’s and a 5. Full House A full house contains three cards of the same rank, plus a pair. In our example you can see three 10’s and a pair of 7’s. The value of the three matching cards determines the strength of a full house. So three Jack’s with a pair of 7’s would beat our example hand. If players share the same three cards, which is possible when using community cards, the strength of the pair is then taken into account. So, three 10’s and a pair of 8’s would beat our example hand. Flush Five cards of the same suit in any order. Our example shows a Queen high flush. If two or more players have a flush then the player with the highest ranked card wins. If the players share the same high card then it’s determined by the value of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th card respectively.

Straight This hand contains five unsuited cards in sequence. Our example shows a King high straight. In the event of a tie, the best straight is determined by the highest ranked card. A straight consisting of 8, 9, 10, J, Q, would lose to our example hand. But a straight consisting of 10, J, Q, K, A, would win. Also note that an Ace can be used as the low card for a straight of A, 2, 3, 4, 5. This would lose to a straight of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Three of a Kind Three cards of the same rank, and two unrelated cards. Our example shows three 4’s. Three 5’s would beat our example hand, three 6’s would beat three 5’s, and so on. If players share the same three cards, then the value of the highest unrelated card would count and if necessary, the value of the second unrelated card. So, three 4’s with Jack, 8, would beat our example hand. As would three 4’s and 10, 9 (because 9 is higher than 8).

Two Pair Two cards of matching rank, with another two cards of another rank, plus an additional card. In the event of a tie, the highest pair wins. If players share the same highest pair, then the value of the next pair wins. For example, a pair of Aces, and a pair of 6’s would beat our example hand, as would a pair of Kings and a pair of 7’s. If two or more players share the same two pair, then the value of the fifth card counts. So, a pair of Kings, a pair of 6’s, with a 4, would beat our example hand. One Pair A paired hand contains two cards of matching rank, plus three additional cards. The value of the pair determines who wins in the event of a tie. For example a pair of 10’s beats our example hand. If players share the same pair then the best hand is determined by the value of the highest additional card. If this is the same then it goes to the second card, and if necessary the third. So, a pair of 9’s with an Ace, 2, and 10, would beat our example hand.

As would a pair of 9’s, King, 10, and a 3. High Card If a hand doesn’t fall into any of the above categories, then it is judged on the value of the highest ranked card among the five. In this example we have a hand which is Queen high. If players share the same highest card, then it goes to the value of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and even 5th card if necessary. A hand of Queen, 10, 9, 5, 4, would beat our example hand. Community Cards As you already know, a poker hand consists of five cards. In many variations of poker, players receive or can choose from more than five cards. For example, in Texas Hold’em each player is dealt two private cards, but can also use the five community cards that are available for all the players to use. This makes a total of seven cards, but each player must choose their best five cards to make their best possible hand. Here’s an example: In the above example, the best five cards among total of seven (two private cards and five community cards) would be combined to make a flush.

Conclusion If you don’t fully understand the poker hand rankings then please read through the list again. It’s vital that you know which hand beats which. Of course, how good a poker hand is, is very dependent on which type of poker game you are playing and other factors such as the number of other players you are playing against. You will learn the true strength of a poker hand as you gain experience of playing the game. We have created a printable poker hand rankings chart that you can use as a source of reference. Hopefully we’ve explained the poker hand rankings to you well enough whereby you don’t need this chart, but it still might be handy for some. The chart will load as a PDF (link opens in a new window) and you’ll need to have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer to be able to view it. Make sure that you memorize the poker hand rankings before moving onto the next lesson. Related Lessons Straight Flush - Straight Flush - Poker Glossary Straight Flush Poker Glossary A poker hand consisting of 5 cards of the same suit whose rank form a sequence. Thus, a straight flush is both a Straight and a Flush . The highest possible straight flush is AKQJT of the same suit (also called the Royal Flush ).

The lowest possible straight flush is 5432A of the same suit. (Submitted by Mercy) Rules of Card Games: Poker Hand Ranking Hand probabilities and multiple decks - probability tables Standard Poker Hand Ranking There are 52 cards in the pack, and the ranking of the individual cards, from high to low, is ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. In standard poker - that is to say in the formal casino and tournament game played internationally and the home game as normally played in North America - there is no ranking between the suits for the purpose of comparing hands - so for example the king of hearts and the king of spades are equal. (Note however that suit ranking is sometimes used for other purposes such as allocating seats, deciding who bets first, and allocating the odd chip when splitting a pot that can't be equally divided. See ranking of suits for details.) A poker hand consists of five cards. The categories of hand, from highest to lowest, are listed below. Any hand in a higher category beats any hand in a lower category (so for example any three of a kind beats any two pairs).

