Hand Ranks

Royal Flush:

This is the big hand the best hand you can get, if you’ve got it you can not be beaten. It is a straight starting with the top card of the pack, the ace, then the king, queen, jack and ten all in the same suit.

Straight Flush:

This is a very strong hand yet again, very rarely not able to be beaten. It is the same as above, it could start from as high a the king, then the queen, jack, ten and nine all in the same suit. Or it could start as low as the five, then the four, three, two and finally the ace, yes, the ace can either be used as the highest card or in this case the lowest card. In this written example you would call it a straight flush five high

Four of a Kind:

This is a rare, however lovely hand to beat all those full houses and flushes betting against you. Obviously this hand would consist of four cards out of the five which are all the same rank, four aces or four tens etc.

Full House:

If you have your pocket pair (two cards in your hand that are the same rank) and then the same rank appears on the flop and any pair comes out throughout the community cards, you’ve now got your full house which is very hard to spot by your opposing players, now take down the pot and win. The full house consists of three of one rank and two of another rank, e.g. three tens and two sevens or combinations thereof.

Flush:

A good hand to catch on the river (the last card to be dealt) most players will hang on to the very end in hope they catch their flush. Always watch out for these, they will come and bite you if your not watching. The flush is any five cards of the same suit. E.g. all hearts, with the ace of hearts being the nuts (the top flush available) and then four other hearts.     

Straight:

A nice hand, however don’t put your life savings on this one unless you have the nuts (the top straight available). This consists of any suit and any five cards that are consecutive with no number break. E.g. six, seven, eight, nine and then the ten.

Three of a Kind:

Trips or a set generally referred to. To get this hand you need three of the same rank, e.g. three fives.

Two Pair:

Two of one rank and two of another, as simple as that. In this case you still need a fifth card to make your hand, this will be the highest card not used in the two pairs.

One Pair:

Two of one rank, again as simple as that. Also in this case you will still need a further three cards to make your hand, these will be the highest cards not in the pair.

High Card:

Not the best hand in the world I’m afraid, if you’ve made it to the river and this is all you have, then be afraid, very afraid. No really you haven’t got a lot and any pair, even two’s will beat you. Any bets against you with this hand then run and keep running. A high card is simple the highest card and the other four cards will be the next highest then the next highest etc etc.

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