Poker Hand Rankings (Highest to Lowest)

The complete order of poker hands in Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and every major poker variant — from the unbeatable Royal Flush down to High Card. Each hand below includes an example, the odds of being dealt it in a 5-card hand, and how ties are broken.

All 10 Poker Hands in Order

#HandExampleOdds (5-card deal)
1Royal FlushA♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠1 in 649,740
2Straight Flush9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥1 in 72,193
3Four of a KindJ♣ J♦ J♥ J♠ 7♦1 in 4,165
4Full House10♣ 10♦ 10♠ 4♥ 4♣1 in 694
5FlushK♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 3♦1 in 509
6StraightQ♣ J♥ 10♦ 9♠ 8♣1 in 255
7Three of a Kind8♠ 8♥ 8♦ K♣ 4♠1 in 47
8Two PairA♠ A♣ 9♥ 9♦ 5♠1 in 21
9One Pair10♦ 10♥ K♣ 6♠ 2♦1 in 2.4
10High CardA♠ J♦ 8♣ 6♥ 3♠1 in 2

1. Royal Flush

Ten through Ace, all of the same suit. The strongest possible hand in poker — unbeatable. Only four exist in a 52-card deck (one per suit).

2. Straight Flush

Five consecutive cards of the same suit. Only a higher straight flush or a royal flush beats it. 9-high straight flush beats 8-high.

3. Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same rank plus any side card (kicker). Also called "quads". Higher quads beat lower quads; kicker breaks ties only if two players hold the same four-of-a-kind (rare outside community-card games).

4. Full House

Three of a kind plus a pair. Ranked by the three-of-a-kind first, then the pair: Kings full of twos beats Queens full of Aces.

5. Flush

Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Ranked by the highest card, then second-highest, and so on. Suits do not break ties in standard poker.

6. Straight

Five consecutive cards of mixed suits. Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10, the "Broadway") or low (5-4-3-2-A, the "wheel"). Aces cannot wrap around — Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.

7. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated side cards. Also called "trips" or a "set". Higher trips win; if equal, the highest kicker decides.

8. Two Pair

Two cards of one rank plus two cards of another rank, plus a kicker. Ranked by the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the kicker.

9. One Pair

Two cards of the same rank plus three unrelated side cards. Higher pair wins; if tied, the highest kicker (then second, then third) decides.

10. High Card

No matched cards, no straight, no flush. Ranked by the highest card, then second-highest, and so on down all five cards.

How Tiebreakers Work

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the poker hand rankings from highest to lowest?

From strongest to weakest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card.

Does a straight beat a flush?

No. A flush beats a straight. Five cards of the same suit (flush) is statistically rarer than five consecutive cards of mixed suits (straight), so it ranks higher.

Is an Ace high or low in a straight?

Both. Ace can be the high card in A-K-Q-J-10 (Broadway) or the low card in 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel). It cannot wrap around.

What beats a full house in poker?

Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush all beat a full house. Nothing below.

How many possible 5-card poker hands are there?

2,598,960 distinct 5-card hands from a 52-card deck. Only 4 are Royal Flushes and 36 are Straight Flushes — which is why those hands are so rare.