Poker Hand Rankings

USAPlayers.com Online Poker Poker Strategy Poker Hand Rankings

The purpose of this article is to clear any confusion there might be on the Ranking of Poker Hands. Knowledge is a powerful weapon in the right hands, and going into battle unarmed is always ill advised. Knowing how each winning hand works is the quintessential way to stay in the winners circle and out of a downward spiral. Keep all of this information in mind when placing your bets and reading the possible hands your opponents may hold. This order of hand rankings is good at all USA Casinos and Online Poker Rooms.

High Card

The weakest hand, in the Poker Hand Rankings, is a high card. Basically, when you are playing on a high card, you do not even have pair or any other kind of combination. The higher the card, the better your hand is. The only time you want to rely on a high card is if you are certain that no one else has anything better. You can win, with a high card, if you play it right i.e. a bluff.

Two Of A Kind - One Pair

The most basic combination possible is the two of a kind. As you can clearly understand, a two of a kind is two of the same face value regardless of suit. This is the easiest and most common combination that you will run across in a poker game. The two of a kind serves as a base on which you can build a better hand. When two or more USA Poker players have a two of a kind, the person with the highest number will be the winner. Should two or more people have the same value on their two of a kind, the pot is split amongst the winners. Keep in mind, it is the best 5 cards, you can play, that determines the winner. Though you have a pair, the other 3 cards count as well.

Two Pairs

After the two of a kind comes the two pair. The two pair is a set of two two of a kinds. This is the second most common hand you will see, and it is not entirely unlikely more than one person could hold a two pair on a pot. When this happens, the person with the highest valued pair will win the pot. If both pairs are an equal match, the pot is again split amongst the winners.

Three Of A Kind

Following the two pair comes the three of a kind. The three of a kind is a self explainitory hand, and consists of three cards of the same value. Suit does not matter when it comes to a three of a kind. This is the third most common winning hand you will see on the board. In the hold 'em variations of poker, this can be easily made using the community cards and your personal hand. Should more than one player hold a three of a kind, the person with the highest value will take the pot.

Straight

The proceeding combination is the straight. The straight is made up of five sequential values. An example of a straight would be a 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Building toward a straight can be a double edged sword. While this is one of the mid-grade winning combonations, it is hard to get in a five card game and easily detectable in a hold 'em variant. The last thing you want your opponent to do is fold because he or she assumes you have a straight. If more than one person holds a straight, the person with the highest top card will be declared the winner.

Flush

The straight is followed by a flush. A flush is five cards all of the same suit. The suits are clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades. This is another easily readable combination in the hold 'em games, and not easily ascertained through the five card games. While it is possible, it is unlikely two or more players will have a flush. The person with the highest value in their flush will be branded the winner if this should occur as per the Rankings Of Poker Hands.

Full House

After the flush is the full house. A full house is a three of a kind and a two of a kind mixed into one hand. This combination can lead to very interesting results. While not as easy to read as the straight or the flush, an observant player can draw a conjecture from the communal cards on the table if you are playing a hold 'em variant. If more than one player holds a full house, the three of the kind takes precedence in determining the winner. If the three of a kind portion of the full house is equal amongst the contenders, the two of a kind is the fall back plan and the person with the highest value on the two of a kind will take the spoils of victory.

Four Of A Kind

The four of the kind follows the flush in terms of power. A four of a kind is not dissimlar to a three of a kind, as it is the same thing with one more card. This is a very uncommon hand and is quite the flourish when one manages to obtain it. When more than one person holds a four of a kind, the player with the highest value will be declared the winner. Suit is not important with a four of a kind.

Straight Flush

The straight flush is the penultimate hand in poker. A straight flush is a combination of a straight and a flush. Having five sequential values all of the same suit qualifies as a straight flush. This hand is almost unbeatable. Should it happen that more than one player holds a straight flush, the player with the highest valued card will be awarded the pot, regardless of the suit he or she may hold.

Royal Flush

The ultimate and most rare of rarities is the elusive pearl that is the royal flush. The royal flush is a straight flush, but it ends with an Ace high. This is the 10, jack, queen, king, ace of the same suit. Most people would be lucky to see this combination once in their life time. If more than one person at a table has a royal flush at any given point, then something is amiss and you would be wise to quickly leave and write the online poker room an e-mail stating what happened. The odds of this happening are astronomical and there could be a potential cheat involved.

Poker Hand Ranking Synopsis

This should have proven very informative for all players, new and old, looking to see the Poker Hand Rankings in an elaborate explanation. The order and names should come easy as a memoriztion and this should help you strategize during play. Learning to read and build toward these hands is a paramount point in playing to win. Never underestimate the power of knowledge at a poker table.