Between hands in the same category the rank of the individual cards decides which is better, as described in more detail below. In games where a player has more than five cards and selects five to form a poker hand, the remaining cards do not play any part in the ranking. Poker ranks are always based on five cards only, and if these cards are equal the hands are equal, irrespective of the ranks of any unused cards. Some readers may wonder why one would ever need to compare (say) two threes of a kind of equal rank. This obviously cannot arise in basic draw poker, but such comparisons are needed in poker games using shared (community) cards, such as Texas Hold'em, in poker games with wild cards, and in other card games using poker combinations. 1. Straight Flush If there are no wild cards, this is the highest type of poker hand: five cards of the same suit in sequence - such as J- 9- 8- 7. Between two straight flushes, the one containing the higher top card is higher.

An ace can be counted as low, so 5- 3- 2- A is a straight flush, but its top card is the five, not the ace, so it is the lowest type of straight flush. The highest type of straight flush, A-K-Q-J-10 of a suit, is known as a Royal Flush. The cards in a straight flush cannot "turn the corner": 4- K is not valid. 2. Four of a kind Four cards of the same rank - such as four queens. The fifth card, known as the kicker, can be anything. This combination is sometimes known as "quads", and in some parts of Europe it is called a "poker", though this term for it is unknown in English. Between two fours of a kind, the one with the higher set of four cards is higher - so 3-3-3-3-A is beaten by 4-4-4-4-2. If two or more players have four of a kind of the same rank, the rank of the kicker decides.

For example in Texas Hold'em with J- J- J- 9 on the table (available to all players), a player holding K-7 beats a player holding Q-10 since the king beats the queen. If one player holds 8-2 and another holds 6-5 they split the pot, since the 9 kicker makes the best hand for both of them. If one player holds A- K they also split the pot because both have an ace kicker. 3. Full House This combination, sometimes known as a boat, consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank - for example three sevens and two tens (colloquially known as "sevens full of tens" or "sevens on tens"). When comparing full houses, the rank of the three cards determines which is higher. For example 9-9-9-4-4 beats 8-8-8-A-A. If the threes of a kind are equal, the rank of the pairs decides. 4. Flush Five cards of the same suit. When comparing two flushes, the highest card determines which is higher.

If the highest cards are equal then the second highest card is compared; if those are equal too, then the third highest card, and so on. For example K- 7- 6- 5 because the nine beats the seven. If all five cards are equal, the flushes are equal. 5. Straight Five cards of mixed suits in sequence - for example Q- 10- 9- 8. When comparing two sequences, the one with the higher ranking top card is better. Ace can count high or low in a straight, but not both at once, so A-K-Q-J-10 and 5-4-3-2-A are valid straights, but 2-A-K-Q-J is not. 5-4-3-2-A, known as a wheel, is the lowest kind of straight, the top card being the five. 6. Three of a Kind Three cards of the same rank plus two unequal cards. This combination is also known as Triplets or Trips. When comparing two threes of a kind the rank of the three equal cards determines which is higher.

If the sets of three are of equal rank, then the higher of the two remaining cards in each hand are compared, and if those are equal, the lower odd card is compared. So for example 5-5-5-3-2 beats 4-4-4-K-5, which beats 4-4-4-Q-9, which beats 4-4-4-Q-8. 7. Two Pairs A pair consists of two cards of equal rank. In a hand with two pairs, the two pairs are of different ranks (otherwise you would have four of a kind), and there is an odd card to make the hand up to five cards. When comparing hands with two pairs, the hand with the highest pair wins, irrespective of the rank of the other cards - so J-J-2-2-4 beats 10-10-9-9-8 because the jacks beat the tens. If the higher pairs are equal, the lower pairs are compared, so that for example 8-8-6-6-3 beats 8-8-5-5-K.

Finally, if both pairs are the same, the odd cards are compared, so Q-Q-5-5-8 beats Q-Q-5-5-4. 8. Pair A hand with two cards of equal rank and three cards which are different from these and from each other. When comparing two such hands, the hand with the higher pair is better - so for example 6-6-4-3-2 beats 5-5-A-K-Q. If the pairs are equal, compare the highest ranking odd cards from each hand; if these are equal compare the second highest odd card, and if these are equal too compare the lowest odd cards. So J-J-A-9-3 beats J-J-A-8-7 because the 9 beats the 8. 9. Nothing Five cards which do not form any of the combinations listed above. This combination is often called High Card and sometimes No Pair. T cards must all be of different ranks, not consecutive, and contain at least two different suits. When comparing two such hands, the one with the better highest card wins. If the highest cards are equal the second cards are compared; if they are equal too the third cards are compared, and so on.

So A-J-9-5-3 beats A-10-9-6-4 because the jack beats the ten. Hand Ranking in Low Poker There are several poker variations in which the lowest hand wins: these are sometimes known as Lowball. There are also "high-low" variants in which the pot is split between the highest and the lowest hand. A low hand with no combination is normally described by naming its highest card - for example 8-6-5-4-2 would be described as "8-down" or "8-low". It first sight it might be assumed that in low poker the hands rank in the reverse order to their ranking in normal (high) poker, but this is not quite the case. There are several different ways to rank low hands, depending on how aces are treated and whether straights and flushes are counted. Ace to Five This seems to be the most popular system. Straights and flushes do not count, and Aces are always low. The best hand is therefore 5-4-3-2-A, even if the cards are all in one suit.

