For beginners at poker, knowledge of hand rankings is probably the most critical information they need to begin to play. (Not necessarily to win, but to at least be able to function at a poker table.) This article lists down and describes the different poker hands, in descending order. It will focus on five-card hands, since those are the “norm” in many games. Please note that the Ace is usually the highest card. Also note that the category in which a hand falls is ultimately more important than its rank within that category. For example, even a very low Straight Flush will beat, say, a Four of a Kind with matched Kings.
The Straight Flush
This card hand is made of five cards, all of the same suit, in strict numerical order without any “gaps” between them. Of course, in some rare cases, multiple players may get a straight flush. In that case, the straight flush with the highest numerical value wins. The very highest straight flush is known as the royal flush, and consists of the following cards: an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all of the same suit.
Four of a Kind
These would be four cards of a matching suit, plus any other card. In the case of multiple players having this type of hand, the winner is the player whose matched cards have a higher numerical value.
Full House
This is three of a kind, plus a pair of another value. If ever multiple players have a full house, the better hand is the one with the higher-ranking set of three matched cards.
Flush
Basically, a flush is a group of five cards, all of the same suit. When more than one player has a flush, one must then look at the value of the cards. They compare their highest cards (higher value wins, of course), then (if there is a tie), their second-highest cards, and so on down the line until a tie-breaker card is reached.
Straight
This is a group of cards all in strict numerical order. If they were of the same suit, they would be a straight flush, which is described above.
Three of a Kind
This is a group of cards in which three have the same numerical value. The other two cards usually do not matter.
Pairs
One may either have two pairs or just one. Of course, two pairs rank higher, and are in a separate category from a hand having “only” one pair. The values of the paired cards are used as a tie-breaker whenever so required.
Nothing
Basically, this is any hand other than the ones listed above. In the sad event that absolutely all the players end up with “nothing,” the player who holds the highest-valued card wins.
This is the basic information that will carry you through a lot of the most popular poker variations out there. If you are a beginner, make sure to memorize these hand types as soon as you can. Happy playing!