Simple Ranking Rules for Poker Hands

It's important to know how poker hands are ranked for winning. Here are simple ranking rules for poker hands.

A straight flush has all five cards with the same suit in sequence. Such poker hands' winning is based on which has the highest cards. The ace card may be considered as a 1, as in a hand of 5, 4, 3, 2, and an ace. An ace used as a high card in a straight, like a hand of ace, king, queen, jack, and a ten, is called a royal flush. This is the highest among poker hands.

One of the poker hands, four of a kind, is also called quads. This is higher than a full house but lower than a straight flush. Quads with high hands beat those with low hands.

Another of poker hands is a full house. Some people call it a full boat. Full houses have three matching cards of the same rank, and two matching cards with a different rank. Full houses cannot beat four of a kind, but can a flush. When there are two full house hands, the one with the three higher number set wins.

A flush is one of the poker hands that has 5 cards with similar suits. A flush beats a straight but loses to a full house. In case two flushes appear on the table, the ruling on high card hands applies to such poker hands.

Here comes a straight. It has 5 cards with sequenced numbers of different suits. Poker hands of straight combination beat 3 of a kind rank but lose to a flush. If there are two straights the winning hand has the highest card.

Consider the following poker hands: an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of different suits, for instance, is called an ace-high straight. It beats a king-high straight, like poker hands that have a king, queen, jack, ten, and a nine of various suits.

A three of a kind poker combination, called trips, a prile or a set, has 3 cards of similar rank and two unmatched ones. A two-pair has two cards of similar rank, plus another one of a different rank. It beats one pair but loses to a three of a kind. One pair has only one pair in the 5-card hand. It beats any high card hand---which is almost useless in poker.

Just remember the rule: winning poker hands should be highest among other ranks available.