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 includes an example and how ties are broken.

All 10 Poker Hands in Order

#	Hand	Example
1	Royal Flush	A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
2	Straight Flush	9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
3	Four of a Kind	J♣ J♦ J♥ J♠ 7♦
4	Full House	10♣ 10♦ 10♠ 4♥ 4♣
5	Flush	K♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 3♦
6	Straight	Q♣ J♥ 10♦ 9♠ 8♣
7	Three of a Kind	8♠ 8♥ 8♦ K♣ 4♠
8	Two Pair	A♠ A♣ 9♥ 9♦ 5♠
9	One Pair	10♦ 10♥ K♣ 6♠ 2♦
10	High Card	A♠ J♦ 8♣ 6♥ 3♠

The Three Rules That Settle 90% of Disputes

1. A flush beats a straight, a full house beats a flush. The ranking follows rarity — anything harder to deal sits higher.
2. Suits never break ties. Hearts don't beat spades. Two identical flushes chop the pot.
3. Poker is a five-card game. In Hold'em you make the best five out of seven. The other two cards don't exist for ranking purposes.

How to Memorize the Order

"Royal Straights Force Full Flushes Straight Through Two Pairs High." Each word stands for one hand in order: Royal Flush → Straight Flush → Four of a Kind → Full House → Flush → Straight → Three of a Kind → Two Pair → Pair → High Card.

If you only remember one thing: a flush beats a straight, and a full house beats a flush. That's where new players lose pots they thought they'd won.

Tiebreakers, Explained Once

• Pairs, trips, quads: the higher matched rank wins.
• Two pair: top pair first, then bottom pair, then the lone kicker.
• Straights and flushes: the highest top card wins. Ace-high flush beats king-high flush.
• Full house: the trips decide first. Aces-full beats kings-full regardless of the pair.
• High card: compare top to bottom, card by card. Identical five cards = split pot.

Common Mistakes at Home Games

• "My straight goes around the corner." It doesn't. Q-K-A-2-3 is ace-high, nothing more.
• "The flush of spades is higher." No suit outranks another.
• "I have a pair and the board has a pair, so two pair." True — but a higher kicker wins.
• Trips always beat two pair.
• If the nut straight is on the board and no one has a flush, the pot splits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the poker hand rankings from highest to lowest?

Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card.

Does a flush beat a straight?

Yes. A flush always beats a straight. Five cards of one suit is rarer than five connected cards of mixed suits.

What beats a full house?

Only Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush.

Is an Ace high or low in a straight?

Both — A-K-Q-J-10 (Broadway) or 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel). The Ace cannot wrap around.

How do kickers decide a winner?

Compare the highest unpaired side cards one at a time. If all five tie exactly, the pot is split.

Do suits matter for ranking hands?

No. No suit outranks another in standard poker.

What is the strongest starting hand in Texas Hold'em?

Pocket Aces (A-A) — roughly 85% against a single random hand heads-up.

Can two players have the same hand and split the pot?

Yes. If the best five-card hand each player can make is identical, the pot is split evenly.

Ready to Run the Table?

Now that you know the hands, run the night. Read How to Host a Home Poker Tournament or open the Blind Structure Calculator.