Poker Hand Combinations Explained

Poker is a highly respected card game that requires skill, strategy, and luck.  What makes this game interesting is that you never know what kind of hand you might have. It could be something that will win you a little bit of money or something where you could lose it all. There are plenty of different hand combinations that will genuinely solidify the concept that is poker.

This guide will go over some of the essential poker hands.  

We will discuss each definition of them so you can understand the game a lot easier. If you are a beginner learning poker, this is something that you want to pay a lot of attention to. Let’s review everything you need to know about poker hands and the combinations that could serve you well in your first or next game.

The Basics of Poker Hands

If you’re looking for some of the best poker hand combinations explained, this section will be dedicated to it. We will look at the following hands based on the hierarchy from highest to lowest. Here’s a look at the following:

• Royal Flush:  Ace, King, Queen, and 10 of the same suit.
• Straight Flush:  five consecutive cards of the same suit.
• Four of a Kind:  four cards of the same rank.
• Whole House:  three of a kind and a pair.  For example, it can be three Jacks and a pair of aces. Or it can be three “8s” and a pair of twos.
• Flush: Five cards of the same suit but are not in sequence.
• Straight: Five consecutive cards of different suits. An example is three, four, five, six, and 7.
• Three of a kind: Three cards of the same rank.
• Two Pair:  two pairs of cards of different ranks.
• One pair: Two cards of the same rank.
• High card: The highest card in your hand if no other combination is present.

Understanding Each Poker Hand Combination

Now that you have a good idea of what the poker hand combinations are, we will go into more definition as to why each hand is so important. Let’s delve into the details of each one of these so you can have a deeper understanding of the game itself while making an essential decision of whether to hold, call, or raise:

Royal Flush

It’s one of the highly sought-after poker hands in the game. It consists of the ace, king, queen, jack, and 10. One thing to remember is that this hand is exceptionally rare to achieve. Not to mention, it is unbeatable. If you hold the Royal flush, it’s an automatic win. Think of it like blackjack when you hit 21.

Straight Flush

This consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 7, 8, 9, 10, and Jack of Hearts.

But what if two players have a straight flush? That’s when the highest-top card becomes the tiebreaker.

Four of a Kind

Also known as quads, this will involve four cards at the identical rank. These can be four aces or four threes. The fifth card, the kicker, will determine the winner if two players have achieved a four-of-a-kind.

Full House

This consists of three of a kind with a pair, such as three “7s” and two kings. If two players have a full house, the player who has the highest three of a kind will win.

Flush

A flash will consist of any five cards of the same suit; however, they should not be in sequence. For example, a flush can consist of a two, four, six, eight, and Ace of Spades. In the event of a flush with two players, the hand with the highest card will win.

Straight

This consists of five consecutive cards of different suits: four, five, six, seven, and eight. Once again, if there are two players, the one with the highest top card will win. However, if they have the same high card, the pot will be split.

Three-of-a-Kind

A three-of-a-kind involves three cards at the same rank, such as three jacks. The remaining two cards are kickers, and they can determine a winner in the event of a tie between two players.

Two Pair

Two pairs are made up of two different pairs. One example is two fives and 2 “10s”. The highest pair will determine the winner if both players have the same score.

Remember that there’s also a kicker card.

One Pair

These are simply two cards of the same rank, like two Aces. The Highest kicker card will determine who will win the pot if there is a tie between two or multiple players.

High Card

If no other hand is made, the high card will win. The highest-value card determines this in a player’s hand. If multiple players have the same high card, the next highest card will be considered and Will Go On in order of value, such as two, three, four, and so on.

We hope you have been getting an excellent education from the poker hand combinations. Be sure to save this guide as a reference so you can refer back to it if you are stuck deciding which hand is best for you. As a beginner, relying on a guide like this will help you better understand the game to have an edge against your competitors.