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In standard high-hand Texas Hold’em, a royal flush is the strongest hand and high card is the weakest. A flush beats a straight. Use the chart below to rank hands, then compare the best five-card combinations at showdown.
Texas Hold’em hand rankings, strongest to weakest
| Rank | Hand | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit; the ace-high straight flush. |
| 2 | Straight flush | Five consecutive ranks, all of the same suit. |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four cards of the same rank. |
| 4 | Full house | Three cards of one rank and a pair of another rank. |
| 5 | Flush | Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. |
| 6 | Straight | Five consecutive ranks, not all of the same suit. |
| 7 | Three of a kind | Three cards of the same rank. |
| 8 | Two pair | Two different pairs. |
| 9 | One pair | Two cards of the same rank. |
| 10 | High card | No qualifying combination; the highest card determines the hand. |
This is the standard high-hand order for Texas Hold’em, as listed by PokerStars Learn. It is not a universal chart for every poker variant; check the rules for the game being played. The WSOP live-action rules document covers different games in separate sections.
How to compare two hands
Compare the category first: for example, a flush beats a straight, regardless of the ranks in the straight. When both hands share a category, compare the ranks that make that hand, then compare kickers if needed. Suits do not break ties in hand strength. If the best five-card hands are exactly equal, the pot is split.
- Pair: Compare the pair, then the remaining cards in descending order.
- Two pair: Compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the fifth card.
- Three of a kind: Compare the three matching ranks, then the kickers.
- Straight: Compare the highest card in the sequence.
- Flush or high card: Compare cards from highest to lowest until one hand has the higher rank.
- Full house or four of a kind: Compare the rank of the set first; compare the remaining relevant rank or kicker if necessary.
For a practical example, two players with a pair of queens compare their remaining cards from highest to lowest. A higher first kicker wins; if those match, the next kicker decides, and so on. If all five cards match in value, neither suit nor the order in which cards were dealt gives either player an advantage.
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How a Texas Hold’em hand works
Each player receives two private hole cards. Players then make the best possible five-card hand using any combination of those cards and the five community cards shared by everyone. You may use both hole cards, just one, or neither—if the board itself is your best hand, you are playing the board.
- Before the flop: The dealer button indicates the dealer position for the hand. Players post the required blinds before seeing their cards, then receive two hole cards and take part in the first betting round.
- The flop: The dealer reveals three community cards, followed by a betting round.
- The turn: A fourth community card is revealed, followed by another betting round.
- The river: The fifth and final community card is revealed, followed by the final betting round.
- Showdown: Players still in the hand reveal or table their cards as required. The best five-card hand wins; identical best hands split the pot.
The button rotates between hands. The exact procedures for betting and irregular situations can depend on a game’s betting structure and the venue’s house rules. The WSOP document linked above is a 2012 live-action rules document, so a casino or tournament’s current posted rules take precedence for play there.
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What this cheat sheet can—and cannot—tell you
Hand rankings tell you which five-card combination wins at showdown; they do not tell you whether to call, raise, or fold. Those decisions depend on the situation, including your position, the betting, and your opponents. A ranking chart alone is not a complete strategy system, and it cannot identify the best action without that context.
For a quick recall, keep three points in mind: the hand order runs from royal flush down to high card, a flush outranks a straight, and the winner is determined by the best five-card hand—not simply by who holds the highest individual card.
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