Then comes 6-4-3-2-A, 6-5-3-2-A, 6-5-4-2-A, 6-5-4-3-A, 6-5-4-3-2, 7-4-3-2-A and so on. Note that when comparing hands, the highest card is compared first, just as in standard poker. So for example 6-5-4-3-2 is better than 7-4-3-2-A because the 6 is lower than the 7. The best hand containing a pair is A-A-4-3-2. This version is sometimes called "California Lowball". When this form of low poker is played as part of a high-low split variant, there is sometimes a condition that a hand must be "eight or better" to qualify to win the low part of the pot. In this case a hand must consist of five unequal cards, all 8 or lower, to qualify for low. The worst such hand is 8-7-6-5-4.

Deuce to Seven The hands rank in almost the same order as in standard poker, with straights and flushes counting and the lowest hand wins. The difference from normal poker is that Aces are always high , so that A-2-3-4-5 is not a straight, but ranks between K-Q-J-10-8 and A-6-4-3-2. The best hand in this form is 7-5-4-3-2 in mixed suits, hence the name "deuce to seven". The next best is 7-6-4-3-2, then 7-6-5-3-2, 7-6-5-4-2, 8-5-4-3-2, 8-6-4-3-2, 8-6-5-3-2, 8-6-5-4-2, 8-6-5-4-3, 8-7-4-3-2, etc.

The highest card is always compared first, so for example 8-6-5-4-3 is better than 8-7-4-3-2 even though the latter contains a 2, because the 6 is lower than the 7. The best hand containing a pair is 2-2-5-4-3, but this would be beaten by A-K-Q-J-9 - the worst "high card" hand. This version is sometimes called "Kansas City Lowball". Ace to Six Many home poker players play that straights and flushes count, but that aces can be counted as low. In this version 5-4-3-2-A is a bad hand because it is a straight, so the best low hand is 6-4-3-2-A. There are a couple of issues around the treatment of aces in this variant. First, what about A-K-Q-J-10? Since aces are low, this should not count as a straight. It is a king-down, and is lower and therefore better than K-Q-J-10-2. Second, a pair of aces is the lowest and therefore the best pair, beating a pair of twos.

It is likely that some players would disagree with both the above rulings, preferring to count A-K-Q-J-10 as a straight and in some cases considering A-A to be the highest pair rather than the lowest. It would be wise to check that you agree on these details before playing ace-to-six low poker with unfamiliar opponents. Selecting from more than five cards Note that in games where more than five cards are available, the player is free to select whichever cards make the lowest hand. For example a player in Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better whose cards are 10-8-6-6-3-2-A can omit the 10 and one of the 6's to create a qualifying hand for low. Poker Hand Ranking with Wild Cards A wild card card that can be used to substitute for a card that the holder needs to make up a hand. In some variants one or more jokers are added to the pack to act as wild cards.

In others, one or more cards of the 52-card pack may be designated as wild - for example all the twos ("deuces wild") or the jacks of hearts and spades ("one-eyed jacks wild", since these are the only two jacks shown in profile in Anglo-American decks). The most usual rule is that a wild card can be used either to represent any card not already present in the hand, or to make the special combination of "five of a kind". This approach is not entirely consistent, since five of a kind - five cards of equal rank - must necessarily include one duplicate card, since there are only four suits. The only practical effect of the rule against duplicates is to prevent the formation of a "double ace flush". So for example in the hand A- 3, the 10 beating the 9. Five of a Kind When playing with wild cards, five of a kind becomes the highest type of hand, beating a royal flush. Between fives of a kind, the higher beats the lower, five aces being highest of all. The Bug Some games, especially five card draw , are often played with a bug. This is a joker added to the pack which acts as a limited wild card.

It can either be used as an ace, or to complete a straight or a flush. Thus the highest hand is five aces ( A- A- A- A-joker), but other fives of a kind are impossible - for example 6-6-6-6-joker would count as four sixes with an ace kicker and a straight flush would beat this hand. Also a hand like 8-8-5-5-joker counts as two pairs with the joker representing an ace, not as a full house. Wild Cards in Low Poker In Low Poker, a wild card can be used to represent a card of a rank not already present in the player's hand. It is then sometimes known as a "fitter". For example 6-5-4-2-joker would count as a pair of sixes in normal poker with the joker wild, but in ace-to-five low poker the joker could be used as an ace, and in deuce-to-seven low poker it could be used as a seven to complete a low hand. Lowest Card Wild Some home poker variants are played with the player's lowest card (or lowest concealed card) wild.

