Poker Hand Rankings Calculator: Know Your Strength

Knowing what beats what is fundamental to poker—but understanding the probabilities and tiebreakers separates beginners from skilled players. Our calculator ranks any hand, shows its probability, and determines winners when hands collide.

What Are Poker Hand Rankings?

Poker hand rankings determine the winner when players showdown. From highest to lowest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card. Rarer hands beat more common ones.

Quick Answer: Royal Flush beats everything (probability: 0.00015%). Full House beats Flush (counterintuitive but true). Two Pair beats One Pair. When hands tie in rank, kickers determine the winner. A pair of Aces with King kicker beats a pair of Aces with Queen kicker. In straights and flushes, the highest card wins. Always know your hand strength AND the board possibilities.

How to Use Our Calculator

Use the Poker Hand Rankings Calculator →

Enter cards to identify your hand and see its rank.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Enter Your Cards: Your two hole cards
Input Board Cards: Community cards (if any)
View Hand Name: What you have
See Ranking: Where it stands
Check Probability: How rare it is

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Hole Cards	Your cards	A♠ K♠
Community Cards	Board	10♠ J♠ Q♠ 2♥ 7♦
Made Hand	Best 5-card hand	Royal Flush
Ranking	Position	1/10 (best)
Probability	How rare	0.00015%

Complete Hand Rankings

1. Royal Flush

A-K-Q-J-10, all same suit
Example: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠

Probability: 0.000154%
Odds: 1 in 649,740

2. Straight Flush

Five consecutive cards, same suit
Example: 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥

Probability: 0.00139%
Odds: 1 in 72,193

3. Four of a Kind (Quads)

Four cards of same rank
Example: K♠ K♥ K♦ K♣ 7♠

Probability: 0.024%
Odds: 1 in 4,165

4. Full House

Three of a kind plus a pair
Example: J♠ J♥ J♦ 4♣ 4♠

Probability: 0.144%
Odds: 1 in 694

5. Flush

Five cards, same suit, not consecutive
Example: A♦ J♦ 8♦ 6♦ 2♦

Probability: 0.197%
Odds: 1 in 509

6. Straight

Five consecutive cards, mixed suits
Example: 10♠ 9♥ 8♦ 7♣ 6♠

Probability: 0.392%
Odds: 1 in 255

7. Three of a Kind (Trips/Set)

Three cards of same rank
Example: 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ K♣ 3♠

Probability: 2.11%
Odds: 1 in 47

8. Two Pair

Two different pairs
Example: Q♠ Q♥ 5♦ 5♣ A♠

Probability: 4.75%
Odds: 1 in 21

9. One Pair

Two cards of same rank
Example: 10♠ 10♥ A♦ 7♣ 3♠

Probability: 42.3%
Odds: 1 in 2.4

10. High Card

No made hand, highest card plays
Example: A♠ J♥ 8♦ 6♣ 2♠

Probability: 50.1%
Odds: 1 in 2

Probability Summary Table

Hand	Probability	Odds
Royal Flush	0.000154%	649,740:1
Straight Flush	0.00139%	72,193:1
Four of a Kind	0.024%	4,165:1
Full House	0.144%	694:1
Flush	0.197%	509:1
Straight	0.392%	255:1
Three of a Kind	2.11%	47:1
Two Pair	4.75%	21:1
One Pair	42.3%	2.4:1
High Card	50.1%	1:1

Tiebreaker Rules

Same Hand Type

When both players have same hand type:
Compare highest relevant cards

Pair vs Pair:
Higher pair wins
A-A beats K-K

Same pair:
Kickers determine winner
A-A-K beats A-A-Q

Kicker Examples

One Pair Tiebreaker:

Player 1: K♠ K♥ A♦ 9♣ 4♠
Player 2: K♦ K♣ A♠ 8♥ 3♦

Both have pair of Kings
Both have Ace kicker
Player 1 has 9, Player 2 has 8
Player 1 wins with higher second kicker

Two Pair Tiebreaker:

Player 1: A♠ A♥ J♦ J♣ 7♠
Player 2: A♦ A♣ 10♠ 10♥ K♦

Both have Aces up
Player 1 has Jacks, Player 2 has Tens
Player 1 wins with higher second pair

Flush Tiebreaker

Player 1: A♥ K♥ 10♥ 6♥ 2♥
Player 2: A♠ Q♠ J♠ 8♠ 4♠

Wait - different suits can't compete
If same board creates both flushes:

Board: K♥ 10♥ 6♥ 2♥ 3♦
Player 1: A♥ 5♣ (Ace-high flush)
Player 2: Q♥ J♣ (King-high flush)

