Poker Hand Rankings
Complete Chart & Guide for 2026
Knowing the poker hand rankings is the absolute foundation of the game. Whether you play Texas Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, or Short Deck, you need to know which hands beat which instantly and without hesitation. This guide covers every hand ranking, tie-breaker rules, variant differences, and the mistakes that trip up beginners.
1 Complete Hand Rankings (Best to Worst)
Standard poker uses a 52-card deck. Every poker hand consists of exactly five cards. The following 10 categories are ranked from strongest to weakest. If two players have the same category, tie-breakers determine the winner.
Royal Flush
A, K, Q, J, 10 all of the same suit. The best possible hand in poker.
Probability: 0.000154% (1 in 649,740 hands)
Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit. A Royal Flush is technically the highest straight flush.
Probability: 0.00139% (1 in 72,193 hands)
Four of a Kind (Quads)
Four cards of the same rank plus one kicker. The higher the quad rank, the better.
Probability: 0.024% (1 in 4,165 hands)
Full House (Boat)
Three of a kind plus a pair. The three-of-a-kind rank determines the winner when two players have full houses.
Probability: 0.144% (1 in 694 hands)
Flush
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. The highest card determines the winner if two players both have flushes.
Probability: 0.197% (1 in 509 hands)
Straight
Five consecutive cards of mixed suits. Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A), but not both (Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight).
Probability: 0.392% (1 in 255 hands)
Three of a Kind (Trips/Set)
Three cards of the same rank. A "set" is when you hold a pocket pair and hit one on the board. "Trips" is when you match one hole card with two on the board.
Probability: 2.11% (1 in 47 hands)
Two Pair
Two different pairs plus a kicker. The highest pair wins; if tied, the second pair; if still tied, the kicker.
Probability: 4.75% (1 in 21 hands)
One Pair
Two cards of the same rank. The most common made hand in Texas Hold'em. Higher pair wins; if tied, compare kickers in order.
Probability: 42.3% (1 in 2.4 hands)
High Card
No made hand. The highest card plays. If tied, compare the next highest, and so on through all five cards.
Probability: 50.1% (1 in 2 hands)
2 Quick Reference Chart
| Rank | Hand | Example | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A-K-Q-J-10 suited | 0.000154% |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 8-7-6-5-4 suited | 0.00139% |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | K-K-K-K-7 | 0.024% |
| 4 | Full House | Q-Q-Q-9-9 | 0.144% |
| 5 | Flush | A-J-8-6-3 suited | 0.197% |
| 6 | Straight | 10-9-8-7-6 | 0.392% |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | J-J-J-K-4 | 2.11% |
| 8 | Two Pair | A-A-8-8-K | 4.75% |
| 9 | One Pair | 10-10-A-7-3 | 42.3% |
| 10 | High Card | A-J-8-5-2 | 50.1% |
3 Tie-Breaker Rules (Kickers)
When two players have the same hand category, the winner is determined by comparing the relevant cards in order. These extra cards are called kickers. Understanding kickers is critical because they decide a huge percentage of contested pots.
One Pair Tie-Breaker
Compare the pair rank first. If tied, compare the highest kicker. If still tied, the second kicker. Then the third. Example: K-K-A-8-3 beats K-K-Q-J-10 because the Ace kicker is higher than the Queen.
Two Pair Tie-Breaker
Compare the highest pair first. If tied, compare the second pair. If still tied, compare the kicker. Example: A-A-5-5-K beats A-A-5-5-Q because the King kicker plays.
Flush Tie-Breaker
Compare the highest card. If tied, compare the next highest, and so on. Suit does not matter for ranking purposes in standard poker. Example: A-J-8-6-3 of hearts beats A-J-8-5-2 of spades because the 6 beats the 5.
Full House Tie-Breaker
Compare the three-of-a-kind portion first. Q-Q-Q-2-2 beats J-J-J-A-A because Queens beat Jacks. The pair portion only matters if the trips are the same rank (rare in Hold'em, more common in Omaha).
Kicker Rule for Hold'em
In Texas Hold'em, both players use the best five cards from the seven available (2 hole cards + 5 community cards). Sometimes the board is so strong that both players' kickers don't play. If the best five-card hand using the board is identical for both players, the pot is split. This is called a "chop" or "split pot."
