handsofpoker.net

Welcome to Hands of Poker - The Beginners Guide to Poker. Our Goal is to be a useful resource for people newly interested in the great game of poker. If you are new to the game of poker and want to learn how to play, or if you are here just to refresh your memory, our site offers the following:

• Poker Hand Rankings - Seen Below
• The Rules of the Different Poker Games
• Poker Strategy Articles to help improve your game
• Online Poker Sites that are US Friendly - Great places to learn the game and play.
  • Carbon Poker
  • Poker Stars
• An Outlet to various other poker related sites

We are hoping that this site will help speed up the learning curve to this great game.

Poker Hand Rankings

Royal Flush The five highest-ranking cards in sequence, 10, J, Q, K, A all of the same suit.

Straight Flush Five cards in sequence of the same suit. The highest card of the straight flush determines ranks of straight flushes. An eight high straight flush beats a seven high straight flush.

Four Of A Kind Four cards of the same rank. The higher the ranking of the four matching cards the higher the rank of the four of a kind.

Full House A hand that contains three cards of the same rank and two cards of a different rank but of the same rank as each other. The higher the rank of the three cards the higher the rank of the full house.

Flush < Five cards of the same suit that are not in sequence. The highest ranked card of the flush is used to determine the rank of the flush; in case of a tie for the highest card, ranking is based on the hands' second highest card and so on.

Straight Five cards in sequence, not all of the same suit. The highest card within the straight determines the rank of the straight. A nine high straight would beat an 8 high straight.

Three Of A Kind Three cards of the same rank and two non-matching cards. The rank of the three matching cards determines the ranking of the three of a kind.

Two Pair Two separate pairs of matching cards of different values contained within the same hand with an unrelated fifth card. The ranking of the highest pair within the two pair determines the ranking of the hand. A hand containing Kings and deuces beats one with Queens and Jacks. If two players hold the same high pair, then the ranking of the second pair determines the winner. (i.e., K, K, Q, Q, x beats K, K, 9, 9, x.) If two players held the same two pair (IE Kings and Jacks) then the ranking of the side-card (a.k.a. kicker) would determine the winning hand.

Pair Two matching cards of the same value combined with three unrelated cards. Example: Q, Q, 9, 7, 4. The ranking of the pair determines the strength of the hand. If two players hold the same pair, then the ranking of the side-cards determines the winning hand.

High Card A hand that contains no matching cards, is not of all the same suit or has no particular sequence. Example: A, Q, 10, 8, 6. The high card determines the strength of the hand. In case of a tie the second highest card would determine the winner and so on. Thus an A, J, 10, 8, 6 beats an A, 10, 9, 8, 7.