Understanding Poker

Key terms

Hand ranking

The ordered strength of a five-card combination.

Best five cards

The strongest five cards actually used from the seven available in Hold’em.

Kicker

A remaining high card used to break ties between hands of the same category.

Animation walkthrough

1. Find a pattern in five cardsPoker hands are classified by matching ranks, consecutive ranks, and matching suits. Let’s meet them one at a time.
2. High CardNo stronger pattern is present, so the Ace—the highest card—leads the hand.
3. One PairTwo cards of the same rank make One Pair; their suits do not need to match.
4. Two PairTwo different matching pairs make Two Pair. The remaining Ace is called the kicker.
5. Three of a KindThree cards of the same rank make Three of a Kind, also called Trips.
6. StraightFive consecutive ranks make a Straight, regardless of suit. Reordering reveals the sequence.
7. FlushFive cards of the same suit make a Flush; their ranks do not need to be consecutive.
8. Full HouseThree of a Kind plus One Pair makes a Full House: a group of three and a group of two.
9. Four of a KindFour cards of the same rank make Four of a Kind, also called Quads.
10. Straight FlushA Straight Flush combines both patterns: five consecutive ranks in the same suit.
11. Royal FlushTen through Ace in one suit is the highest named five-card hand and a special Straight Flush.
12. You’ve met all ten poker handsNext, see how hole cards and community cards come together in a Hold’em hand.

Common beginner mistakes

• Do not count all seven cards as the final hand; exactly five cards play.
• Do not confuse a straight with a flush: a straight uses consecutive ranks, while a flush uses one suit.
• A matching category is not always a tie; compare the made cards and then kickers in order.

Frequently asked questions