Poker Hands,
The Royal Hierarchy
An article by Jesse Ash
Before
you can even begin to grasp the strategy behind Texas
Holdem poker, you're going to have to learn to recognize poker
hands and rank poker hands so that you know where each player
at the table stands. Without this knowledge, winning is almost
impossible.
In most forms of poker your "hand" is made up of 5 cards. In Five Card Draw poker you'll be holding these five cards literally in your hands. More likely though, you'll be playing Texas Hold'em poker. Texas Holdem hands are made up of your two personal cards (your pocket cards) and three of the five communal cards that are face up on the poker table, presumably the best three.
Now I'll take you through each of the possible hands in poker, starting with the lowest (or worst) poker hands, and moving up to the highest (or best). I'll also attempt to point out strong winning poker hands that might not seem strong, and weak poker hands that are deceptively good looking.
The Poker Hands, In Order from Lowest to Highest:
No Pair
Are these winning poker hands?
Hah, no way.
Poker Hands Rank: #10
In the ranking of poker hands, this is the absolute lowest. This
means you have no pairs, no straight (5 cards of consecutive value),
no flush (5 cards of the same suit), no nuthin'. If you end up
with this, the lowest of all possible poker hands, you're pretty
much screwed for the round. If however, the game comes down to
you and another player who also has no pair, then your hand's
value is determined by your highest card. An Ace is the best possible
hand for you at this point, and you would call your hand "Ace
High," or "King High," if you have a King, and
so on down the line. One thing's for sure: don't put any money
on this hand unless you intend to lose it.
One
Pair
Are these winning poker hands?
Not Really...
Poker Hands Rank: #9
A pair is when you have any two cards of the same value, for example:
two 2s would be a pair of 2s. Not one of the better hands in poker,
but you might be surprised how often one pair can take the pot.
A pair's value differs drastically depending on the situation.
If we're talking about Holdem poker hands, then a pair is pretty
useless if it's made out of a card from your pocket and one of
the less valuable cards on the table. This is because if anyone
has paired one of the higher cards on the table, you're hosed
(or "drawing dead" as poker players prefer). If that's
what you have and another player is betting aggressively, it's
usually best to fold.
However, if you've paired one of the cards from your pocket with the highest card on the table, you've got what's called top pair. If you've got top pair, there's utter crap on the table, and no one's betting, odds are you've got something playable; unless another player has a pocket pair higher than yours, you can probably win the round. Make no mistake though, this is one of the most basic hands in poker, and by no means a strong hand.
There is one exception: In Texas Holdem starting hands, you can be dealt a pair as the two cards you receive for your pocket. This is called a pocket pair. Because you have this pair immediately and no one knows you have it, this can be one of the best starting poker hands. As cards are laid on the table, your pair could easily turn into three of a kind or better, which is why high pocket pairs are among the best possible Texas Holdem Poker starting hands. The best of these pairs is pocket aces, also known as pocket rockets. Pocket rockets are considered the ultimate starting hand in Texas Hold em.
Two
Pairs
Are these winning poker hands?
Don't be fooled!
Poker Hands Rank: #8
Two pairs is one of the trickier hands in Texas Holdem poker.
It's four cards, so it feels really strong, but in the order of
poker hands it's still beaten by most poker hands. When I first
started playing Texas Holdem I routinely made the mistake of playing
two pairs like it was one of the best hands in poker. Well, it's
not. Even three of a kind beats two pairs. Before I go into details,
here's an easy rule to remember: while two pairs is a relatively
weak hand, it gets even weaker when more players are involved
in the hand. This is because it's easy for any player to have
a better hand than two pairs, so the more players there are, the
more chance that you're beaten.
Beyond the simple problem that so many Texas Hold'em poker hands beat this one, the problem with two pairs lies in how it's dealt. If there's a pair on the table and you've also paired a card from your pocket with another card on the table, that can feel like a strong hands, but the truth is EVERYONE has the pair on the table, and all they need to do to is have a second pair higher than yours, and you're beaten. Or even worse, they could have a pocket card to match the pair on the table, trouncing you with three of a kind.
