Poker Hand Rankings in Order, with Chart
Nov 7, 2026 · The Editors
Poker hand rankings in order from royal flush to high card, with a chart, examples, the odds of each hand, how ties are broken, and the questions beginners always ask.
Every standard poker game — hold'em, five-card draw, stud — uses the same ten hands. Here they are from best to worst.
The chart
| Rank | Hand | Example | Chance in 5 cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ | 1 in 649,740 |
| 2 | Straight flush | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ | 1 in 72,193 |
| 3 | Four of a kind | 7♣ 7♦ 7♥ 7♠ K♦ | 1 in 4,165 |
| 4 | Full house | Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ 4♣ 4♠ | 1 in 694 |
| 5 | Flush | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 6♦ 2♦ | 1 in 509 |
| 6 | Straight | 10♣ 9♦ 8♠ 7♥ 6♣ | 1 in 255 |
| 7 | Three of a kind | 5♥ 5♣ 5♠ K♥ 2♦ | 1 in 47 |
| 8 | Two pair | J♣ J♥ 3♠ 3♦ A♣ | 1 in 21 |
| 9 | One pair | 10♥ 10♠ K♣ 7♦ 4♥ | 1 in 2.4 |
| 10 | High card | A♠ Q♦ 9♣ 5♥ 3♠ | 1 in 2 |
The odds are for being dealt the hand in five cards. In Texas hold'em, with seven cards to choose from, every hand comes up more often.
The hands explained
- Royal flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 all of one suit. The best hand there is.
- Straight flush: five cards in sequence, all one suit.
- Four of a kind: four cards of the same rank.
- Full house: three of a kind plus a pair. "Queens full of fours."
- Flush: any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence.
- Straight: five cards in sequence, mixed suits.
- Three of a kind: three cards of the same rank. In hold'em, made with a pair in your hand it is a set; with one card in your hand it is trips.
- Two pair: two different pairs.
- One pair: two cards of the same rank.
- High card: none of the above; the highest card plays.
How ties are broken
- Higher ranks win within a hand type. A pair of Kings beats a pair of Queens. A straight to the Jack beats a straight to the 10.
- Full houses compare the three of a kind first: 8-8-8-2-2 beats 7-7-7-A-A.
- Flushes compare the highest card, then the next, and so on.
- Kickers: with the same pair, the highest unpaired card decides. A-A-K beats A-A-Q.
- Suits never rank in standard poker. Two identical hands split the pot.
Questions beginners ask
Does a flush beat a straight? Yes. A flush is rarer.
Does a full house beat a flush? Yes.
Is A-2-3-4-5 a straight? Yes — the lowest one, called the wheel. The Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low, but a straight cannot wrap round: Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
Do two pair beat three of a kind? No. Three of a kind is higher.
What is the best starting hand in hold'em? A pair of Aces.
A cheat sheet at the table
New players forget the order mid-hand. Print the chart above or keep it on a phone until it sticks — it takes a few evenings. A deck with large indices helps everyone read the board from the far end of the table.