In this case the rule applies to the lowest ranked card held at the time of the showdown, using the normal order ace (high) to two (low). Aces cannot be counted as low to make them wild. Double Ace Flush Some people play with the house rule that a wild card can represent any card, including a duplicate of a card already held. It then becomes possible to have a flush containing two or more aces. Flushes with more than one ace are not allowed unless specifically agreed as a house rule. Natural versus Wild Some play with the house rule that a natural hand beats an equal hand in which one or more of the cards are represented by wild cards. This can be extended to specify that a hand with more wild cards beats an otherwise equal hand with fewer wild cards. This must be agreed in advance: in the absence of any agreement, wild cards are as good as the natural cards they represent. Incomplete Hands In some poker variants, such as No Peek , it is necessary to compare hands that have fewer than five cards. With fewer than five cards, you cannot have a straight, flush or full house.

You can make a four of a kind or two pairs with only four cards, triplets with three cards, a pair with two cards and a "high card" hand with just one card. The process of comparing first the combination and then the kickers in descending order is the same as when comparing five-card hands. In hands with unequal numbers of cards any kicker that is present in the hand beats a missing kicker. So for example 8-8-K beats 8-8-6-2 because the king beats the 6, but 8-8-6-2 beats 8-8-6 because a 2 is better than a missing fourth card. Similarly a 10 by itself beats 9-5, which beats 9-3-2, which beats 9-3, which beats a 9 by itself. Ranking of suits In standard poker there is no ranking of suits for the purpose of comparing hands. If two hands are identical apart from the suits of the cards then they count as equal. In standard poker, if there are two highest equal hands in a showdown, the pot is split between them.

Standard poker rules do, however, specify a hierarchy of suits: spades (highest), hearts, diamonds, clubs (lowest) (as in Contract Bridge ), which is used to break ties for special purposes such as: drawing cards to allocate players to seats or tables; deciding who bets first in stud poker according to the highest or lowest upcard; allocating a chip that is left over when a pot cannot be shared exactly between two or more players. I have, however, heard from several home poker players who play by house rules that use this same ranking of suits to break ties between otherwise equal hands. For some reason, players most often think of this as a way to break ties between royal flushes, which would be most relevant in a game with many wild cards, where such hands might become commonplace. However, if you want to introduce a suit ranking it is important also to agree how it will apply to other, lower types of hand. If one player A has 8- 7- 6- 2 ? So far as I know there is no universally accepted answer to these questions: this is non-standard poker, and your house rules are whatever you agree that they are.

Three different rules that I have come across, when hands are equal apart from suit are: Compare the suit of the highest card in the hand. Compare the suit of the highest paired card - for example if two people have J-J-7-7-K the highest jack wins. Compare the suit of the highest unpaired card - for example if two people have K-K-7-5-4 compare the 7's. Although the order spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs may seem natural to Bridge players and English speakers, other suit orders are common, especially in some European countries.

Up to now, I have come across: spades (high), hearts, clubs, diamonds (low) spades (high), diamonds, clubs, hearts (low) hearts (high), spades, diamonds, clubs (low) (in Greece and in Turkey) hearts (high), diamonds, spades, clubs (low) (in Austria and in Sweden) hearts (high), diamonds, clubs, spades (low) (in Italy) diamonds (high), spades, hearts, clubs (low) (in Brazil) diamonds (high), hearts, spades, clubs (low) (in Brazil) clubs (high), spades, hearts, diamonds (low) (in Germany) As with all house rules, it would be wise to make sure you have a common understanding before starting to play, especially when the group contains people with whom you have not played before. Stripped Decks In some places, especially in continental Europe, poker is sometimes played with a deck of less than 52 cards, the low cards being omitted. Italian Poker is an example. As the pack is reduced, a Flush becomes more difficult to make, and for this reason a Flush is sometimes ranked above a Full House in such games.

In a stripped deck game, the ace is considered to be adjacent to the lowest card present in the deck, so for example when using a 36-card deck with 6's low, A-6-7-8-9 is a low straight. Playing poker with fewer than 52 cards is not a new idea. In the first half of the 19th century, the earliest form of poker was played with just 20 cards - the ace, king, queen, jack and ten of each suit - with five cards dealt to each of four players. The only hand types recognised were, in descending order, four of a kind, full house, three of a kind, two pairs, one pair, no pair. No Unbeatable Hand In standard poker a Royal Flush (A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit) cannot be beaten. Even if you introduce suit ranking, the Royal Flush in the highest suit is unbeatable. In some regions, it is considered unsatisfactory to have any hand that is guaranteed to be unbeaten - there should always be a risk. There are several solutions to this.

In Italy this is achieved by the rule "La minima batte la massima, la massima batte la media e la media batte la minima" ("the minimum beats the maximum, the maximum beats the medium and the medium beats the minimum"). A minimum straight flush is the lowest that can be made with the deck in use. Normally they play with a stripped deck so for example with 40 cards the minimum straight flush would be A-5-6-7-8 of a suit. A maximum straight flush is 10-J-Q-K-A of a suit. All other straight flushes are medium. If two players have medium straight flushes then the one with higher ranked cards wins as usual. Also as usual a maximum straight flush beats a medium one, and a medium straight flush beats a minimum one. But if a minimum straight flush comes up against a maximum straight flush, the minimum beats the maximum. In the very rare case where three players hold a straight flush, one minimum, one medium and one maximum, the pot is split between them. See for example Italian Poker .

