Poker Rankings (from strongest to weakest):

Imagine that you are having a lot of fun playing poker but suddenly an argument erupts about who has the stronger hand and who has won this hand of poker. You could be fooled by others and loose when you should have won that poker game. Thus it’s very important to familiarize yourself with the poker rankings when playing poker In addition, print this page out for further reference.

1. Royal flush is the strongest poker sequence. You can create this only using the following cards provided they all belong to the same suit: Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten.

2. Straight flush is the next in-line poker sequence. You can create this sequence using any five card sequence provided all the five cards belong to the same suit. For instance: 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 all belonging to the same suit. If two poker players carry straight flushes, the winner is decided by the higher end of the suit. (the highest card).

3. Four of a kind: Four cards of the same index. For instance if in poker you are dealt four jacks or four sixes.

4. Full House: A pair and three of a kind. In such a situation all your cards are utilized. For instance: at poker you could sport two aces and three fives. If another poker player also has a full house, he with the stronger three of a kind wins. Caution: in one set of cards there cannot be two identical three of a kind. Thus if you see such a phenomenon, one of them has cheated.

5. Flush: You have a flush if at poker you were dealt five cards of the same suit and they aren’t in sequence. For instance you have a flush in poker if you have the queen of hearts, the ten of hearts, the nine of hearts, the four of hearts and the two of hearts. In a flush all five cards must belong to the same suit and not only the same colour.

6. Straight: five cards not of the same suit but in sequence. In poker all of your cards must be consecutive cards but it can be formed only from the ace to the ace. (Ace can be used either as 14 or as one). This is the sequence allowed: ace, king, queen, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and ace. You cannot form a sequence that starts from below and attaches to the top like: two, ace, king, queen, and jack. If another poker player also reveals a straight, the one with the higher card wins. If you both have the same card, a tie is declared and the pot is divided equally between you two.

7. Three of a kind: three cards of the same index like an eight of diamonds, an eight of hearts and an eight of clubs. The poker player with the highest three of a kind wins.

8. Two Pair: two different pairs like two threes and two sixes. As before, in case of a tie the highest pair takes the poker pot.

9. Pair: two cards of the same index. For instance if you have the eight of hearts and the eight of spades then you have a pair.

10. High Card: if your remaining cards don’t make up any of the above sequences then the highest card can either take the pot or break the tie. If your highest card is also your poker opponent’s highest card, then the next highest card will decide the winner. Be aware that suits do not break ties.