What beats what in poker: rankings and card combinations

Fundamental knowledge of poker is understanding poker combinations. For a beginner at a poker room, at first it will be difficult to remember all of them, but this is just a matter of time. Texas Hold’em is a very simple form of poker (in terms of rules), so you should not be afraid. When you know what beats what in poker, you are ready to play and win.

Hand Rankings in Poker

We have prepared a brief review with a clear image of all poker hands – from the highest (Royal Flush) to the youngest (One pair and kicker).

• Royal Flush. Royal Flush is the king of all combinations, it beats everyone else, but getting it is extremely difficult. Even if you play online at several tables at once, you can wait for years (or never wait at all). Royal Flush is, in fact, an ordinary flush (five cards of the same suit), only from a dozen to an ace.
• Straight flush. A straight flush is also a flush, but consisting of five consecutive cards (hence the name: straight + flush). The second most powerful combination in poker is also extremely difficult to obtain, but when this all happens, the victory is almost always guaranteed.
• Four of a kind. Four of a kind is a four-card combination in which there are always four cards of the same face value, for example, four kings or four queens.
• Full house. A full house is three cards of one face value + two cards of another face value. For example, three deuces and two sixes (they say “deuces and sixes”). Moreover, the seniority of full houses is primarily determined by the face value of three identical cards. Aces and tens are stronger than kings and tens.
• Flush. A flush (five cards of the same suit) refers to those poker combinations that are almost always heard. Flush is quite common and, in most cases, guarantees victory. The seniority of flushes is again determined by the seniority of the cards. Suppose a flush with an ace-high card is always stronger than a flush with a king.
• Straight. A straight is five consecutive cards of any suit. An important feature of this combination: an ace can be either a junior or a high card. What beats a straight in poker? All the combinations above beat the Straight.
• Three of a kind. A set is three cards of the same face value. The Three of a kind is collected when there is already a pair in the starting hand (and one card on the table).
• Two pair. Two pairs speak for themselves – these are two pairs of cards of the same denomination, for example, tens and aces. Suppose two pairs of kings and nines beat two pairs of kings and sixes.
• One pair. You will get one pair of any strength in almost every second hand. This is one of the most common poker combinations.

Now, you know in poker what beats what, so it is time to try your hand in a real match. Play with no bad beats.