In Greece, where hearts is the highest suit, A- Q- J- 10 is called an Imperial Flush, and it is beaten only by four of a kind of the lowest rank in the deck - for example 6-6-6-6 if playing with 36 cards. Again, in very rare cases there could also be a hand in the showdown that beats the four of a kind but is lower than the Imperial Flush, in which case the pot would be split. Hand probabilities and multiple decks The ranking order of poker hands corresponds to their probability of occurring in straight poker, where five cards are dealt from a 52-card deck, with no wild cards and no opportunity to use extra cards to improve a hand. The rarer a hand the higher it ranks. This is neither an essential nor an original feature of poker, and it ceases to be true when wild cards are introduced. In fact, with a large number of wild cards, it is almost inevitable that the higher hand types will be the commoner, not rarer, since wild cards will be used to help make the most valuable type of hand from the available cards.

Mark Brader has provided probability tables showing the frequency of each poker hand type when five cards are dealt from a 52-card deck, and also showing how these probabilities would change if multiple decks were used. Pai Gow Poker Pai Gow Poker In Pai Gow Poker you are dealt seven cards and the dealer is dealt seven cards. You divide your cards into a five-card hand and two-card hand. Your two hands are then compared to the dealer's two hands. The goal of Pai Gow Poker is to get a better five-card hand and two-card hand than the dealer. Hands are ranked according to standard poker rules, with the exception that the Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5 straight is the second highest straight. Another poker exception to the game is the inclusion of the Joker. The Joker can be used to complete a five-card flush, straight, or straight flush. Otherwise, the Joker is counted as an Ace. If both of your hands have a higher poker rank than the dealer's two hands, you win. If both of the dealer's hands have a higher poker rank, the dealer wins. If you win one hand and lose the other hand, you push .

If you get a copy (tie) on either hand, the dealer wins the tie for that hand. To Play Click chips to place a bet within table limits or click Rebet Click Deal Click the two cards that will be your two-card hand Click Split to separate the cards Important - The five-card hand must have a better poker hand than the two-card hand. To Win You have higher-ranked five-card and two-card poker hands than the dealer. Hand Ranks Four Aces plus a Joker Royal Flush 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of same suit Straight Flush Five cards of same suit in sequence Four of a Kind Four cards of same rank Full House Three of a kind, plus a pair Flush Five cards of same suit Straight* Three cards of same rank Two Pair Two pairs of different rank One Pair (10's or better) Two cards of same rank, 10 or higher *The Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5 straight is the second highest straight in Pai Gow Poker. All other rankings follow standard poker rules. Payouts Even Money minus 5% commission* Dealer/Player Tie *Commission is rounded up to a quarter of the lowest chip denomination in the game.

The House Way The two cards will be the two Kings The two cards will be two Aces Royal Flush The two cards will be two from the 3-of-a-kind Royal Flush and Pair One Pair that uses Joker, and still have a Flush after removing the Joker and the Ace The two cards will be the Joker and the Ace One Pair, Joker, and still have a Flush after removing the Pair The two cards will be the pair One Pair, Joker, and still have a flush after removing the Joker Follow the steps described for "Flush and 3-of-a-kind" One Pair composed of Ace and Joker, where the Ace is also used by the flush The two cards will be the 2nd and 3rd highest Any other One Pair, Joker The two cards will be the Joker and the highest singleton not from the flush Any other One Pair and flush Follow the steps described for "Flush and 3-of-a-kind" Two Pairs where one uses a Joker, and still have a flush after removing a Joker and an Ace The two cards will be the Joker and the Ace Two Pairs, a Joker, and still have a flush after removing the second pair The two cards will be the second pair Two Pairs where the first ranks 2 or King, and

 the second ranks Ace Follow the steps described for "Flush and 3-of-a-kind" The two cards will be the two non-flush 6-card Royal Flush with Joker The two cards will be the Joker and the non-flush 6-card Royal Flush without Joker The two cards will be the highest card in the flush and the non-flush 7-card Royal Flush with Joker The two cards will be the Joker and the highest card in the flush 7-card Royal Flush without Joker The two cards will be the highest cards in the Flush Straight Flush Straight Flush and Full House 3-of-a-kind ranks Ace The two cards will be the Pair Any other Straight Flush and Full House The two cards will be the Joker and the Ace The two cards will be the two non-straights 6-card Straight Flush starting with Ace The two cards will be the Ace and the non-straight 6-card Straight Flush with Joker in the first or last position of the straight The two cards will be the Joker and the non-straight Any other 6-card Straight Flush The two cards will be the last card in the straight and the non-straight 7-card Straight Flush starting with an Ace and with a Joker in the second or last position of the straight The two cards will be

