The much-loved game of poker first arrived in the 19th century, and has been a roaring favourite ever since. This thrilling card game requires critical thinking, self-control, and just a touch of good luck.
One of the best ways to become a poker extraordinaire is to learn the rankings of common hands that you will undoubtedly come across in your time as a poker player.
Of all the 2.5 million different five-hand card combination possibilities, these are the ones you need to know in order to dominate a game of poker. Ranked from lowest to highest:
- High Card
The lowest ranking hand of all, High Card describes a hand in which there are no pairs and is neither flush nor straight. Tie-breakers go to the next highest hand.
- Pair
A rather self-explanatory hand, a Pair indicates that two of the five cards present are from the same denomination (i.e. two Kings).
Denomination refers to the number or title of a card rather than its suit. For example, the Kings still make a match even if one is from Spades and the other is from Hearts.
- Two Pair
Similarly to the Pair hand, a Two Pair is when there are two pairs of cards from the same denomination (i.e. two Kings and two Tens).
- Three of a Kind
Like triplets, a Three of a Kind implies that three of the five cards present are all from the same denomination (i.e. three Aces).
- Straight
A Straight hand is when all five cards can be read sequentially by denomination (i.e. a Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six).
- Flush
A hand in which all five cards belong to the same suit but do not belong to the same denomination (i.e. Ten of Hearts, Queen of Hearts, Five of Hearts, Three of Heart and Two of Hearts).
- Full House
A Full House hand has three cards belonging to one denomination, and two others both also belonging to a different denomination (i.e. three Queens and two Tens).
- Four of a Kind
A hand represented by four cards all belonging to the same denomination alongside one other irrelevant card (i.e. four Sixes and a Queen).
- Straight Flush
A Straight Flush occurs when all five cards belong to the same suit and are presented in denominational order (i.e. a Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine of Diamonds).
- Royal Flush
The Royal Flush is the most rare and desirable of all poker hands.
You possess a Royal Flush when the highest five cards of a single denomination are present (i.e. an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of Spades).
Summary
While poker is historically played in land-based casinos, players and enthusiasts of the 21st century are turning to online casinos for COVID-19 safety, lower stakes and ease of accessibility.
Being a poker pro takes time, dedication and skill – and educating yourself about various hands as well as playing for free online will soon have you tearing up the virtual casino tables with the propensity you know you’re capable of.