As in all games of chance the hands in poker are ranked according to their rarity. The rarer the hand the more valuable it is. Although there are poker variations which use alternative hands, the ones that will be described below are standard in most types of poker. The hands will be described in an escalating order, from the weakest to the strongest.
Nothing at all – in case a player has a hand with no combinations at all it will be ranked by its highest card. For instance hand consisting from 10, 5, 7, Jack and King will be ranked King High.
One pair – Hand that includes one pair of cards with the same value, not suite. For example two queens.
Two pairs – Same as with one pair only double. A hand that involves one pair, another pair and an extra unrelated card.
Three of a kind – Exactly as it sounds, three cards of the same value, disregarding the suite and an unrelated card.
Straight – Five cards from any suite in an uninterrupted order by value, for example 9, 10, J, Q, and K. An ace can be both the high card and the low card but he can't be both at the same time, meaning you can't have a hand of J, Q, K, A, 2.
Flush – Five cards from the same suite of any value.
Full House – Full House is simply three of a kind plus one pair.
Four of a Kind – A very rare hand in a game without wildcards. Basically four cards of the same value plus an unrelated one.
Straight Flush – A combination of the straight and flush, straight flush is the strongest hand in poker, consisted of an uninterrupted order of cards from the same suite.
Royal Flush – The best hand you can have in poker – a straight flush from the 10 to the ace.
Enrique Gonzales, Editor. 07-09-05