There are 10 poker combinations in poker, ranked from Royal Flush at the top to High Card at the bottom. These combinations in poker are universal across Texas Hold'em and most popular variants. The player holding the higher-ranked combination wins the pot at showdown.
Mastering hand rankings is the first thing every poker player needs to learn — before strategy, before position, before any math. This guide covers the official poker hands and rankings, how each combination is built, the precise probability of hitting it in Texas Hold'em, and the poker rules that decide who wins when two players show down equivalent hands.
If you're in the middle of a home game and just need a quick reference — here's our cheat sheet with all 10 hands at a glance. Bookmark it and come back anytime.
But if you want to understand how each hand works, what beats what, and how tiebreakers are decided — we welcome you to read on.
Official Poker Hand Rankings in Order
The table below shows all poker combinations in order, from strongest to weakest, with a card example, probability, and frequency of occurrence by the river in Texas Hold'em.
| Rank | Hand | Example | Probability | 1 in… | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ | 0.0032% | 30,940 hands | The best possible hand: A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ 4♥ 3♥ | 0.028% | 3,590 hands | Five consecutive cards of the same suit — excluding the Royal Flush. |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | K♦ K♠ K♥ K♣ 7♠ | 0.168% | 595 hands | Four cards of the same rank plus a kicker. |
| 4 | Full House | Q♠ Q♦ Q♥ 9♣ 9♦ | 2.60% | 38 hands | Three of a kind combined with a pair. |
| 5 | Flush | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦ | 3.03% | 33 hands | Five non-consecutive cards of the same suit. |
| 6 | Straight | 10♠ 9♥ 8♦ 7♣ 6♠ | 4.62% | 22 hands | Five consecutive cards of mixed suits. |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | J♠ J♦ J♥ A♠ 5♣ | 4.83% | 21 hands | Three cards of the same rank plus two unrelated cards. |
| 8 | Two Pair | K♠ K♦ 8♥ 8♣ Q♠ | 23.5% | 4 hands | Two distinct pairs plus a kicker. |
| 9 | One Pair | A♥ A♣ K♠ 9♦ 3♥ | 43.8% | 2 hands | Two cards of the same rank plus three unrelated cards. |
| 10 | High Card | A♠ J♦ 9♣ 5♥ 2♠ | 17.4% | 6 hands | No combination — the highest card plays. |
All probabilities reflect Texas Hold'em with seven available cards (2 hole + 5 community), not five random cards from a deck — which is why these figures differ from those in probability textbooks.
Three practical takeaways from the numbers:
- A Flush is statistically rarer than a Straight (3.03% vs. 4.62%) — that's the mathematical reason it ranks higher.
- Two Pair is roughly 5× more common than Three of a Kind (23.5% vs. 4.83%). Don't slow-play your sets.
- One Pair + High Card together account for over 60% of all showdowns. Kicker decisions matter more than most players think.
How Poker Combinations Work in Texas Hold'em
In Texas Hold'em, every player is dealt two private hole cards and five community cards are placed face-up over three betting rounds — the flop (three cards), the turn (one card), and the river (one final card). Your final hand is the best five-card combination you can form from any combination of your two hole cards and the five community cards.
Two things worth keeping in mind: you don't have to use both hole cards — if the board plays stronger, the board plays. And with seven cards available, you'll see stronger hands at showdown more often than in shorter-deck formats.
Here's a full breakdown of every combination you'll encounter at the table:
1. Royal Flush
The strongest hand in poker — A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. No other combination can beat it. If two players both hold a Royal Flush (only possible when five board cards form one and neither player's hole cards improve it), the pot is split, because suit has no value in poker. The probability of making a Royal Flush in Texas Hold'em is 0.0032%, roughly once every 30,940 hands — you can play for years without seeing one.
2. Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit, excluding the A-K-Q-J-10 sequence. When two players hold a Straight Flush, the one with the higher top card wins: a queen-high Straight Flush beats a nine-high one. The ace can play low to form A-2-3-4-5 of the same suit — called the "steel wheel" — which is the weakest possible Straight Flush. Probability: 0.028%, or 1 in 3,590 hands.
3. Four of a Kind
Four cards of identical rank plus one side card (kicker). Also called "Quads" — this is the hand that gives the game its name in many languages. The rank of the four matching cards decides the winner: four aces beat four kings. The kicker only matters when the quads are on the board and both players share them as their hand — then the higher hole card wins. Probability: 0.168%, or 1 in 595 hands.
4. Full House
Three cards of one rank combined with two cards of another. When two players hold a Full House, the higher three-of-a-kind wins first: aces full of twos (A-A-A-2-2) beats kings full of aces (K-K-K-A-A). If the trips are equal — only possible when three of a kind sits on the board — the pair breaks the tie. Probability: 2.60%, or 1 in 38 hands.
5. Flush
Five cards of the same suit in any non-consecutive order. When two players both hold a Flush, hands are compared card by card from the highest down. Unlike most other hands, a Flush has no separate kicker — the fifth card itself is the final tiebreaker, and if all five cards match in rank, the pot is split. Probability: 3.03%, or 1 in 33 hands.
6. Straight
Five consecutive cards of mixed suits. When two Straights go up against each other, the one with the higher top card wins: a king-high Straight beats a queen-high one. The ace plays as the highest card (A-K-Q-J-10) or the lowest (A-2-3-4-5, called the "wheel"), but cannot wrap around — Q-K-A-2-3 is not a valid Straight. Probability: 4.62%, or 1 in 22 hands.
7. Three of a Kind
Three cards of identical rank plus two unrelated cards. In Texas Hold'em this hand comes in two forms: a "set" (pocket pair in hand, one matching card on the board) and "trips" (one card in hand, a pair on the board). Sets are better disguised and generally more valuable, because opponents can't easily put you on trips from the board alone. When two players hold the same three-of-a-kind, the kickers break the tie. Probability: 4.83%, or 1 in 21 hands.
8. Two Pair
Two distinct pairs plus one side card (kicker). The higher pair is compared first; if tied, the lower pair; if still tied, the kicker decides. Board dynamics in Texas Hold'em frequently create complex Two Pair situations — when a shared board pair means multiple players hold the same lower pair, the contest often comes down to who holds the better second pair or kicker. Probability: 23.5%, or 1 in 4 hands.
9. One Pair
Two cards of identical rank plus three unrelated cards. The three side cards are all kickers and are compared from highest to lowest when two players hold the same pair. It is the most common hand to reach showdown in Texas Hold'em, accounting for nearly half of all outcomes — which is why understanding kicker dynamics is one of the most practically useful skills you can develop. Probability: 43.8%, or 1 in 2 hands.
10. High Card
No combination at all: five unrelated cards that don't form any of the above. The highest card plays, and if it ties, the next-highest is compared, and so on through all five cards. A High Card hand reaches showdown mainly after a failed bluff or when the community cards don't connect with any player's hole cards. It wins more often than beginners expect — because the player who bets confidently often takes the pot before the showdown. Probability: 17.4%, or 1 in 6 hands.
How to Determine the Winning Hand
Identifying the poker hands winning at showdown comes down to three checks, applied in order:
- Rank of the combination. The higher-ranked combination wins outright. A Flush always beats a Straight, regardless of specific cards — this is the poker hands hierarchy.
- Value within the same combination. When two players hold the same type, the higher card values within the combination win. Two Full Houses: aces full of nines (A-A-A-9-9) beats kings full of queens (K-K-K-Q-Q).
- Kicker. When the combination AND its main values are tied, unmatched side cards (kickers) decide. Compared in descending order until one is higher.
The poker hands in order of strength shown in the rankings table tells you which combination outranks which — these three steps are how you pick a winner at the table.
