In standard high-hand Texas Hold’em, a royal flush is the strongest hand and a high card is the weakest. A flush beats a straight. Use the ranking chart below to compare hands, then follow the quick guide to how the flop, turn and river create your best five-card hand.
Texas Hold’em hand rankings, strongest to weakest
These rankings are for standard high-hand Texas Hold’em. Compare the category first; if both hands share a category, compare the cards that define it and then any applicable kickers. Suits do not break ties.
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| Rank | Hand | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A, K, Q, J and 10 of the same suit; an ace-high straight flush. |
| 2 | Straight flush | Five consecutive ranks of the same suit. |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four cards of the same rank. |
| 4 | Full house | Three cards of one rank and a pair of another rank. |
| 5 | Flush | Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. |
| 6 | Straight | Five consecutive ranks of mixed or matching suits. |
| 7 | Three of a kind | Three cards of the same rank. |
| 8 | Two pair | Two different pairs. |
| 9 | One pair | Two cards of the same rank. |
| 10 | High card | No qualifying combination; the highest card determines the hand. |
For the complete ranking and tie guidance, see PokerStars Learn’s poker hand rankings.
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Each player receives two private cards, called hole cards. Five community cards are dealt face up in stages: the flop is the first three, followed by the turn and then the river. Betting takes place between these stages. At showdown, make the best possible five-card hand from the seven cards available to you: your two hole cards and the five shared cards.
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- You may use both hole cards, just one, or neither.
- If the best five cards are all on the board, you are playing the board.
- The winning hand is not necessarily the player’s two private cards; it is the strongest five-card combination available.
The WSOP live-action rules describe these game mechanics, including the dealing sequence and showdown. That document dates from 2012 and is venue-specific; follow the current rules posted by the casino or tournament where you play.
How to compare two hands
- Compare the hand category: for example, a flush beats a straight, while a full house beats a flush.
- If the categories match, compare the ranks that make the combination. For a full house, compare the three-of-a-kind rank first, then the pair.
- For hands that need extra cards to decide the result, compare the relevant kickers in descending order.
- Do not use suit to decide which hand is stronger. If the best five-card hands are identical, the players split the pot.
For example, when two players each have one pair, the higher pair wins. If their pairs are the same rank, compare the remaining cards in order; a higher kicker can decide the pot. If all five cards match, it is a tie.
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Quick reminders about the deal and betting
The dealer button rotates around the table. In games using blinds, players post those forced bets before looking at their cards. The usual deal proceeds through the hole cards, flop, turn and river, with betting rounds between streets and a showdown if more than one player remains. The exact betting structure and procedures for irregular situations depend on the game and the venue’s rules; the WSOP document is a reference, not a substitute for local rules.
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What this cheat sheet does—and does not—tell you
Hand rankings tell you which five-card combination wins at showdown; they do not tell you whether to call, raise or fold. Those decisions depend on the situation, including your position, the betting and the opponents. This chart is specific to standard high-hand Texas Hold’em, not every poker variant. Check the applicable rules before using it for another game, because variants may evaluate hands differently; the WSOP rules document separates its coverage by game.
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