8 Poker Hands: What Are They?
Are you a poker enthusiast and want to start playing? Then you have to learn about online poker games and the essential hands. In poker, the players make sets of 5 cards known as hands. As per the game rules, each card has a rank compared to the rank of other hands. Here are poker hands and what they do.
List Of Poker Hands
Royal Flush
The Royal Flush is the strongest and best hand in different types of poker games. It comprises five consecutive cards of the same suit from 10 to Ace. You can make a royal flush in four ways in a standard deck. The royal flush is the rarest and best poker hand you can ever get.
Straight Flush
It’s a hand that consists of a five-card sequential suit that’s not a royal flush. An example is 4♥️5♥️6♥️7♥️8♥️. It’s a poker hand that most players have gone their entire careers without seeing. When a player has this hand, solely a royal flush or a straight Flush, including high-ranking cards.
Four of a Kind
This hand contains the same card in all 4 suits and an extra card in another rank. An example of this hand is 9♣ 9♠ 9♦ 9♥ J♥ or 2♦️2♥️2♠️2♣️9♥️. It’s hard to see this hand type in a poker game. Each of the four cards is ranked by the rank of its quadruplet, then the rank of its kicker. For example, 7♥ 7♦ 7♠ 7♣ Q♥ ranks above 7♥ 7♦ 7♠ 7♣ 10♠. However, four-of-a-kind hands that vary by suit only, such as 4♣ 4♠ 4♦ 4♥ 9♣ and 4♣ 4♠ 4♦ 4♥ 9♦, are ranked the same. If you have this hand playing online poker games, it’s a sure bet that you will win.
Full House
This hand was initially known as the full hand. It’s also known as full boat, tight, or boat. It comprises 3 cards of one rank and 2 of another rank; an example, K♥️K♠️K♣️9♠️9♦️ or 3♣ 3♠ 3♦ 6♣ 6♥. Each full house is ranked by the rank of its triplet and then the rank of the pair. If a player has 4♦ 4♠ 4♣ 9♦ 9♣, it is ranked higher than 4♦ 4♠ 4♣ 5♣ 5♦.
However, there are full houses that differ by suit alone, which makes them equal. An example is K♣ K♠ K♦ J♣ J♠ and K♣ K♥ K♦ J♣ J♥.
Flush
The hand consists of five cards of the same suit in any order. An example is K♣ 10♣ 7♣ 6♣ 4♣, known as king-high flush or king ten high flushes. Every flush is ranked first by its highest-ranking card, second-ranking card, third-ranking card, fourth-ranking card, and lastly by the lowest ranking card.
A good example, K♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 4♦ outranks Q♣ J♣ 7♣ 6♣ 5♣, which is rated above J♥ 10♥ 9♥ 4♥ 2♥, which beats J♠ 10♠ 8♠ 6♠ 3♠, which outranks J♥ 10♥ 8♥ 4♥ 3♥, which is a stronger hand than J♣ 10♣ 8♣ 4♣ 2♣. Flush hands that vary by suit, such as 10♦ 8♦ 7♦ 6♦ 5♦ and 10♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠, are termed equal.
Straight
Its hand comprises five cards of sequential rank but not all from the same suit. The worst straight you can ever get is A♥️2♠️3♠️4♣️5♦️. This straight is straight to the four, also known as the wheel. On the other hand, the best straight is .T♦️J♠️Q♦️K♣️A♦️, which is straight to the Ace known as Broadway.
Three Of A Kind
It’s also known as trips or sets. The hand comprises 3 cards of a similar rank and 2 cards of two different ranks. An example is 2♦ 2♠ 2♣ K♠ 6♥. Each three of a kind is rated by its triumvirate rank, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kickers, and lastly, by its lowest-ranked kicker. For example, 6♥ 6♦ 6♠ Q♣ 4♠ is a higher ranking than 3♦ 3♠ 3♣ K♠ 2♠.
However, you need to know that in community games like Texas Hold ’em, three of a kind can be a set if it consists of a pocket pair and a third card onboard.
Two Pair
Its hand consists of 2 cards of the same rank, 2 cards of another rank, and a single card of a third rank. The rank of its higher-ranking pair ranks every two pairs, then the lowest ranking, and then the rank of the kicker. An example, 10♦ 10♠ 2♠ 2♣ K♣ ranks higher than 5♣ 5♠ 4♦ 4♥ 10♥; 2 pair hands that vary by suit, such as K♦ K♠ 7♦ 7♥ 8♥ and K♣ K♠ 7♣ 7♥ 8♣, are equal.
One Pair
Its hand contains 2 cards of the same rank and three other ranks. Every pair is ranked by the rank of its pair, then the rank of its highest kicker, the second-highest kicker, and lastly, the lowest.
Conclusion
There you have it. These are the most common poker hands, starting with the strongest. Having any of these in your hand can help you enjoy and win at poker.
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