Player 1 wins with Ace-high flush

Straight Tiebreaker

Highest card of straight wins

Player 1: 10-9-8-7-6
Player 2: 9-8-7-6-5

Player 1 wins with 10-high straight

Split Pots

When hands are identical:
Pot splits equally

Board: A♠ A♥ K♦ K♣ Q♠
Player 1: J♥ 10♥ (AA KK Q kicker)
Player 2: J♦ 9♦ (AA KK Q kicker)

Split pot - board plays for both

Common Misconceptions

Flush Does NOT Beat Full House

Wrong: "Flush is five cards, must be better"
Right: Full House beats Flush

Full House: 0.144% probability
Flush: 0.197% probability

Rarer hand wins

Straights Can Wrap

Wrong: "A-2-3-4-5 is not a straight"
Right: A-2-3-4-5 IS a straight (wheel)

Ace can be high OR low:
A-K-Q-J-10 (Broadway)
5-4-3-2-A (Wheel)

But NOT: K-A-2-3-4 (not a straight)

Two Pair vs Two Pair

Wrong: "My 6s and 5s beat your Aces and 2s because I have higher total"
Right: Compare highest pair first

A-A-2-2-K beats K-K-Q-Q-A
Aces beat Kings, game over

Suits Have No Rank

Wrong: "Spades are highest"
Right: All suits are equal

A♠ does not beat A♥
Identical hands split the pot

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Full House vs Flush

Board: K♠ K♥ 7♦ 7♣ 2♠

Player 1: A♠ K♦ Hand: K-K-K-7-7 (Full House, Kings full)

Player 2: Q♠ J♠ Hand: K♠-Q♠-J♠-7♠-2♠ (Flush)

Winner: Player 1 (Full House beats Flush)

Example 2: Kicker Decides

Board: A♠ A♥ 10♦ 5♣ 3♠

Player 1: K♦ Q♣ Hand: A-A-K-Q-10

Player 2: K♥ J♦ Hand: A-A-K-J-10

Winner: Player 1 (Queen kicker beats Jack)

Example 3: Counterfeited Two Pair

Board: 8♠ 8♥ 9♦ 9♣ A♠

Player 1: J♦ J♣ Hand: 9-9-8-8-A (Board's two pair, A kicker)

Player 2: A♥ K♦ Hand: 9-9-8-8-A (Same, but K next)

Winner: Split pot! Both play board's two pair with Ace kicker. JJ and AK are equivalent here.

Example 4: Steel Wheel

Board: A♦ 2♣ 3♠ 4♥ 5♦

Player 1: 6♦ 7♦ Hand: 6-5-4-3-2 (Six-high straight)

Player 2: A♠ A♣ Hand: 5-4-3-2-A (Wheel, five-high straight)

Winner: Player 1 (Six-high beats five-high straight)

Hand Reading Tips

Recognize Board Texture

Paired board: Full house possible
Three-suited: Flush possible
Three-connected: Straight possible

Always consider what beats you

Count Your Outs

Flush draw: 9 outs
Open-ended straight: 8 outs
Gutshot straight: 4 outs
Set to full house: 7 outs

The Nuts

Identify the best possible hand
On any given board

Board: K♠ Q♥ J♦ 10♣ 2♠
Nuts: A-x (Broadway straight)
Anyone with an Ace has the nuts

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a straight beat three of a kind?

Yes. Straight (0.39%) is rarer than three of a kind (2.11%), so it wins.

What if we both have a flush?

Highest card in the flush wins. If same, compare second highest, and so on. If all five are equal, split pot.

Can ace be low in a straight?

Yes. A-2-3-4-5 (wheel) is the lowest straight. Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low, but not both simultaneously.

What beats four of a kind?

Only a straight flush or royal flush. Four of a kind beats everything else.

Do suits matter for ranking?

No. Suits are only relevant for flushes and straight flushes. A♠ and A♥ are equal in value.

What's a "set" vs "trips"?

Both are three of a kind. Set = pocket pair + one on board. Trips = one in hand + two on board. Same ranking.

Pro Tips

Memorize the order: Practice until instant
Watch for straights: Easy to miss on busy boards
Know your kickers: They decide close hands
Identify the nuts: Always know what beats you
Board texture matters: Paired boards mean full houses possible

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Conclusion

Hand rankings are the foundation of poker knowledge—but the details matter. Our calculator identifies any hand, shows its probability, and determines winners in complex showdowns. Master the rankings, understand the tiebreakers, and you'll never wonder "what beats what" again.

Calculate Hand Rankings Now →

Beyond just knowing the order, understanding probabilities helps you evaluate hands properly. A flush looks strong, but it loses to full houses. Two pair feels good, but any three of a kind beats it. Our calculator builds the intuition to assess hand strength instantly at the table.