Now, if neither of your pairs are on the table, then your two pairs are much stronger, since everyone doesn't necessarily have the same pair. Furthermore, if either of your pairs contains the highest card on the table, you've got top pair, which makes your hand stronger again for the same reason it's so helpful when playing one pair.
I'm sure that you're beginning to see that the value of various Texas Hold em poker hands differ drastically from situation to situation. This is why it will become absolutely necessary that you learn to appraise the cards on the table to see what hands your opponents might possibly have, and to learn to observe your opponents' behavior to know when they're holding strong hands. With this knowledge you'll become able to appraise your poker hand's odds, and know whether your two of a kind is a valuable hand, or a worthless hand.
Three
of a Kind
Are these winning poker hands?
Now we're getting somewhere...
Poker Hands Rank: #7
Three of a kind is where we cross over into what I'd call "good"
poker hands. Good as opposed to great, or excellent, or outstanding.
In case you didn't guess from the name, three of a kind is a hand
containing any three cards of the same value, whether it's three
4s, or three Aces. If you rank poker hands, three of a kind definitely
doesn't fall under the category of best poker hands, but it is
highly playable. The beauty of three of a kind lies in its ability
to beat two pairs, and that it is often highly concealable. If
you've been dealt a pocket pair, and your third of a kind shows
up on the table, no one should have any idea you have 3 of a kind.
In Texas Holdem hands, concealment is everything. If
your three of a kind is high (Jacks or better) then you've really
got quite a hand. In fact, if you've got a high value three of
a kind after the flop (the first three cards laid on the table)
then you're in a great position, but you've got to play it right:
You can still be beaten by a straight or flush easily, and if your opponents already have one, bad luck. But, if they don't it's important to scare them out of the hands now with a good sized bet. Since the straight or flush your opponents could complete at the last second beats your three of a kind, your bet will make players who only have potential straights or flushes nervous, and likely fold. This increases the playability of poker hands like yours winning.
Now if your three of a kind includes 2 cards on the table, your hand is weaker, but not useless. You just need to keep your eyes open for other players who might have a different three of a kind, giving them a full house with the cards on the table. As always, learn to read your opponents betting, and watch out for flushes and straights. Speaking of which...
The Straight
Are these winning poker hands?
Dangerous but powerful
Poker Hands Rank: #6
Now here's one of the best hands that's still common in the ranking of poker hands. In Five Card Draw this hand is much more difficult to get, but as hands in holdem poker go it's not too hard to come across. A straight is when you have five cards of consecutive value, regardless of suit, for example: 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack is a straight. Higher straights beat lower straights (9,10, J, Q, K beats 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,) but all straights are still beaten by flushes, which are similar and will be addressed in the next section.
As different hands in poker go, the straight is tricky because of the way you go about getting one. Since you're dealt two cards to begin with in Texas hold em, before you even decide to continue you have to look for certain characteristics in your cards to see if they are potential straights. They need to be in close position to each other, for example: 8 and 10, or Queen and King. If the two cards are next to each other in value, (like Q and K) you have the best chance at a straight since you can add on cards above or below them, (or both), while with 8 and 10 you'd need a very specific card to go in the center to complete the straight. Because you start with only 2 cards in your hands, you need to draw more cards to complete a straight, which is why a pocket hand like this is called a Straight Draw.
If
you've got a straight draw, your fate will largely be determined
by the flop. If the 3 cards revealed give you a straight, great.
If they give you a total of four cards toward a straight, you've
still got a decent chance that the card you need will turn up
with the next two cards that arrive face up on the table (the
"Turn" and the "River.")
If after the flop you only have 3 cards toward a straight, you've
still got a long shot at completing your straight. That's called
"Chasing a Straight Draw," and is considered a sign
of an amateur player, because it usually doesn't pan out.
So what happens if you don't get the cards you're looking for to complete your straight? That's the other tricky thing about straight draws: since you're looking for cards with all different values, if you don't manage a straight, you've probably got nothing. And even worse, because there are several rounds of betting in a game of Texas Hold'em poker, you will be betting on many of them while you still have a worthless hand, in the hopes that you will complete it. In the end, the straight just isn't one of those winning hands in poker.
The Flush
Are these winning poker hands?
Oh yeah, now that's more like it.
