Poker Hand Ranking

There is a universal chart of hand ranking to determine the winner when it is time to decide who won the pot (Showdown). The combinations in the chart are given below from strongest to weakest hand.

 

Royal Flush

the strongest straight flush, i.e. A-K-Q-J-10 is called a "royal flush"

 

Straight Flush

«straight flush» - straight with all five cards of the same suit

 

Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same value (for example: 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 + any fifth card)

 

Full House

Three cards of one value together with two cards of another value (for example: К-К-К-8-8)

 

Flush

Any five cards of the same suit (not consecutive)

 

Straight

Any five consecutive cards of different suits. An ace can be taken as either high, A-K-Q-J-10, or low, 5-4-3-2-А (but not both high and low in the same hand)

 

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same value (for example: 10-10-10 + any two unpaired cards)

 

Two Pairs

Any two cards of one value together with two cards of another value (for example: J-J-9-9 + any fifth card)

 

One Pair

Two cards of the same value (for example: 8-8 + any three cards of different value);

 

High Cards

When players have none of the above, the hand with the highest card or cards wins.

 

It is often very difficult to determine the winner if the hands are of the same ranking. The hand with High Card wins among the combinations with no pair, Straight flush, Flush or Straight. If the highest (the first) cards in the hands are of the same value, then you move to the second card and so on. The card combination of higher rank wins among hands containing three or four cards of the same value. For example, the combination 9-9-9-9 beats the combination 7-7-7-7. If the combination with three cards of the same value is of higher rank then in the other Full house hands, it wins the deal. Among two pairs hands the hand with the highest pair wins. If the first pairs are of the same rank, the winner is determined according to the second pairs. If two pairs have the same strength, the winner is determined according the fifth card. Among the hands with one pair combination the hand with the strongest pair wins. If the pairs are of the same value the hand with the highest card wins. The winner among the hands of the same value is determined according to an additional card. Such hands have identical rank and value.

If several players have the hands of identical rank the pot is divided equally between them. If the pot can't be equally divided between the winners, the rest of it goes to the player to the immediate left of the dealer.