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Discover the Ranking of Poker Hands

There are many variants of poker, and in some of them, the ranking of hands is different. What are the different rankings? Which variants are they associated with? How can you recognize a good hand in poker? We’ll explain before you dive into our video poker games!

Hands in Poker

The Ranking of Hands in Traditional Poker

The ranking of hands in traditional poker applies to Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 5 Card Draw, and 7 Card Stud.

Ranking of hands in traditional poker, from weakest to strongest:

High Card, or No Pair Hand	This is a poker hand that does not contain any combination. In this case, the rank of the high card is that of the highest card.	Example: Q♣ J♦ 6♠ 3♣ 2♥
One Pair	A pair consists of two cards of the same value, along with three unmatched cards. In case of a tie, the highest pair wins.	Example: 7♠ 7♦ 8♠ 4♥ 3♣
Two Pair	Two pair is a hand that consists of two cards of one value, two cards of another value, and one unmatched card. In case of a tie, the highest pair wins.	Example: K♣ K♥ 6♠ 6♦ 4♥
Three of a Kind	Three of a kind is a hand made up of three cards of the same value and two unmatched cards.	Example: 9♣ 9♦ 9♥ 5♠ 3♦
Straight	A straight consists of five cards in consecutive value, but of different suits. In case of a tie, the player with the highest card in the straight wins.	Example: 10♣ 9♥ 8♠ 7♦ 6♥
Flush	A flush is a combination of five cards of the same suit. In case of a tie, the player with the highest card wins the pot.	Example: Q♠ 9♠ 6♠ 3♠ 2♠
Full House	A full house consists of three of a kind and a pair. In case of a tie, the value of this hand is defined by the three of a kind.	Example: Q♠ Q♣ Q♦ 3♣ 3♠
Four of a Kind	Four of a kind is a hand that includes four cards of the same value and one unmatched card, also called a “kicker.” In case of a tie, the highest four of a kind wins.	Example: 8♣ 8♥ 8♦ 8♠ 7♦
Straight Flush	A straight flush is a straight where all cards are of the same suit, meaning five cards in consecutive order of the same suit. In case of a tie, the straight flush with the highest card wins.	Example: 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
Royal Flush	A royal flush is a straight flush that runs from ace to ten.	Example: A♣ K♣ Q♣ J♣ 10♣

The Ranking of Hands in Ace to Five Lowball

The ranking of Ace to Five Lowball hands applies to the Razz, Stud Hi-lo, and Omaha Hi-lo variants for low combinations.

Some specifics of this ranking:

• Low hands are not affected by the suit of the cards;
• Aces are considered low cards in a low hand;
• The value of the low hand always starts with the highest card and follows a descending order.

Ranking of hands in Ace to Five Lowball, from weakest to strongest:

Eight Low	Eight Low is a hand of five unmatched cards, with the highest being an eight. In case of a tie, the second highest card that is the lowest value wins. If necessary, the third or fourth highest card will determine the winner.	Example: 8♣ 6♦ 5♠ 3♣ 2♥
Seven Low	Seven Low is a hand of five unmatched cards, with the highest being a seven. In case of a tie, the second highest card that is the lowest value wins the pot. If necessary, the third or fourth highest card will determine the winner.	Example: 7♣ 5♦ 4♠ 3♥ 2♠
Six Low	Six Low is a hand of five unmatched cards, with the highest being a six. In case of a tie, the second highest card that is the lowest value wins the hand. If necessary, the third or fourth highest card will determine the winner.	Example: 6♣ 5♥ 3♠ 2♦ A♥
Five Low or Wheel	Five Low is a hand of five unmatched cards, with the highest being a five. In case of a tie, all players with a Five High hand split the pot.	Example: 5♣ 4♦ 3♥ 2♠ A♦

The Ranking of Hands in Deuce to Seven Lowball

The ranking of hands in Deuce to Seven Lowball is exactly the opposite of that in standard high poker hands. In this ranking, the Ace is always considered a high card. It applies to the 2-7 Single Draw and 2-7 Triple Draw poker variants.

Ranking of hands in Deuce to Seven Lowball, from weakest to strongest:

Ten Low	Ten Low is a hand of five unmatched cards, with the highest being a ten. In case of a tie, the second lowest card wins. If necessary, the third or fourth highest card will determine the winner.	Example: 10♣ 9♦ 7♥ 6♠ 4♦
Nine Low	Nine Low is a combination of five unmatched cards, with the highest being a nine. In case of a tie, the second lowest card wins. If necessary, the third or fourth highest card will determine the winner.	Example: 9♣ 8♥ 6♠ 4♦ 3♥
Eight Low	Eight Low is a hand of five unmatched cards, with the highest being an eight. In case of a tie, the second lowest card wins. If necessary, the third or fourth highest card will determine the winner.	Example: 8♠ 6♣ 5♦ 4♣ 2♠
Seven Low	Seven Low is a hand of five unmatched cards, with the highest being a seven. The best possible combination is the wheel or number one, which is 7-5-4-3-2. In case of a tie, the second lowest card wins. If necessary, the third or fourth highest card will determine the winner.	Example: 7♣ 5♥ 4♦ 3♠ 2♦

Good to know: In a game of Deuce to Seven Lowball, it is always the lowest hand that wins, even if it doesn't appear in this table, such as a pair, for example.