4 Short Deck (6+) Hand Rankings
Short Deck poker uses a 36-card deck (all 2s through 5s removed). This changes the probabilities and therefore the hand rankings. The key differences:
| Standard Poker | Short Deck (6+) | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Full House > Flush | Flush > Full House | Fewer cards per suit makes flushes rarer |
| Lowest straight: A-2-3-4-5 | Lowest straight: A-6-7-8-9 | No 2-5 cards, Ace wraps to 6 |
| Three of a Kind < Straight | Three of a Kind > Straight | Straights are easier with fewer gaps |
Critical Short Deck Difference
The biggest mistake players make in Short Deck is valuing full houses over flushes. In a 36-card deck, a flush is harder to make than a full house. If you don't adjust your hand rankings, you'll consistently overplay boats and underplay flushes. PlasmaPoker's Short Deck tables enforce the correct rankings automatically.
5 Omaha (PLO) Hand Ranking Differences
In Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO4, PLO5, PLO6, PLO7), the hand rankings themselves are identical to Hold'em. However, the mandatory rule that you must use exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards changes everything about hand strength.
You Must Use Exactly Two Hole Cards
If the board shows four hearts and you hold one heart, you do NOT have a flush. You need two hearts in your hand and three on the board. This is the #1 rule that Hold'em players forget when switching to Omaha.
Nut Hands Are More Common
With 4-6 hole cards instead of 2, players hit stronger hands far more frequently. A set that would be a monster in Hold'em is often a death trap in PLO. You need to aim for the nuts or close to it, especially on wet boards. Second-best hands lose massive pots in Omaha.
PLO5, PLO6, and PLO7 Push This Further
With 5 or 6 hole cards, nut hands become even more common. Wraps (20-card straight draws) are routine. Two-pair and even sets lose value dramatically. PlasmaPoker is one of the only platforms offering PLO5, PLO6, and PLO7 online.
6 Common Hand Ranking Mistakes
Thinking a Straight Beats a Flush
One of the most common beginner errors. A flush always beats a straight in standard poker. There are more ways to make a straight than a flush, so a flush is the stronger hand. The only exception is Short Deck, where a flush beats a full house (but still beats a straight).
Ignoring Kicker Strength
A-K with a paired Ace on the board is massively different from A-2 with a paired Ace. The King kicker dominates. Players who play any Ace without considering their kicker lose significant money over time. Top pair, top kicker (TPTK) is a profitable hand. Top pair, bad kicker is a recipe for losing big pots.
Overvaluing Suited Cards
Having two suited cards only adds about 2-3% equity versus the same hand offsuit. Beginners often play any two suited cards, thinking they'll make a flush. You'll flop a flush draw only about 11% of the time, and complete it less than half of those times.
The Wraparound Straight Myth
Q-K-A-2-3 is NOT a straight. The Ace can be the highest card (A-K-Q-J-10) or the lowest card (5-4-3-2-A), but it cannot wrap around the middle. This catches many beginners off guard.
? Frequently Asked Questions
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. In standard poker (Texas Hold'em, PLO, Stud), a flush always beats a straight. A flush is ranked #5 and a straight is ranked #6.
Does a full house beat a flush?
In standard poker, yes. A full house (#4) beats a flush (#5). However, in Short Deck (6+) poker, a flush beats a full house because flushes are harder to make with only 36 cards.
What is the best starting hand in Texas Hold'em?
Pocket Aces (A-A) is the best starting hand, winning about 85% of the time heads-up preflop. However, starting hands and final hand rankings are different things. AA can still lose to any hand that makes a better five-card combination by the river.
Do suits matter in poker?
Suits matter for making flushes and straight flushes, but no suit is ranked higher than another. If two players have identical hands in different suits, it's a split pot. Spades are not better than hearts.
What happens if two players have the same hand?
If both players' best five-card hands are identical (same ranks across all five cards), the pot is split equally. This happens more often than you might think, especially when the community cards make a strong hand that neither player can beat with their hole cards.
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