What's the Ranks for 'Texas Holdem' Poker?

Poker is a game of skills and tactics. Here, the players can form sets of five playing cards. Each of these hands has its ranks, which when compared with the other hands when participating in the showdown decides who wins the pot. In some popular games like Texas Holdem poker, the highest-ranking hands win. In some games like razz, the lowest-ranking hands win. In the high-low split games, both the highest-ranking and lowest-ranking hands win the game through their respective rules.

Every hand belongs to a category that is determined by the patterns that are formed in the cards. Remember that a high-ranking hand category always ranks higher than the hand in a lower-ranking category. Individual cards ranked from highest to lowest are: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2. However, aces also have the lowest rank under ace-to-five low or ace-to-six low rules or under high rules as they have been part of a five-high straight or straight flush. Suits are not ranked, so the hands also differ by suit as they are of equal rank.

If you use a standard 52 deck of cards, there are nine categories of hand. Except under straights, flushes and straight flushes as they are not recognized. In addition, five of a kind exists when you use one or more wild cards. The fewer hands a category has, the higher the rank it is.

Here are a few traditional poker hand rankings that you must know about if you’re planning to start playing poker.

• Straight Flush: It has five cards in numerical order. They are all of identical suits. If there is a tie, then the highest rank at the top wins the game. The best possible straight flush is also known as the royal flush. It consists of the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of a suit. It is also an unbeatable hand.
• Four of a Kind: It has four cards of the same rank, and one side card known as a ‘kicker’. If there is a tie, then the highest four wins the game. In a community game, where the players have the same four of a kind, the fifth side card or the kicker wins.
• Full House: It has three cards of the same rank, and two cards of a different but matching rank. If there is a tie, the highest three matching cards win the pot. If a player has the same three matching cards in a community game, then the highest value of the two matching cards wins.  
• Flush: It has five cards of the same suit. If there is a tie, then the player who is holding the highest ranked card wins the game. If it is necessary, then the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards can be used to break the tie. If all the five cards are of the same ranks, the pot is split.
• Straight: It has five cards in a sequence. If there is a tie, then the highest-ranking card at the top of the sequence wins the game.
• Three of a kind: It has three cards of the same rank and two unrelated side cards. If there is a tie, then the highest-ranking three of a kind wins the game. When a player has the same three of a kind in community card games, the highest and the second-highest card wins.  
• Two pairs: It has two cards of a matching rank, another two cards of a different rank, and one side card. If there is a tie, then the highest pair wins the game. If two players have the same highest pair then the highest second pair wins. However, if two players have two identical pairs, then the highest side card wins.
• One pair: It has two matching cards of the same rank and three unrelated side cards. If there is a tie, then the highest pair wins the game. If two players have the same pair, then the highest side card wins the game. The second-highest and third-highest side card can be used to break the tie.
• High card: It consists of any card that does not qualify under a category listed above. If there is a tie, then the highest card wins. However, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest, and smallest cards are used to break the tie.