Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings: Know Every Hand

Understanding poker hand rankings is fundamental to playing Texas Hold'em. Our calculator helps you learn which hands beat which, understand tiebreaker rules, and see the exact probability of making each hand.

What Are Poker Hand Rankings?

Hand rankings determine which five-card combination wins at showdown. From strongest to weakest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card.

Quick Answer: The best poker hand is a Royal Flush (A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit)—odds are about 1 in 649,740. The most common winning hand is One Pair. Memorize the 10 hand rankings and you'll never be confused at showdown.

How to Use Our Hand Rankings Calculator

Use the Poker Hand Rankings Calculator →

Input any five cards to see hand rank, strength, and win probability.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Enter Your Cards: Select five cards from the deck
View Hand Name: See what hand you have
Check Ranking: Where it falls in the hierarchy
See Probability: How rare is this hand
Compare Hands: Enter opponent's hand to see winner

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Card Selection	Your five cards	A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
Hand Name	What you have	Royal Flush
Hand Rank	1-10 (1 best)	Rank 1
Probability	Odds of making	0.00015%

Complete Hand Rankings

1. Royal Flush

Definition: A-K-Q-J-10, all same suit

Example: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠

Statistic	Value
Probability	0.000154%
Odds	1 in 649,740
Possible combinations	4

The unbeatable hand. Automatic winner.

2. Straight Flush

Definition: Five consecutive cards, all same suit (not royal)

Example: 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥

Statistic	Value
Probability	0.00139%
Odds	1 in 72,193
Possible combinations	36

Higher straight flush beats lower. A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest (wheel flush).

3. Four of a Kind (Quads)

Definition: Four cards of the same rank

Example: K♠ K♥ K♦ K♣ 7♠

Statistic	Value
Probability	0.024%
Odds	1 in 4,165
Possible combinations	624

Higher quads beat lower. Kicker breaks ties only if quads are on board.

4. Full House (Boat)

Definition: Three of a kind plus a pair

Example: Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ 5♣ 5♥

Statistic	Value
Probability	0.144%
Odds	1 in 694
Possible combinations	3,744

"Threes" rank first. Q-Q-Q-5-5 beats J-J-J-A-A.

5. Flush

Definition: Five cards of the same suit (not consecutive)

Example: A♦ J♦ 8♦ 4♦ 2♦

Statistic	Value
Probability	0.197%
Odds	1 in 509
Possible combinations	5,108

Highest card wins; if tied, compare second highest, etc.

6. Straight

Definition: Five consecutive cards (mixed suits)

Example: 10♠ 9♥ 8♦ 7♣ 6♠

Statistic	Value
Probability	0.392%
Odds	1 in 255
Possible combinations	10,200

A-K-Q-J-10 is highest. A-2-3-4-5 (wheel) is lowest.

7. Three of a Kind (Trips/Set)

Definition: Three cards of the same rank

Example: 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ K♣ 3♠

Statistic	Value
Probability	2.11%
Odds	1 in 47
Possible combinations	54,912

"Set" = pocket pair + one board. "Trips" = one in hand + two on board.

8. Two Pair

Definition: Two different pairs

Example: A♠ A♥ 7♦ 7♣ K♠

Statistic	Value
Probability	4.75%
Odds	1 in 21
Possible combinations	123,552

Higher pair wins. If tied, lower pair. If still tied, kicker.

9. One Pair

Definition: Two cards of the same rank

Example: J♠ J♥ 9♦ 5♣ 2♠

Statistic	Value
Probability	42.3%
Odds	1 in 2.4
Possible combinations	1,098,240

Higher pair wins. Kickers break ties (up to three kickers).

10. High Card

Definition: No made hand—highest card plays

Example: A♠ J♥ 8♦ 5♣ 2♠

Statistic	Value
Probability	50.1%
Odds	1 in 2
Possible combinations	1,302,540

Highest card wins. Compare down the line if tied.

