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In poker, players form sets of five playing cards, called hands, according to the rules of the game.[1] Each hand has a rank, which is compared against the ranks of other hands participating in the showdown to decide who wins the pot.[2] In high games, like Texas hold 'em and seven-card stud, the highest-ranking hands win. In low games, like razz, the lowest-ranking hands win. In high-low split games, both the highest-ranking and lowest-ranking hands win, though different rules are used to rank the high and low hands.[3][4]
Each hand belongs to a category determined by the patterns formed by its cards. A hand in a higher-ranking category always ranks higher than a hand in a lower-ranking category. A hand is ranked within its category using the ranks of its cards. Individual cards are ranked, from highest to lowest: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.[5] However, aces have the lowest rank under ace-to-five low or ace-to-six low rules, or under high rules as part of a five-high straight or straight flush.[6][7] Suits are not ranked, so hands that differ by suit alone are of equal rank.[8]
There are nine categories of hand when using a standard 52-card deck, except under ace-to-five low rules where straights, flushes and straight flushes are not recognized. An additional category, five of a kind, exists when using one or more wild cards. The fewer hands a category contains, the higher its rank.[9] There are ways to deal five cards from the deck but only distinct hands, because the order in which cards are dealt or arranged in a hand does not matter.[10] Moreover, since hands differing only by suit are of equal rank, there are only 7,462 distinct hand ranks.[11]
| * | Only possible when using one or more wild cards |
| ** | Category does not exist under ace-to-five low rules |
| Name | Example |
|---|---|
| Five of a kind* |      |
| Straight flush** |      |
| Four of a kind |      |
| Full house |      |
| Flush** |      |
| Straight** |      |
| Three of a kind |      |
| Two pair |      |
| One pair |      |
| High card |      |
Five of a kind, or five cards, is a hand that contains five cards of one rank, such as ("five of a kind, threes"). It ranks above a straight flush but is only possible when using one or more wild cards, as there are only four cards of each rank in the deck.[6] Five of a kind, aces, , becomes possible when a joker is added to the deck as a bug, a form of wild card that may act as a fifth ace.[5] Other wild card rules allow jokers or other designated cards to represent any card in the deck, making it possible to form five of a kind of any rank.[12]
Each five of a kind is ranked by the rank of its quintuplet. For example, ranks higher than .[6][13]
A straight flush is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, all of the same suit, such as (a "queen-high straight flush").[4] It ranks below five of a kind and above four of a kind.[5] Under high rules, an ace can rank either high (as in , an ace-high straight flush) or low (as in , a five-high straight flush), but cannot simultaneously rank both high and low (so is an ace-high flush, but not a straight).[6][13] Under deuce-to-seven low rules, an ace always ranks high (so is an ace-high flush). Under ace-to-six low rules, an ace always ranks low (so is a king-high flush).[14] Under ace-to-five low rules, straight flushes are not possible (so is a nine-high hand).[7]
Each straight flush is ranked by the rank of its highest-ranking card. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . Straight flush hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
An ace-high straight flush, such as , is called a royal flush or royal straight flush and is the best possible hand in ace-high games when wild cards are not used.[5][15][16] A five-high straight flush, such as , is called a steel wheel and is both the best low hand and usually the best high hand of the showdown in ace-to-five high-low split games.[4]
Four of a kind, also known as four cards, is a hand that contains four cards of one rank and one card of another rank (the kicker), such as ("four of a kind, nines"). It ranks below a straight flush and above a full house.[5]
Each four of a kind is ranked first by the rank of its quadruplet, and then by the rank of its kicker. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . Four of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
A full house, also known as a full boat or a tight or a boat (and originally called a full hand), is a hand that contains three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as (a "full house, threes over sixes" or "threes full of sixes" or "threes full").[17][18] It ranks below four of a kind and above a flush.[5]
Each full house is ranked first by the rank of its triplet, and then by the rank of its pair. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . Full house hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
A flush is a hand that contains five cards all of the same suit, not all of sequential rank, such as (a "king-high flush" or a "king-ten-high flush").[19] It ranks below a full house and above a straight.[5] Under ace-to-five low rules, flushes are not possible (so is a jack-high hand).[7]
Each flush is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking card. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . Flush hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
A straight is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, not all of the same suit, such as (a "seven-high straight"). It ranks below a flush and above three of a kind.[5] Under high rules, an ace can rank either high (as in , an ace-high straight) or low (as in , a five-high straight), but cannot simultaneously rank both high and low (so is an ace-high hand).[6][13] Under deuce-to-seven low rules, an ace always ranks high (so is an ace-high hand). Under ace-to-six low rules, an ace always ranks low (so is a king-high hand).[14] Under ace-to-five low rules, straights are not possible (so is a ten-high hand).[7]
Each straight is ranked by the rank of its highest-ranking card. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . Straight hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
An ace-high straight, such as , is called a Broadway straight,[20] while a five-high straight, such as , is called a baby straight,[21] bicycle or wheel and is the best possible hand in ace-to-five low games (where it is a high card hand, not a straight).[22][23]
Three of a kind, also known as trips or a set, is a hand that contains three cards of one rank and two cards of two other ranks (the kickers), such as ("three of a kind, twos" or "trip twos" or a "set of twos"). It ranks below a straight and above two pair.[5]
Each three of a kind is ranked first by the rank of its triplet, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kicker, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . Three of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
In community card games, such as Texas hold 'em, three of a kind is called a set only when it comprises a pocket pair and a third card on the board.[24]
Two pair is a hand that contains two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank and one card of a third rank (the kicker), such as ("two pair, jacks and fours" or "two pair, jacks over fours" or "jacks up").[17][25] It ranks below three of a kind and above one pair.[5]
Each two pair is ranked first by the rank of its higher-ranking pair, then by the rank of its lower-ranking pair, and finally by the rank of its kicker. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . Two pair hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
One pair, or simply a pair, is a hand that contains two cards of one rank and three cards of three other ranks (the kickers), such as ("one pair, fours" or a "pair of fours"). It ranks below two pair and above high card.[5]
Each one pair is ranked first by the rank of its pair, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kicker, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking kicker, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . One-pair hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
High card, also known as no pair or simply nothing, is a hand that does not fall into any other category, such as ("high card, king" or "king-jack-high" or "king-high").[17][26] Note that under ace-to-five low rules, straights, flushes and straight flushes are not possible, so such hands are instead high card hands.[7] It ranks below one pair.[5]
Each high card hand is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking card. For example, ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than , which ranks higher than . High card hands that differ by suit alone, such as and , are of equal rank.[6][13]
Under deuce-to-seven low rules, a seven-five-high hand, such as , is the best possible hand.[27] Under ace-to-six low rules, where aces have the lowest rank, a six-four-high hand, such as , is the best possible hand.[28] Under ace-to-five low rules, where aces have the lowest rank and straights, flushes and straight flushes are not possible, a five-high hand, such as or , commonly known as a bicycle or wheel, is the best possible hand.[7][22]
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