![Poker-hand rankings chart (strongest to weakest) and cheat sheet](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/better-collective-new/poker-hand-rankings.jpg?imwidth=680)
Poker-hand rankings chart (strongest to weakest) and cheat sheet
Our poker hand rankings chart and cheat sheet serves as a guide to understanding the relative strength of each possible poker hand
![Poker-hand rankings chart (strongest to weakest) and cheat sheet](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/better-collective-new/poker-hand-rankings.jpg?imwidth=680)
In all variations of poker, a standard hand-ranking system exists to assess and compare the strength of different hands. This system enables players to identify the best possible hand they can form.
This ranking system is universally employed in popular poker games such as Texas Hold ’em and Omaha, as well as in casino games such as three-card poker. Understanding these rankings is crucial for players participating in any form of poker.
Below, you will find the poker hand rankings listed from highest to lowest. Additionally, we have created a convenient poker hand rankings chart that you can save to your phone or desktop. This chart serves as a helpful cheat sheet for quick reference during games.
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Poker-hand rankings: from strongest to weakest
1. Royal flush
![Royal flush](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/Royal-Flush.jpg?imwidth=350)
The royal flush is the best hand available in poker. It features five consecutive cards, all of the same suit, in order of value from 10 through to ace.
2. Straight flush
![Straight flush](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/Straight-Flush.jpg?imwidth=350)
Any five cards of successive values in the same suit that’s not a royal flush is a straight flush. A royal flush or a straight flush with cards of higher ranking are the only hands that can beat a straight flush.
3. Four of a Kind
![Four of a kind](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/Four-of-a-kind.jpg?imwidth=350)
Four of the same card in the four suits. The five-card hand is completed by the highest card among the others on the table or in your hand.
4. Full house
![Full house](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/Full-house.jpg?imwidth=350)
Three of the same value card in three different suits plus a different pair of the same rank card in two different suits in one hand. If more than just one player has a full house the player with the highest value three of a kind will win the hand.
5. Flush
![Flush](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/Flush.jpg?imwidth=350)
Five cards of the same suit in no particular order. If more than one player has a flush, the hand with the highest valued card will win.
6. Straight
![Straight](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/Straight.jpg?imwidth=350)
Five cards of consecutive numerical value composed of more than one suit. An ace can normally rank as low (below a 2) or high (above a king) but not at the same time in one hand.
7. Three of a kind
![Three of a kind](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/three-of-a-kind.jpg?imwidth=350)
A poker hand containing three cards of the same rank in three different suits. The two highest available cards besides the three of a kind complete the hand.
8. Two pair
![Two pair](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/two-pair.jpg?imwidth=350)
Two different sets of two cards of matching rank. The highest-ranked left available card completes the hand.
9. Pair
![Pair](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/pair.jpg?imwidth=350)
A pair of cards of the same rank in different suits. The remainder of the hand is formed from the three highest-ranked cards available.
10. High card
![High card](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/high-card.jpg?imwidth=350)
The lowest-ranked hand available. The highest card in the hand is your ‘best hand’. In this case it's the king of clubs.
Poker hand-rankings cheat sheet: Download here (pdf)
![Poker hands sheet](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/betting/Better-Collective/Poker-hands-sheet.jpg?imwidth=350)
Our poker hands ranking cheat sheet is a great aid to help you commit the poker hand rankings to memory and will serve you well whether you are playing online poker or physical poker in the meantime.
Poker hand rankings: ‘Hi’ games, ‘Lo’ games and ‘Hi-Lo’ games
It is vital that you note that not all poker games decide the winning hand according to the highest ranked on the poker hand rankings. There are three typical ways that the poker hand rankings determine the best poker hand.
Hi or high-hand poker
The most simple way the ranks are used is in ‘Hi’ or High hand games where the best poker hand is decided according to the hand which ranks highest on the poker hand rankings detailed above.
Commonly played examples include: Texas Holdem, Seven-Card Stud
Lo, low-hand or lowball poker
Lowball poker hand rankings work in the exact opposite way to High hand games. The usual poker hand rankings are reversed so the lowest ranking hand is the best possible hand. Variations often centre around whether the Ace is high or low and whether straights and flushes are counted.
Commonly played examples include: Razz
Hi-lo or high-low split poker
The third and final use of the poker hand rankings is high-low split games. This is where the pot is split evenly between the players with the highest ranking poker hand and lowest ranking poker hand.
Commonly played examples include: Omaha Hi-Lo
About the author: Thomas Reynolds
For more than a decade, I have dedicated myself to crafting diverse content on the subjects of sports betting and casinos, initially on platforms such as Citibet, Ladbrokes, Coral, and Bwin. More recently, I have worked in the US, providing insights for publications including NJ.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New York Post. Throughout my career, I have steadfastly adhered to the core tenets championed by the Telegraph: accuracy, balance, expertise, and transparency.
- Read more from Thomas Reynolds and find out more about the publishing principles of Betting | Telegraph Media Group
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