Poker Hands Rank: #5
Some poker hands rule, and some don't; the Flush definitely rules. This is one of those poker hands where suit is what ranks it so high. A Flush is any hand containing five cards of the same suit. Statistically speaking, the odds of getting a flush are about half that of getting a straight, but what the statistics don't tell you is that once you've got a potential flush, it's much simpler to know how to play it. As such, it can be summarized in what I like to call, The Flush Rules (for Texas Holdem poker.)
Flush Rule #1: You need a
suited pocket.
To seriously pursue a flush, your pocket cards need to be suited
(of the same suit.) It may sometimes be the case that four hearts
will turn up on the table, which means that the heart you have
in your hand gives you a flush, but beware! With four hearts on
the table, anyone with a heart has a flush, and if they've got
a better high card than you, you're beaten. So be cautious unless
you're holding the Ace of hearts, and even then be warned: with
four cards of one suit on the table, people will assume you have
a flush if you bet.
Flush Rule #2: You must flop
2 out of 3.
When the flop comes down you need to see 2 more cards of the suit
you require to have a legitimate shot at getting a flush. If this
is the case and there are 2 hearts in the flop (plus the 2 hearts
in your hand,) then you've already gotten 4 out of 5 of the suited
cards you need to complete your flush. With 2 more cards yet to
be put on the table, you have just under a 50% chance of pulling
a flush by the river.
On
the other hand, if there is only one of the suited cards you need
in the flop (one heart in this instance) you have a mere 6% chance
of completing your flush by the river. Only an unreasonable player
would bet on a 6% chance of victory. If you didn't flop any of
the cards you needed, your flush is now impossible.
If you flopped the two cards you needed, but the turn card doesn't complete your flush, take a moment to reappraise the situation. You now have just under a 25% chance of completing your flush on the final (River) card, so take a look at the behaviors of the other players and how much money is in the pot, then decide whether it's worth betting again on a 25% chance of victory.
Flush Rule #3: Once you have
it, make them pay.
As soon as your flush is complete it's time to bet like it. Remember,
if other players are also chasing flushes, theirs may not be complete
yet, and unless you're holding the Ace high flush, they still
might get extremely lucky and complete their Higher flush
on the river and defeat you. So by showing that your flush is
complete with a strong bet, you can scare these other flush chasers
out of the hand before they have the chance to get lucky.
But again, it is always important to appraise the battlefield before doing this. If the player across from you is acting like he's got a full house, and it's possible with the cards on the table, then be careful. There are still holdem hands that beat a flush. For more information on the invaluable skill of appraising the cards on the table, check out our article on the subject.
The Full house
Are these winning poker hands?
Now that's pretty.
Poker Hands Rank: #4
In the order of winning poker hands, the Full House trumps a whole lot of the competition. As the name of these hands have been given would imply, a full house is a five card hand made up of three of a kind and a pair (for example three 8s and a pair of 2s). It's one of those poker hands with very little to fear.
An important difference about playing a full house involves the fact that it is not vulnerable to straights and flushes. While before you were trying to scare players with potential straights and flushes out of the hand to protect your own straight or flush, now you want to do just the opposite. If there is potential for a straight or a flush on the table, don't bet too aggressively at first. You want to lure those other players into a false sense of security, let them think they're in control, because even if they manage to complete their straight or flush, you've still got them beaten. They'll think they're drawing you in for the kill, when in fact it's the other way around.
And now a word of caution: When there are opportunities for you to have a full house, there are similar possibilities for everyone else. This is particularly the case when there are three of a kind on the table, and you've paired one of your pocket cards with one of the other cards on the table. Anyone else with a similar pair also has a full house, and there pair might be higher than yours. Or even worse, someone might have the fourth card to match the three of a kind already on the table, giving them a nearly unbeatable 4 of a kind. Speaking of which:
Four
of a Kind
Are these winning poker hands?
It's a Monster of a hand.
