What beats what in poker?

From best to worst: straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. Suits never break ties — a flush in spades and a flush in hearts of the same rank tie.

Is a flush better than a straight?

Yes. A flush (five cards of one suit) beats a straight (five cards in sequence) in standard hand rankings.

How rare is a full house compared to a flush?

A full house is rarer and ranks higher than a flush in standard 5-card hand rankings — the combinatorics work out that way even though a flush 'feels' harder to make.

Poker Hand Strength Guide

The 9 hand categories in Texas Hold'em, from strongest to weakest, with what actually makes each one good or vulnerable at the table.

9. Straight Flush

9h 8h 7h 6h 5h

Five consecutive cards, all the same suit. The best possible hand short of a royal flush (which is just the ace-high straight flush). Rare enough that you can almost always play it for maximum value.

8. Four of a Kind

9h 9d 9s 9c 2h

All four cards of one rank, plus a kicker. Beats every hand except a straight flush. Comes up rarely — when it does, it's usually worth slow-playing on earlier streets to build the pot.

7. Full House

9h 9d 9s 2c 2h

Three of one rank plus a pair of another (a 'boat'). Very strong — the main danger is a bigger full house or quads, which is why full-house-vs-full-house is one of the classic big-pot coolers.

6. Flush

Ah Jh 8h 5h 2h

Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Strong on most boards, but vulnerable on paired or heavily suited boards where a full house or a higher flush is possible.

5. Straight

9h 8d 7s 6c 5h

Five consecutive ranks, mixed suits. Solid value, but the weakest of the 'made hand' categories above two pair — watch for flush and full-house possibilities on wet boards.

4. Three of a Kind

9h 9d 9s 5c 2h

Three cards of one rank (a set if the pair is in your hole cards, trips if one of the three is on the board). Sets are one of the best hands to have in No-Limit Hold'em since they're well-disguised and hard for opponents to put you on.

3. Two Pair

9h 9d 5s 5c 2h

Two different pairs plus a kicker. Common and often good, but easy to overvalue — a second pair on the board can leave you with the worse two pair against an opponent holding the top pair's rank.

2. One Pair

9h 9d 5s 3c 2h

The most common made hand. Quality varies enormously by kicker and by which pair it is — top pair with a strong kicker is very different from bottom pair, even though both are technically 'one pair'.

1. High Card

Ah Jd 8s 5c 2h

No pair, no straight, no flush — just the highest card plays. The weakest hand category, though a live overcard or two can still have meaningful equity as a draw against a made hand.

Want to know your exact win probability with a hand, not just its category? Use the equity calculator.

FAQ

What beats what in poker?: From best to worst: straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. Suits never break ties — a flush in spades and a flush in hearts of the same rank tie.
Is a flush better than a straight?: Yes. A flush (five cards of one suit) beats a straight (five cards in sequence) in standard hand rankings.
How rare is a full house compared to a flush?: A full house is rarer and ranks higher than a flush in standard 5-card hand rankings — the combinatorics work out that way even though a flush 'feels' harder to make.