The first step to understanding a poker game is learning the different poker combinations. They are an essential part of the game, needed to comprehend the next lessons.
The strongest hand
Poker is played with 52 cards. There are 4 different kinds of symbols, called suits, and 13 different values. The suits are clubs, spades, diamonds and hearts. These suits all equal each other in value. Next up are the 13 different values within each suits. These are numbers from 2 to 10, followed by Jack (J), Queen (Q), King (K) and Ace (A). The Ace is the highest card in poker.
In most cases poker is played with basic poker hands, consisting of 5 cards. Sometimes more cards are available, but the strength of the hand is then defined by the five best cards. The next poker hands are not applicable for all existing poker games, but they are for most.
Royal Flush
This is the best possible combined poker hand. A Royal Flush consists of 5 cards: Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit. With this hand it’s impossible to lose. A draw is possible when your opponent also has a Royal Flush.
Straight Flush
This hand consists of 5 following cards of the same suit. Unlike for a Royal Flush the cards don’t have to go from Ten to Ace, but they can be from 4 to 8. The Ace can be used as the lowest card for a Straight Flush of A-2-3-4-5 which is the lowest possible Straight Flush.
Four of a Kind
Four of a Kind, also called Quads, consists of the same 4 cards, for example 9–9–9–9–X. The X can be any other card. The fifth card (the X) isn’t always of importance. When two players have the same Four of a Kind (only possible when you’re playing with jokers), you take a look at the strength of the fifth card. The player with the highest X card wins that hand.
Full House
A Full House contains 3 of the same cards in combination with a pair. An example: 5–5–5–6–6. To measure the strength of the Full House first we take into account the card of which you have 3. After that you take a look at the card of which you have a Pair. Like this 5–5–5–3–3 is a better Full House than 4–4–4–K–K. This because a 5 is better than a 4. Only when you have the same Trips as another player you check the strength of the Pair. This last case is mostly of importance when playing OFC Poker, which is played with wild cards (jokers).
Flush
A Flush is a hand that consists of 5 cards from the same suit. These 5 cards can be clubs, hearts, diamonds or spades. The cards don’t need to follow-up one another. (When they do follow-up, you have a Straight Flush). A regular Flush could be A–Q–9–4–2 of hearts. The strength of your Flush is determined by the highest card. When you and your opponent both have a Flush with the same highest card, you take into account the second highest card. When that card is also equal, you continue down the line of highest cards. Just to make things sure: all suits have the same value. When one player has K–J–T–8–7 of hearts and the other has K–J–T–8–7 of spades, there’s a draw.
Straight
A Straight or Street is a poker combination of 5 cards that follow-up. The cards are not all of the same suit. An Ace can be the highest or lowest card for a Straight. A–2–3–4–5 is possible as a Straight, but also T–J–Q–K–A. The strength of a Straight is decided by the highest card. This means that 8–9–T–J–Q is a better Straight than 4–5–6–7–8.
Three of a Kind
A Three of a Kind occurs when you have 3 of the same cards. When 2 players have the same Trips the 4th and 5th card are of importance. Once again the highest card prevails. Like this the player that has 7–7–7–K–4 will win from a player with the combination 7–7–7–Q–J.
Two Pair
You don’t have to guess about the definition of Two Pair. When you have a Pair twice we call it Two Pair. The highest pair decides the strength of the hand. If both pairs are the same for 2 players we take into account the fifth card. An example: K–K–2–2–5 is better than Q–Q–J–J–A. Following that same analogy K–K–J–J–9 is better than K–K–J–J–7.
Pair
A Pair speaks for itself. Whenever you have two cards of the same value in hand you have a pair. The best possible pair is A–A. The lowest pair is a pair of 2‘s. When two players have the same pair you take into account the highest card of the rest of the hand.
High Card
When you can’t make any combination mentioned above you have a High Card. Here you take a look at the highest card. When this card is the same as the highest card of another player you take into account the second highest card and so on. A–6–5–4–2 wins in comparison to K–J–5–4–2.
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