The Best Hands in Poker - Ranks and Odds
Written by Rolf
Personally I always forget which hand is ranked higher: Three of a Kind or a Straight. Or a Flush or a Full House. So then I make a wrong judgment when placing a bet. Although I don't play for real money, still not something I would prefer to do. So then the next day I am looking for a page that tells me which hands are higher ranked, so why not have an overview on my own little website. Hope this helps someone else, too.
So here is a ranked overview of the possible hands in poker, including the chances in percentages of being dealt such a hand, with 5 cards from a standard 52-card deck. In a game like Texas Hold 'Em, the chances are considerably higher (except the chance of a High Card obviously), as you have basically seven cards to make your 5-card hand from, but the ratios are pretty much the same.
Royal Flush
The Royal Flush is the highest possible hand, a special case of a Straight Flush up to the Ace. Chance: 0.00015%
Straight Flush
A combination of a Straight and a Flush, simply called Straight Flush is a hand of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit. Chance: 0.0015%
Four of a Kind
Four of a Kind is as the name implies, a collection of four cards of the same rank, in this case Jacks. Chance: 0.024%
Full House
A combination of a Three of a Kind and a Pair. If two players have a full house, the one with the highest Three of a Kind wins, so Queens will beat these Eights. Chance: 0.14%
Flush
A Flush is a collection of five cards of the same suit, regardless of rank. If two players have a Flush, the one with the highest high card wins. Chance: 0.2%
Straight
A Straight is a sequence of five consecutive ranked cards, regardless of suit. Keep in mind that Ace can count as a One in a Straight with Two, Three, Four and Five. Chance: 0.39%
Three of a Kind
Three cards with the same value. Chance: 2.1%
Two Pair
Two sets of a Pair in one hand. Chance: 4.75%
Pair
Two cards with the same value, in this case Aces. Chance: 42%
High Card
In this hand, the High Card is the King. A player with an Ace will beat this. Chance: 50%
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