Royal flush
The ace-high straight flush.
A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠
PLAYWISE365 CLUB / THE HAND RANKING ROOM
Poker hand rankings.
Know what beats what.
A visual reference for standard high-hand poker: ten categories, example cards and the details that settle a tie.
Open the ranking chart ↗Explore PlayWise365 after the guide →Reference guide · Texas Hold’em and standard high-hand poker
THE HIGHEST HAND
ROYAL FLUSHOne suit. Ten through ace.
10 HAND CATEGORIESVISUAL EXAMPLESSTANDARD HIGH-HAND
ORDER
THE POKER HAND RANKINGS CHART
Highest to lowest.
Read from top to bottom. A hand above another beats it under standard high-hand rules. Suits have equal rank.
Straight flush
Five consecutive cards in one suit.
9♥8♥7♥6♥5♥
Four of a kind
Four cards of one rank.
Q♠Q♥Q♦Q♣3♠
Full house
Three of one rank and a pair.
J♠J♥J♦8♠8♥
Flush
Five cards in one suit, not consecutive.
A♦J♦8♦5♦2♦
Straight
Five consecutive ranks in mixed suits.
9♠8♥7♦6♣5♠
Three of a kind
Three cards of one rank.
7♠7♥7♦K♣2♠
Two pair
Two different pairs.
K♠K♥4♦4♣9♠
One pair
Two cards of one rank.
A♠A♥J♦8♣3♠
High card
None of the combinations above.
A♠J♥8♦5♣2♠
THE HAND COMPARISON DESK
Compare two five-card hands.
Choose five distinct cards for each hand. This tool compares standard high-hand categories and their tie-breakers. It does not model community cards, wild cards, lowball or short-deck rules.
TIE-BREAKERS & KICKERS
Same category? Compare the right cards.
Start with the category. Only when the categories match do the cards inside them decide the result. A high-card ace does not beat a low pair, and an ace-high straight does not beat a flush.
| Category | Comparison order |
|---|---|
| Straight / straight flush | Compare the highest rank in the sequence. A–2–3–4–5 is five-high. |
| Four of a kind | Compare the four-card rank, then the remaining card. |
| Full house | Compare the three-card rank first, then the pair. |
| Flush / high card | Compare the highest card, then the next highest until a difference appears. |
| Three of a kind | Compare the triple, then the two remaining ranks in descending order. |
| Two pair | Compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the remaining card. |
| One pair | Compare the pair, then each of the three remaining ranks in descending order. |
A kicker decides this pair
A♠ A♥ K♦ 8♣ 3♠ versus A♦ A♣ Q♥ 9♦ 2♣: the pair ranks match. Compare K against Q next; the first hand ranks higher. Its lower 8 does not reverse that earlier decision.
The triple decides a full house
8♠ 8♥ 8♦ 2♣ 2♠ beats 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ A♣ A♠. The three eights outrank the three sevens before the pair is considered.
All five cards can tie
A♠ J♠ 8♠ 5♠ 2♠ and A♥ J♥ 8♥ 5♥ 2♥ are equal flushes. Different suits do not break a standard hand-ranking tie.
Unused cards do not help
A kicker must belong to the best five-card hand. A sixth card cannot improve an otherwise identical five-card result.
THE EXPLANATION
Find the best five cards in Texas Hold’em.
Texas Hold’em supplies two private cards and five shared board cards. The hand can use both private cards, one, or neither. Start by identifying the strongest possible five-card category, then compare its ranks.
ILLUSTRATIVE BOARD
A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
Private cards: 2♦ 2♣. The board already forms a royal flush. The pair of twos does not improve it, and neither private card is used in the best five. Remaining players share the same royal-flush value.
A SECOND EXAMPLE
Board: K♣ K♦ 7♥ 4♠ 2♥
Private cards: A♠ 7♣. The best hand is K♣ K♦ 7♥ 7♣ A♠: two pair with an ace kicker. The four and two are excluded.
Omaha selection is different: standard Omaha requires exactly two private cards and exactly three board cards. A ranking chart alone does not explain a game’s card-selection rules.
THE EXPLANATION
Know which ranking system you are using.
This page and comparator cover ordinary high-hand poker without wild cards. They should not be applied automatically to every game containing the word “poker”.
| Format | Important distinction |
|---|---|
| Texas Hold’em | Standard high-hand ranking; best five from the seven available cards. |
| Omaha high | Same category order, with exactly two private and three board cards. |
| Lowball | A lower hand may be the objective; the treatment of aces, straights and flushes depends on the variant. |
| Short deck | Some rule sets change category order and straight definitions. Check that game’s rules. |
| Teen Patti | Three-card combinations use a different ranking order; this five-card chart does not apply. |
Keep the ranking chart handy.
Download the illustrated SVG chart. Open it in a browser to print it or save it as a PDF.
QUICK KNOWLEDGE CHECK
Which ranks higher?
A flush or a full house? Select your answer.
Use the chart above to compare the two categories.
BEYOND THE RANKING CHART
Know the hands.
Explore the poker formats.
PlayWise365’s Live Poker category lists formats including Casino Hold’em and Caribbean Stud. Use the chart as a starting point, then read the selected game’s rules to understand how its hands are used.
01 / YOU HAVE THE REFERENCE
Hand rankings & tie-breakers
Keep this guide open while you compare the game descriptions.
02 / EXPLORE THE CATALOGUE
Find the format that interests you
Casino poker variants can differ from player-versus-player Texas Hold’em. The category link opens a selection of formats, not a specific table.
Explore poker on PlayWise365POKER RANKINGS FAQ
The common questions.
Does the highest individual card always win?
No. Compare hand categories first. A pair of twos beats an ace-high hand without a pair.
Can both players have the same winning hand?
Yes. If their best five cards have identical ranking values, the result is a tie. Different suits do not decide it.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes, in standard high-hand poker.
Does a full house beat four of a kind?
No. Four of a kind ranks higher.
Is this chart also the Teen Patti ranking order?
No. Teen Patti uses three-card combinations with a different order.
Can I play poker here?
This page is a reference chart, not a playable poker room.