Poker Hand Rankings – What Is The Best Hand In Poker?
There are several different hands you can win with when playing Texas Hold’em poker. In fact, you can win without even needing to show your hand if all other players fold. However, should the game round go the distance and you are required to show your hand, it’s important that you understand which hands beat each other and which are the strongest and weakest hands to hold.
We’ve put together this simple poker hand ranking guide which will list all poker hands from strongest to weakest. We’ll also provide you with a free poker cheat sheet that you can either use when playing online or memorise if you are playing against others in a casino or private poker tournament.
So, lets get started with the best hand in poker…
1. Royal Flush
A Royal Flush is the best hand you can get in a game of poker. It consists of a 10, Jack, Queen, King & Ace all of the same suit.
Odds of a Royal Flush in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 30,940 hands
2. Straight Flush
A straight flush is the second best hand you can have in poker and is similar to a Royal Flush in that it consists of five cards of sequential values that are all of the same suit. However, unlike a Royal Flush which must consist of a 10 through to an Ace, a Straight Flush can be any sequence of cards eg. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 suited or 9, 10, J, Q K suited.
Odds of a Straight Flush in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 3,590 hands
3. Four of a Kind
The third best hand in poker is four of a kind which consists of four of the same card. As poker is played with one deck, all four cards will be of a different suit. If two players both have four of a kind, the player with four cards of the highest value wins.
Odds of Four of a Kind in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 595 hands
4. Full House
A Full House consists of five cards which are made up from three of a kind along with a pair. Should two players both have a Full House, the winner is the player who has the highest three of a kind value.
Odds of a Full House in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 39 hands
5. Flush
A flush is a common hand in poker that is made up of five cards of any value that are all of the same suit.
If two players both have a flush, the winner is the player who holds a single card with the highest value.
Odds of a Flush in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 33 hands
6. Straight
The next best hand in poker behind a Flush is a Straight. A straight consists of five cards of sequential numerical value. The winner of two players who both hold a straight is the one holding a card of the highest value.
Odds of a Straight in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 22 hands
7. Three of a Kind
A three of a kind, as the name suggests, is a hand where you have three of the same cards but with different suits. eg. 3 of hearts, 3 of diamonds, 3 clubs or 9 of spades, 9 of hearts, 9 of diamonds.
Odds of Three of a Kind in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 21 hands
8. Two Pair
Again, this hand is pretty self explanatory. A Two Pair hand consists of two pairs of different values. eg. 99, JJ or KK, AA or 33, 88.
Odds of Two Pair in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 4 hands
9. One Pair
Two cards of the same value but different suits. Getting one pair in Texas Hold’em poker is very common which is why it is not one of the strongest hands in the game.
Odds of One Pair in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 2 hands
10. High Card
When your top five cards consist of none of the hands listed above, you have the weakest possible hand in poker – a High Card. If two players only have a High Card, the player with the highest card wins.
Odds of a High Card in Texas Hold’em: 1 in 6 hands