 the Ace and the Joker Any other 7-card Straight Flush starting with an Ace The two cards will be the Ace and the last card in the straight 7-card Straight Flush starting with a Joker The two cards will be the Joker and the last card in the straight 7-card Straight Flush with a Joker in the second position of the straight The two cards will be the Joker and the first card in the straight 7-card Straight Flush ending with a Joker The two cards will be the Joker and the sixth card in the straight 7-card Straight Flush with a Joker in the sixth position of the straight The two cards will be the Joker and the last card in the straight Any other 7-card Straight Flush The two cards will be the two last cards in the straight Four of a Kind 4-of-a-kind and 3-of-a-kind When the rank of the 4-of-a-kind is 1 above or below the rank of the 3-of-a-kind The two cards will be two from the 3-of-a-kind Any other 4-of-a-kind and 3-of-a-kind The two cards will be the highest cards When the rank of the 4-of-a-kind is greater than the rank of the Pair The two cards will be two from the 4-of

-a-kind Any other 4-of-a-kind and a Pair The two cards will be the Pair The two cards will be the two singletons Full House An Ace 3-of-a-kind, a Pair of 2s and a Pair of 3s The two cards will be two Aces Any other Full House and Pair The two cards will be the higher Pair Full House and Two Singletons Full House where the Pair is higher than the Two Singletons hand The two cards will be the Pair Full House where the Pair is lower than the Two Singletons hand The two cards will be the Two Singletons Flush 3 Aces in the Full House The two cards will be the pair 3 Tens or better in the Full House The two cards will be two from the 3-of-a-kind Any other Flush and Full House The two cards will be the Joker and the Ace The two cards will be the highest cards in the Flush Flush and Pair One Pair that uses Joker, and still have a Flush after removing the Joker and the Ace The two cards will be the Joker and the Ace One Pair, Joker, and still have a Flush after removing the Pair The two cards will be the pair One Pair, Joker, and still have a flush after removing the Joker Follow the steps

 described for "Flush and 3-of-a-kind" One Pair composed of Ace and Joker, where the Ace is also used by the flush The two cards will be the 2nd and 3rd highest Any other One Pair, Joker The two cards will be the Joker and the highest singleton not from the flush Any other One Pair and flush Follow the steps described for "Flush and 3-of-a-kind" Two Pairs where one uses a Joker, and still have a flush after removing a Joker and an Ace The two cards will be the Joker and the Ace Two Pairs, a Joker, and still have a flush after removing the second pair The two cards will be the second pair Two Pairs where the first ranks 2 or King, and the second ranks Ace Follow the steps described for "Flush and 3-of-a-kind" The two cards will be the last card in the straight and the non-straight 7-card Straight starting with an Ace and with a Joker in the second or last position of the straight The two cards will be the Ace and the Joker Any other 7-card Straight starting with an Ace The two cards will be the Ace and the last card in the straight 7-card Straight starting with a Joker The two cards will be the Joker

 and the last card in the straight 7-card Straight with a Joker in the second position of the straight The two cards will be the Joker and the first card in the straight 7-card Straight ending with a Joker The two cards will be the Joker and the sixth card in the straight 7-card Straight with a Joker in the sixth position of the straight The two cards will be the Joker and the last card in the straight The two cards will be the two last cards in the straight One Pair with a Joker and a Straight without Ace The two cards will be the Ace and the highest singleton One Pair, Joker, and still have a Straight after removing the pair The two cards will be the pair One Pair raking King, and a Straight containing Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 The two cards will be the Ace and the Queen One Pair raking Queen, Jack or 10, and a Straight containing Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 The two cards will be the Ace and the King Poker Hands and Hand Rankings - Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Etc.

The #1 Resource for aussie gambling! Poker Hands and Hand Rankings Royal Flush The best possible hand is a royal flush, which is a straight and a flush with the top five cards: ace, king, queen, jack, and ten. When you get these five cards all of one suit, you can’t lose in poker. Most games don’t make distinctions in suit rankings. A royal flush happens once in every 649,739 hands, so it’s a rare happening. Bet with conviction when playing these cards. Straight Flush A straight flush is any combination of five cards in sequence with the same suit. Getting the 2-3-4-5-6 of clubs is a straight flush, while getting the K-Q-J-10-9 of spades is a straight flush. If two happened in the same pot, the high card would win. This is also rare, about 1 in 72,192 hands or, at a 9 player table, about once every 8,000 pots. Four of a Kind The four of a kind is just that: four of any one card rank.

You might have 4 aces, 4 sevens, or 4 twos, but each is a great hand. If two go head-to-head, the high card wins. The odds of getting this combination is one in every 4,164. Full House This is 3 of one card and 2 of another. If you had the 3 kings and 2 queens, it’s a full house. If you held 3 twos and 2 threes, it’s a full house. The odds of holding this hand is 1 in 694, so somebody at your table is likely to see a full house once every 75 hands or so. Flush The flush is simply 5 cards of any one suit, but not in sequential order. This excludes the royal flush and straight flush. A typical flush might be the king, jack, eight, five, and three of hearts. The odds of this happening are 1:508, so a little less likely than the full house. Players should be aware in Texas holdem of the “nut flush”. Holding the nuts simply means holding the strongest possible hand from the cards showing.