The Ranking of Hands in Badugi

Badugi is a poker variant that requires a bit of practice. Indeed, Badugi has several specific features:

• The ranking of hands is specific;
• The Ace is considered a low card;
• The cards in the hand must be of different values and suits to be considered;
• Hands consist of four cards.

Ranking of hands in Badugi, from weakest to strongest:

One-Card Hand	A one-card hand is a hand where only one card is playable, either because it has four cards of the same value or because all the cards are of the same color. In the event of a tie, the pot is split among players who have a one-card hand of equivalent value.	Example: 9♣ 7♣ 4♣ 3♣ In this example, all cards are of the same color, so three will be ignored, and the lowest card counts, here the three.
Two-Card Hand	A two-card hand consists of two cards with different values and colors, along with two other cards of the same color or value. The two lowest cards with different colors and values count. In case of a tie, the player with the second lowest card wins.	Example: 9♣ 9♠ 4♦ 4♥ In this example, only one 4 and one 9 will be considered.
Three-Card Hand	A three-card hand consists of three cards with different values and colors, and a fourth card that is the same color or has the same value as one of the other three. The three cards with different colors and values count. In case of a tie, the player with the second lowest card wins, or the third if necessary.	Example: 2♣ 3♥ 5♠ 5♦ In this example, the 2, the 3, and one of the 5s make up the three-card hand.
The Badugi	The Badugi is a hand that consists of four cards of different values and colors. In case of a tie, the second lowest card determines the winner, possibly the third or fourth if necessary.	Example: 5♣ 4♦ 2♥ A♠

FAQ on Poker Hands

What is the best starting hand in poker?

Some professional poker players classify starting hands into four categories:

• “Premium” hands, which are relatively rare, such as a pair of aces, kings, queens, jacks, or an ace and king of the same suit;
• “Potential” hands, such as a pair between 7 and 10 or two strong cards of the same suit (ace-queen, ace-jack, king-queen, king-jack, queen-jack, or 10-9);
• “Risky” hands, such as small pairs or two cards of medium value that are consecutive and of the same suit;
• “Hands to fold,” meaning all other hands.

According to professional poker players:

• With a “premium” starting hand, it is advisable to call to keep more players in the game or to raise to scare off some players who might get a stronger hand later;
• With a “potential” starting hand, it is advisable to call, but to avoid raising before knowing if it is favorable;
• With a “risky” starting hand, it is possible to call if the bet is low; otherwise, it is better to fold as this type of hand does not have strong improvement statistics;
• With a “hands to fold,” it is better to fold, unless one is in the big blind, where one can see the flop to form an opinion.

How to know if you have a good hand in poker?

In poker, to know if you have a good hand, you must understand the ranking of hands well in order to think about the probabilities that this hand will beat others and thus find the best playing strategy.

For example, when playing Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 5 Card Draw, or 7 Card Stud, keep in mind:

• A royal flush is stronger than a straight flush;
• A straight flush is stronger than four of a kind;
• Four of a kind is stronger than a full house;
• A full house is stronger than a flush;
• A flush is stronger than a straight;
• A straight is stronger than three of a kind;
• Three of a kind is stronger than two pair;
• Two pair is stronger than one pair;
• One pair is stronger than a high card hand.

When several players are likely to have the same hand, such as a flush, one must also consider the values of the cards. A flush with a high card of jack can be beaten by a flush with a high card of queen, king, or ace if these are not among the community cards.

What is the highest hand in poker?

In most variants of poker (Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 5 Card Draw, and 7 Card Stud), the royal flush is the best hand, meaning a combination of five cards of the same suit, in consecutive order from 10 to ace.

What is a full house in poker?

In poker, a full house is a combination of five cards that includes three of a kind (three cards of the same value) and a pair (two cards of the same value), regardless of the suit of the cards.

What hand should you not play in poker?

The ability to determine when it is better to fold is an essential skill in poker, especially at the beginning of the hand. It is important to analyze your starting hand to estimate probabilities:

• Are the cards strong?
• Are they of the same suit?
• Are they of close values and could form a straight?

In certain situations, it may be better to fold:

• When the starting hand is weak;
• When the starting hand is a pair, but stronger cards have been dealt;
• When other players are betting a lot or raising.

On which hands should you bet in poker?

In poker, it is advisable to bet on the strongest hands, that is to say, straights with a high card, flushes, full houses, four of a kinds, straight flushes, and royal flushes.

What hand should you play UTG?

UTG in poker means “Under the Gun.” This term refers to the position of the player who is to the left of the player who has placed the big blind, meaning the first player to act pre-flop, particularly in Omaha and Texas Hold'em games. Professional poker players recommend that the UTG player take a more cautious approach than the other players, as they have a positional advantage over him. In UTG, it is important to determine if the starting hand is good, to leverage this position to their advantage.