Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings: 10 Categories High to Low
At showdown you make the best five-card hand from your hole cards and the board. Categories are fixed — a flush always beats a straight, a full house always beats a flush. Within a category, compare ranks; suits never decide the winner.
The ranking table
| # | Hand | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A-K-Q-J-10 same suit | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ |
| 2 | Straight flush | Five consecutive, same suit | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four cards of one rank | Q Q Q Q 5 |
| 4 | Full house | Three of a kind plus a pair | 8 8 8 K K |
| 5 | Flush | Five same suit, not consecutive | A♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 3♦ |
| 6 | Straight | Five consecutive, mixed suits | 10 9 8 7 6 |
| 7 | Three of a kind | Three of one rank | 7 7 7 K 2 |
| 8 | Two pair | Two different pairs | J J 4 4 A |
| 9 | One pair | One pair | 10 10 A 8 3 |
| 10 | High card | None of the above | A Q 9 6 2 |
Ace plays high, or low in A-2-3-4-5 only. You cannot wrap the wheel the other way (for example Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight).
Common comparisons
- Flush vs straight: Flush wins.
- Full house vs flush: Full house wins.
- Two pair: Higher pair first, then the other pair, then the kicker.
- Same pair: Compare kickers from highest to lowest.
FAQ
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. Flush ranks above straight. Full house ranks above flush.
Is A-2-3-4-5 a straight?
Yes. It is the wheel (lowest straight). A can be high or low in a straight, but not both at once.
Do suits matter for ranking?
No. Suits never break ties between equal five-card hands.
What is a kicker?
A side card used to break ties when the main category is equal — for example the higher side card with the same pair.