The community cards show Q-J-10 and you hold the 9-8, you should be aware that you’re holding a flush which could be beat. If someone else holds a K-9, you lose. If someone holds an ace-king, they have a straight flush and you are really dominated. Since it’s a lot more likely someone holding A-K is likely to be in the pot than someone holding K-9, you must consider the possibility. Straight The straight is 5 cards in a row, regardless of suit. The straight might be an A-Q-J-10-9 or it might be the A-2-3-4-6, or some combination in between. Remember that the ace can fill out a straight as a high or low card. The odds you’ll get a straight are 1:254, or twice the probability you’ll draw a flush. Three of a Kind The three of a kind is a simply 3 of any one card rank. You might hold 3 aces or 777 or 3 twos. In any cases, triples is a strong hand in Texas holdem.

This happens once in every 46.3 hands, meaning some is going to hold three of a kind once every 5 hands at a 9-player table. Two Pair Two pair is a two of one card and two of another. You might think this would be rarer than a 3 of a kind, but hold 2 pairs is a 1 in 20 proposition. This happens almost every other hand at a big table. Players with two pairs are urged to bet enough to push out gamblers on a draw, because the longer the hand goes, the more likely someone is going to outdraw your two pair. One Pair Holding one single pair. This is considered a strong starting hand, but a player needs to consider that a higher pair might be on the table. One in every 1.36 hands dealt are going to contain a pair. If you hold a pair of 2’s, that’s not nearly as good as holding a pair of A’s. Even a pair of aces is in a dangerous position if you don’t improve on the hand by getting trips, two pair, or a full house. High Card – No Pair The weakest hand in poker is no pair, which is called “high card”.

Whatever your highest card is where your hand is ranked. If you have an ace, you would hold aces high. If you held a 7-5-4-3-2, you would have seven high, which is the weakest possible hand in most games of poker. If you were playing either the Omaha or seven-card stud hi/lo game variant, this would be a strong hand. Otherwise, you’re going to be beaten, which is why holding a 7-2 offsuit is considered the weakest starting hand in Texas holdem. You simply hold no way to improve with flush or straight, so you’re hoping to pair 7s and 2s. Mastering the Hand Ranks Knowing the hand ranks gives a player a quick signpost for their strength when betting into a pot. A successful poker player needs a detailed knowledge of the hand rankings. When I say you need to know the poker hands, I’m not talking about whether a pair of aces beats a pair of kings. I’m talking about that mass of card combinations between the best and worst hands. Whenever you hold any set of cards, a gambler needs to know its strength relative to the rest of the possibilities.

To do this, card players should study hand ranking charts not much different than what you would study in blackjack. Several experts have made tables which detail the playable hands in Texas hold’em , Omaha holdem , seven-card stud , razz , and the various hi/lo 8-or-better variants of the games already mentioned. Study these for the game or variant you want to master. That way, you know which hands to play and which to fold. Even if you decide to play a hunch or make a bluff, you do so with the knowledge that you’re diverging from classic poker strategy. Predicate all you do in poker on a firm understanding of the hand ranks. See also: Basic Poker Rules The Rules of Poker Poker is a game of chance. However, when you introduce the concept of betting, poker gains quite a bit of skill and psychology. (This isn't to say that there isn't skill at poker when nothing is at risk, there just isn't nearly as much). This is meant as a very basic primer into the rules of poker, for more information, get a book on the game (or start playing with a group of people who know how. It's more expensive than reading a book, but the group won't mind.

*Snicker*). This list is currently broken into several parts: The Very Basics An Example 5-Card Draw Hand The Very Basics Poker is played from a standard pack of 52 cards. (Some variant games use multiple packs or add a few cards called jokers.) The cards are ranked (from high to low) Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace. (Ace can be high or low, but is usually high). There are four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs); however, no suit is higher than another. All poker hands contain five cards, the highest hand wins. Some games have Wild Cards, which can take on whatever suit and rank their possessor desires. Sometimes jokers will be used as wild cards, other times, the game will specify which cards are wild (dueces, one-eyed jacks, or whatever). How the hands are ranked Hands are ranked as follows (from high to low): Five of a Kind A five of a kind (which is only possible when using wild cards) is the highest possible hand.

If more than one hand has five of a kind, the higher card wins (Five Aces beats five kings, which beat five queens, and so on). Straight Flush A straight flush is the best natural hand. A straight flush is a straight (5 cards in order, such as 5-6-7-8-9) that are all of the same suit. As in a regular straight, you can have an ace either high (A-K-Q-J-T) or low (5-4-3-2-1). However, a straight may not 'wraparound'. (Such as K-A-2-3-4, which is not a straight). An Ace high straight-flush is called a Royal Flush and is the highest natural hand. Four of a Kind Four of a kind is simply four cards of the same rank. If there are two or more hands that qualify, the hand with the higher-rank four of a kind wins. If, in some bizarre game with many wild cards, there are two four of a kinds with the same rank, then the one with the high card outside the four of the kind wins.