Poker Hands Rank: #3
There's no way to plan for Four of a Kind, so if you find yourself
in possession of one, thank your lucky stars for receiving one
of the top poker hands in Texas Holdem. There are only three hands
that will beat Four of a kind: a Royal Flush, a Straight Flush,
and a higher Four of a Kind. Statistically, the odds of anyone
having one of these hands on the same turn that you have four
of a kind is minuscule, but it's still a possibility. Luckily,
these possibilities are quite visible; both the Royal Flush and
the Straight Flush have very obvious cards that would need to
be on the table, and the same is true to a lesser extent for another
Four of a Kind. (See article on surveying the cards on the table.)
Once you've appraised the cards on the table
and determined that your opponents can't beat you, it's time to
lure them in then go for the kill. You want to keep as many players
in the hand as possible to make the biggest possible pot. Of course,
that doesn't mean you should act like you've got nothing at all.
A subtle bluff is harder to read than a drastic bluff, so bet
like you've got a decent hand, just try not to scare anybody.
That is, until the final round of betting, in the final round
of betting don't be afraid to really bet! By now your opponents
should be convinced that you have a lesser hand and don't know
when you're beaten, so you might not want to go all in the first
time the bet comes around to you, but when you're unbeatable you've
got to make it count.
Now, if you looked at the cards on the table and saw a threat to your hand, there are a couple of things to consider: 1) Odds are your opponents don't have that superior hand, you'll have to see how the other players are behaving to make that decision. 2) Even if you are beaten, you may want to stay in the hand anyhow, and here's why: Many poker rooms and online poker websites offer something called a "Bad Beat Jackpot." The rules vary from venue to venue, but the basic idea is that if you have a really great hand (usually four of a kind or better) and are beaten by an even better hand, you win a jackpot. Sometimes those jackpots can be huge, we're talking thousands and thousands of dollars here.
Whenever you play poker somewhere new, ask if they have a bad beat jackpot, and the exact details of it. If it includes four of a kind and you get one, then whether you win or lose, you're in the money.
The Straight
Flush
Are these winning poker hands?
Absolutely, positively, yes.
Poker Hands Rank: #2
We've climbed up through the top 10 hands of poker to #2, the illustrious Straight Flush. A Straight Flush consists of five cards of consecutive value, all of the same suit (for example: the 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of Clubs). To even have a shot at a Straight Flush, your pocket cards need to be suited, and they have to have straight potential. From there you've got a shot at both a straight and a flush, and as the round progresses you'll play it just like any other potential straight or flush draw, except that you should be less inclined to fold due to your increased number of opportunities to complete it (and how powerful it could become).
Until your Straight or Flush are complete, you'll likely have an impressive looking, but ultimately valueless hand. But, when those magic cards come face up on the table and complete both your straight draw and your flush draw simultaneously, you'll be holding the second most powerful hand in Texas Holdem, the type of poker hand that players pray to the Texas Hold'em gods for.
Don't lose your cool when your straight flush arrives: you still need to examine the cards on the poker table and make sure that neither a higher Straight Flush nor a Royal Flush are possible. Once you're in the clear, you've got "The Nuts," an unbeatable hand. Play it wisely, and make it count.
And again, if you're not in the clear, do your best to read your opponents actions for signs of strength. Don't get paranoid and back down with a straight flush victory in your grasp. If you're playing in a poker room with a bad beat jackpot, don't you dare fold! You win whether you win the hand or not, but you have to play it to the end.
The Royal
Flush
Are these winning poker hands?
The Mother of all hands.
Poker Hands Rank: #1
If you're looking at a Royal Flush, you lucky son of a gun, you've already won. In fact, because of a Royal Flush's nature (it is in fact, the highest possible Straight Flush), there can only be one in any given round of Texas Holdem poker. That's right, if you're playing Texas Hold em, there can only be one Royal Flush at a time, and if you're holding it, you should know what to do by now. Lure the other players in and take them out. You can only lose by scaring all the other players out of the hand by being overly aggressive.
You play a Royal Flush draw exactly like you'd play a Straight Flush draw, because that's exactly what it is. Once it's complete, make it count, because the odds of drawing this hand are 649,739 to 1, so it may be a while before you see another one.
And that about wraps it up. For more information about analyzing
the cards on the table, knowing a good poker hand from a bad one,
and other poker information, check out the rest of our Poker
Articles. Or, if you're ready to start playing for real, we
recommend FullTiltPoker.com,
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