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Poker hands

How to build
a poker hand

Combinations

Hand composition is the same in all types of poker games – a Royal Flush is always Ace-King-Queen-Jack and 10, whatever poker variable you play. However, their rank may change depending on the game. Pay particular attention to the order of the Full House and Flush. The rank of combinations is shown in the rules for each type of poker game.

Royal flush

Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit.

Straight flush

Five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking.

Four of a kind

Four cards of the same rank plus any other card.

Full house

Three cards of the same rank (Three of a kind) plus a pair. Three of a kind card values determine the rank of the Full house.

Example: Full house Ace-to-Six

Flush

Five cards of the same suit, not in consecutive ranking.

Example: Jack flush

Straight

Five cards in consecutive ranking, that may or may not include an Ace, regardless of suit. The Ace can count as a high or low card.

Example: Straight to the Ace

Three of a kind

Three cards of the same rank, regardless of rank and suit, and two other cards.

Example: Three of a kind–Nines Up

Two pairs

Two pairs of the same rank, regardless of the value and suit of the fifth card: the rank of the hand is determined by the higher of the two pairs in value.

Example: Two pairs–Queen high

Pair

Two cards of the same rank, plus three cards that cannot make a higher ranked combination.

Example: A pair of Kings

High card

The highest ranking card.

Example: King high

If two players have identical combinations. The winner is the hand with the highest of the cards not in the combination. A tie occurs when more than one player has the same value of high card not in the combination.

Print combinations

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