General Rule: When hands tie on the rank of a pair, three of a kind, etc, the cards outside break ties following the High Card rules. Full House A full house is a three of a kind and a pair, such as K-K-K-5-5. Ties are broken first by the three of a kind, then pair. So K-K-K-2-2 beats Q-Q-Q-A-A, which beats Q-Q-Q-J-J. (Obviously, the three of a kind can only be similiar if wild cards are used.) High Card This is any hand which doesn't qualify as any one of the above hands. If nobody has a pair or better, then the highest card wins. If multiple people tie for the highest card, they look at the second highest, then the third highest etc. High card is also used to break ties when the high hands both have the same type of hand (pair, flush, straight, etc). Betting So, how do you bet? Poker is, after all, a gambling game. In most games, you must 'ante' something (amount varies by game, our games are typically a nickel), just to get dealt cards. After that players bet into the pot in the middle.

At the end of the hand, the highest hand (that hasn't folded) wins the pot. Basically, when betting gets around to you (betting is typically done in clockwise order), you have one of three choices: Call When you call, you bet enough to match what has been bet since the last time you bet (for instance, if you bet a dime last time, and someone else bet a quarter, you would owe fifteen cents). Raise When you raise, you first bet enough to match what has been bet since the last time you bet (as in calling), then you 'raise' the bet another amount (up to you, but there is typically a limit.) Continuing the above example, if you had bet a dime, the other person raised you fifteen cents (up to a quarter), you might raise a quarter (up to fifty cents). Since you owed the pot 15 cents for calling and 25 for your raise, you would put 40 cents into the pot. Fold When you fold, you drop out of the current hand (losing any possibility of winning the pot), but you don't have to put any money into the pot. Betting continues until everyone calls or folds after a raise or initial bet.

Some Standard Betting Rules In the group I play in, we ante a nickel. The maximum first bet is fifty cents, and the maximum raise is fifty cents. However, during one round of betting, raises may total no more than one dollar. An Example Five Card Draw Hand. Five card draw is one of the most common types of poker hands. Each player is dealt five cards, then a round of betting follows. Then each player may discard up to 3 cards (4 if your last card is an ace or wild card, in some circles) and get back (from the deck) as many cards as he/she discarded. Then there is another round of betting, and then hands are revealed (the showdown) and the highest hand wins the pot. So you are the dealer at a five card draw game (against four other players, Alex, Brad, Charley and Dennis (seated in that order to your left). Everyone puts a nickel into the pot (Ante) and you deal out 5 cards to each player. You deal yourself a fairly good hand Ks-Kd-Jd-5c-3d. A pair of kings isn't bad off the deal (not great, but not bad). Then the betting starts...

Alex 'Checks' (checking is basically calling when you don't owe anything to the pot). Brad bets a dime. Charley calls (and puts a dime into the pot). Dennis raises a dime (and puts twenty cents into the pot). Well, it's your turn. Twenty cents to you. You can fold, call or raise. Like I said before, pair of kings isn't bad, not good but not bad. You call and put twenty cents into the pot. Back to Alex, who grumbles and tosses his cards into the center of the table, folding. (Note, when folding, never show your cards to anyone). Brad calls. The total bet is twenty cents, but he had already bet a dime, so he owes a dime, which he tosses into the pot. Charley is in the same position as brad, and tosses a dime into the pot. The round of betting is over. After Dennis's raise, everyone else folded or called (there weren't any raises) so, everyone is all square with the pot. Now everyone can discard up to 3 cards. Brad discards 3 cards, Charley discards one card, Dennis discards two cards.

(You deal replacements to everyone) and now it's your turn. You have a pair of kings, three spades, and no chance for a straight. It's best to just keep the two kings and hope to get a 3rd or fourth king. You discard three cards, and your new hand is: Ks-Kd-Kc-4c-8h. Three Kings! A nice little hand. What do you suppose the others were trying for? Well, Brad kept two cards, so he probably had a pair (just like you) but it probably wasn't aces, so even if brad got a three of a kind, you probably beat him. Charley kept four cards, so he was probably trying for a straight or flush. (If Charley had four of a kind, he might have bet much harder). The big problem is Dennis. He raised earlier, and only drew two cards. He might be bluffing, but he could have had three of a kind off the deal... In any case, the second round of betting starts (with dealers left). Brad bets a nickel. Charley folds (I guess he didn't get his straight or flush). Dennis raises twenty cents (to a quarter total). You call.

Brad looks at his cards, then calls (betting twenty cents). Again, everyone called Dennis's raise, so the round of betting is over. Well, the betting is over, everyone reveals his hand: You had Ks-Kd-Kc-4c-8h.

Question: What is the highest straight flush in a game of poker?
Answer: Royal Flush