What is a kicker?
A kicker is one or more side cards that complete a five-card hand and break ties when two players hold the same primary combination. Every poker hand uses exactly five cards. If the board contains four of a kind, the fifth card — the kicker — determines the winner at showdown.
Example:
Board: 7♠ 7♣ 7♦ 7♥ 3♦
— Player A: 5♦ 5♣ (four sevens, kicker 5)
— Player B: 10♣ J♣ (four sevens, kicker J)
Both have four of a kind — sevens. Compare kickers: J vs. 5. Player B wins.
Split pots: when the pot is divided
A split pot occurs when two or more players hold hands of identical value, including all kickers. The pot is divided equally among them. The most frequent case: the five community cards form a complete hand (e.g., a Straight on the board) and no player's hole cards improve it — every active player at showdown wins an equal share.
Hands evaluated as a complete five-card unit — Straight, Flush, Straight Flush, Royal Flush, Full House — have no separate kicker. The entire combination is compared. With Quads, ties only occur when the four-of-a-kind is on the board, in which case the highest hole card wins.
For more on how these combinations interact during a full hand — preflop, flop, and postflop: turn, river, and showdown — see the GipsyTeam complete guide on how to play poker. To deepen the math, the pot odds and fold equity articles show exactly how probability translates into in-game decisions.
Common Misconceptions in Poker Hand Rankings
Are all suits equal in poker? Yes. ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ are not ranked against each other. A 10♠ equals a 10♥, and two Royal Flushes in different suits split the pot. The "spades are highest" rule comes from Bridge, not poker.
Can the ace be both high and low? No. A plays as the highest card (A-K-Q-J-10) or the lowest (A-2-3-4-5), but cannot wrap around. Q-K-A-2-3 is not a valid Straight.
Does a pair on the board automatically make Two Pair? No. If the board shows 8-8-K-Q-3 and you hold A-J, you have one pair (the eights) with an ace-king-jack kicker line — not Two Pair.
Does a Straight beat a Flush? No. This is the most disputed ranking in casual games, but the math is settled: five suited cards are rarer than five connected ones.
Is Three of a Kind the same as a Full House? No. A Full House requires both a three-of-a-kind AND a pair in the same five-card hand. With trips alone, the two side cards are kickers, not a pair.
Online Poker Rooms and Apps Where You Can Play
The best way to memorize poker hand rankings is to see them in real hands. Freerolls and free-play formats are useful for that: you can practice showdown situations, learn which combinations beat which, and get comfortable before moving to real-money games. GipsyTeam works with several online poker rooms where new players can start carefully, compare bonuses, and get extra value through partner deals described in our detailed reviews.
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Poker Combinations FAQ
Q: Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A Flush outranks a Straight because five suited cards are statistically rarer than five connected ones — the hierarchy directly reflects mathematical probability.
Q: What is the highest hand in poker?
The Royal Flush — A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. It's unbeatable, with a probability of 0.0032% (1 in 30,940 hands) in Texas Hold'em.
Q: Can an ace be low in a Straight?
Yes, only in A-2-3-4-5 (the "wheel"). The ace cannot wrap around — Q-K-A-2-3 is not a valid Straight in any standard variant.
Q: What happens when two players have the same combination?
The player with higher card values within the combination wins. If all five cards match in value, the pot is split equally — this is called a split pot.
Q: Is Two Pair better than Three of a Kind?
No. Three of a Kind ranks higher. It's rarer (1 in 21 hands) than Two Pair (1 in 4 hands), and the hierarchy reflects that math directly.
Q: Can you win at poker without making any combination?
Yes. If all other players fold before showdown, you win regardless of your cards — many strong plays are bluffs that never reach showdown.
Q: What is a kicker in poker?
A side card that breaks ties when two players hold the same primary combination. Straights, Flushes, Full Houses, and Royal Flushes have no separate kicker — the full five-card combination is compared instead.