What Beats What in Poker
All 10 poker hands ranked strongest to weakest, with an example of each. Every hand beats the ones below it.
Royal flush > straight flush > four of a kind > full house > flush > straight > three of a kind > two pair > one pair > high card.
The 10 poker hands, strongest to weakest
- 1
Royal Flush
A-K-Q-J-10, all one suit. The best possible hand.
A♠AK♠KQ♠QJ♠JT♠T - 2
Straight Flush
Five in a row, all one suit.
9♥98♥87♥76♥65♥5 - 3
Four of a Kind
All four cards of one rank.
Q♣QQ♦QQ♥QQ♠Q7♦7 - 4
Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair.
K♠KK♥KK♦K7♣77♦7 - 5
Flush
Five of one suit, not in sequence.
A♦AJ♦J8♦85♦52♦2 - 6
Straight
Five in a row, mixed suits.
8♣87♦76♠65♥54♣4 - 7
Three of a Kind
Three cards of one rank.
5♠55♥55♦5K♣K2♦2 - 8
Two Pair
Two different pairs.
A♠AA♦A9♣99♥9J♦J - 9
One Pair
Two cards of one rank.
J♣JJ♦JA♥A8♠83♣3 - 10
High Card
No pair. The highest card plays.
A♦AJ♣J8♥85♠52♦2
Know it? Test yourself
Reading the order is one thing. Spotting the winner at the table is another. See how many you get right:
How poker hands are ranked
Every player makes their best five-card hand. The rarer the hand, the higher it ranks, which is why a flush beats a straight: flushes are harder to make. When two players have the same type of hand, the higher cards win (a pair of aces beats a pair of kings; if the pairs match, the next-highest “kicker” decides). For the full walkthrough, including every tie-breaker rule, read our complete guide to poker hand rankings. To settle a specific hand, use the which hand wins calculator.
Common questions
- What beats what in poker?
- From strongest to weakest: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. Each hand beats every hand below it on that list.
- Does a flush beat a straight?
- Yes. A flush (five cards of one suit) beats a straight (five cards in a row of mixed suits), because a flush is the rarer hand.
- Does a full house beat a flush?
- Yes. A full house (three of a kind plus a pair) beats a flush, and is itself beaten only by four of a kind, a straight flush, or a royal flush.
- What is the highest hand in poker?
- A royal flush: A-K-Q-J-10 all in the same suit. It is the best possible hand and cannot be beaten, only tied.
- What happens if two players have the same hand?
- The higher cards win. A pair of aces beats a pair of kings. If the hands are identical in rank, the highest side card (the kicker) decides, and if everything matches exactly the pot is split.
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