The General Rules Pertaining to the Various Poker Hand Rankings

Aside from the betting structure and poker variations, knowing the various poker hand rankings is one of the most important aspects in understanding the different poker game rules. In all the major kinds of poker variants, namely the draw, stud, and community card games, the principle of poker hand rankings is implemented similarly. Aside from the color and fun that it brings to the game, this principle acts as basis upon which the winners are to be determined.

Using an ordinary 52-card deck, the poker hand rankings are quite easy and simple to understand. This significant aspect of poker was pre-determined, which caters to only ten known poker hands that range from lowest to the highest, depending on the rarity and probability of getting those card combinations. Generally, the value of single cards is determined by their face value, with the ace acting as highest while the 2 card as the lowest. When combined with other cards to form a poker hand, aces can instead be used as the lowest valued card.

Among the ten known poker hands, the no pair/high card owns the lowest value and belongs at the bottom-most part of the rankings. Aside from its very small value, all the other hands in the rankings can easily defeat it. Slightly higher than this lowly poker hand is the one pair card combination, the one pair can easily defeat a high card but is rather weak against the other known poker hands. Next to the one pair is the two pair poker hand, which contains a couple of pair that goes with an individual card. Completing the four lowest hands in poker is the three-of-a-kind, where a trio goes with two unrelated individual cards.

Moving up a notch at the poker hand rankings, a straight owns the fifth highest value among the other card combinations. Although this hand can beat a high card, one pair, two pair, and three-of-a-kind hand, it is relatively short in value against the other valuable poker hands. Composed of five cards that can be arranged sequentially, this is a pretty decent hand to beat in poker. Next to a straight is a flush, which is basically made up of five cards that share a single suit.

Known as one of the finest hands in poker, a full house can easily defeat all the card combinations that are discussed above. Meanwhile, its relatively high value falls short against a four-of-a-kind, a straight flush, and a royal flush. Moving up at the rankings, a four-of-a-kind is one of the best hands to have when playing poker, which is basically made up of four cards with similar values going with a single unrelated card. Next to this highly reputable poker hand is a straight flush, whose value is really high compared to other card combination. Staying at the top of the poker hand rankings is the rarely seen royal flush, which contains five of the highest valued individual cards arranged sequentially.