One of the first steps in the process of learning rules to a poker game is to learn about poker hand rankings. These poker hand rankings apply to all poker games played at casinos. You can make-up your own rankings at home poker games, but until you do, these are the ranks being used in official poker games. Also, see poker hand nicknames.
A few more words about poker hands. When you get dealt two cards, those cards are either the same suit (both are clubs, hearts, diamonds or spades) or offsuit (other one is a club, the other one is a spade). When you see someone writing about poker, and he writes "I had 65s" this could either mean 65-suited or 65 of spades. Usually it makes sense for him to have the other one so you'll understand it. When someone writes about having "65-offsuit", it's "I had 65o". Simple and easy.
There are 52 cards in a poker deck and, as mentioned before, four different suits (13 cards of each suit). Poker hand is always made of 5 cards. There are no 6-card poker hands - your best hand always consists of five cards. A name like 7-card Stud could be confusing but the player who's got the best five card combination is the winner.
Ace is the highest card but it can be played as the lowest card, too. From the highest to lowest, here's the order of card rankings: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two and (if necessary) Ace.
From Best to Worst
Five-of-a-Kind - This hand only exists in poker games with jokers. It consists of four cards of the same rank and a joker.
Straight Flush - This hand is a straight and a flush at the same time. The highest possible straight flush, which is actually called Royal Flush, is Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten all of same suit. Royal Flush beats all hands in a game without jokers.
Four-of-a-Kind - Four cards of the same rank, so for example four Sixes and an Ace (6666A) make a four-of-a-kind.
Full House - Three cards of the same rank AND two cards of the same (other) rank. Three Kings and two Queens make a full house, three Fives and two Aces make a full house. If there are two full houses, the player with higher ranked three cards is the winner. Full house is also known as "boat".
Flush - All five cards must be the same suit, whether it was spades, diamonds, clubs or hearts. These same suit cards make a straight, then it is a straight flush (see above).
Straight - Having a straight means having 5 cards of different rank in consecutive, sequential order. For example, 23456 is a straight, 789TJ is a straight. If all cards are also the same suit, then it's a straight flush.
Three-of-a-Kind - Three cards of the same rank, plus 2 cards of different ranks. Three Aces and a Four and a Three (AAA43) is three-of-a-kind, also called "trips".
Two Pair - Two pairs of cards of the same rank and one card of a completely different rank. Two 4's and two 6's plus a 9 (44669) is two pair. If more players have two pairs, then the player with the highest pair wins. AA55J wins over KKQQJ. If both players have the same two pairs, then the kicker decides who wins. AA55J wins over AA559, and so on.
One Pair - Two cards of same rank and three cards of completely different rank for a pair. AA654 is a pair of Aces with 6 as the kicker. When there's a pair vs. pair situation, the kicker decides who wins. First, we look at who's got the highest kicker, and if those are the same for both players, then the second highest kicker, and if those are the same, the the third highest kicker.
No Pair - High Card - When nobody's got anything above, the winner is decided by high card. Both players have the same highest card, then the winner is decided by second highest card, then the third highest card and so on. In case both players have the same hands, it's a tie and pot will be split.
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