Hand Ranking Summary Table

Rank	Hand	Example	Probability
1	Royal Flush	A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠	0.00015%
2	Straight Flush	9♥8♥7♥6♥5♥	0.00139%
3	Four of a Kind	K♠K♥K♦K♣7♠	0.024%
4	Full House	Q♠Q♥Q♦5♣5♥	0.144%
5	Flush	A♦J♦8♦4♦2♦	0.197%
6	Straight	10♠9♥8♦7♣6♠	0.392%
7	Three of a Kind	8♠8♥8♦K♣3♠	2.11%
8	Two Pair	A♠A♥7♦7♣K♠	4.75%
9	One Pair	J♠J♥9♦5♣2♠	42.3%
10	High Card	A♠J♥8♦5♣2♠	50.1%

Tiebreaker Rules

Same Hand Type Tiebreakers

Straight Flush/Straight: Highest card wins

Flush: Compare cards high to low

Full House: Higher trips wins first

Two Pair: Higher pair, then lower pair, then kicker

One Pair: Higher pair, then kickers

Kicker Explained

When hands are otherwise equal, kickers (unpaired cards) determine the winner:

Example:

Player A: A♠ A♥ K♦ 7♣ 2♠
Player B: A♦ A♣ Q♠ J♥ 3♦
Winner: Player A (king kicker beats queen)

Split Pot Scenarios

Pot is split when:

Best five-card hand is identical
Board plays (all five community cards are the best hand)
Common in Hold'em with community cards

Example:

Board: A♠ A♥ K♦ K♣ Q♠
Player A: J♥ 10♥
Player B: 8♠ 7♠
Result: Split pot (board plays—both have A-A-K-K-Q)

Starting Hand Strength

Premium Starting Hands

Hand	Name	Equity vs. Random
A-A	Pocket Aces	85%
K-K	Pocket Kings	82%
Q-Q	Pocket Queens	80%
A-K suited	Big Slick	67%
J-J	Pocket Jacks	77%

Strong Starting Hands

Hand	Equity vs. Random
A-K offsuit	65%
10-10	75%
A-Q suited	66%
K-Q suited	63%
A-J suited	65%

Marginal Hands

Hand	Equity vs. Random
A-10 offsuit	59%
K-J offsuit	58%
Small pairs (2-2 to 6-6)	50-55%
Suited connectors (7-6s)	48%

Common Hand Comparison Questions

Does a flush beat a straight?

Yes. Flush (rank 5) beats Straight (rank 6).

Does three of a kind beat two pair?

Yes. Three of a Kind (rank 7) beats Two Pair (rank 8).

Does A-2-3-4-5 count as a straight?

Yes, it's called the "wheel"—the lowest straight. A-2-3-4-5 loses to 2-3-4-5-6.

Which suit is highest?

No suit is higher than another. Suits never break ties in Hold'em.

What if we both have the same pair?

Kickers break the tie. Compare the three remaining cards from highest to lowest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best starting hand in Hold'em?

Pocket Aces (A-A) with ~85% equity versus a random hand. But post-flop play matters more.

How often will I make a flush with suited cards?

With two suited cards, you'll flop a flush ~0.8% and make one by the river ~6.5%.

Can two players have a royal flush?

Only if the royal is on the board (community cards). Then it's a split pot.

What happens if the board has five cards that beat everyone's hand?

Everyone plays the board, resulting in a split pot.

Is 2-2 better than A-K?

A-K is a slight favorite heads-up (~52%), but pairs have higher all-in equity in multiway pots.

How do I memorize hand rankings?

Mnemonic: Royal, Straight flush, Four, Full, Flush, Straight, Three, Two, One, High (RSFFFSTTOH)

Pro Tips for Hand Evaluation

Board texture matters: Your hand strength depends on community cards
Position affects playability: Marginal hands play better in position
Relative strength: Top pair on a dry board differs from top pair on a flush draw board
Don't overvalue one pair: It's the most common hand but often loses
Kickers matter: A-K beats A-Q with ace-high boards

Poker Equity Calculator - Hand vs. hand
Poker Odds Calculator - Drawing odds
Poker Pot Odds Calculator - Call decisions
Poker Outs Calculator - Count your outs
Poker Starting Hands Calculator - Preflop strategy

Conclusion

Knowing hand rankings is essential for every poker player. Our calculator helps you learn which hands beat which, understand tiebreakers, and see exact probabilities. Memorize the rankings, understand kickers, and you'll never be confused at showdown.

Check Your Hand Rankings Now →

Hand rankings are the foundation of poker. Once they're automatic, you can focus on strategy—position, pot odds, reading opponents, and all the skills that separate winning players from losing ones.