In poker, the higher-ranked hand wins. A Flush beats a Straight, a Full House beats a Flush, and Four of a Kind beats a Full House. If both players make the same type of hand, the cards that make up the hand decide the winner.
Royal Flush → Straight Flush → Four of a Kind → Full House → Flush → Straight → Three of a Kind → Two Pair → One Pair → High Card
What beats what in poker?
Start with the hand ranking. If both players have the same hand, compare the cards that make it up.
Common poker hand matchups
Does a Flush beat a Straight?
Yes. A Flush beats a Straight.
A Flush is five cards of the same suit. A Straight is five consecutive cards, and the suits do not have to match.
Does a Full House beat a Flush?
Yes. A Full House beats a Flush.
A Full House is Three of a Kind plus a Pair, and it always beats a Flush in Texas Hold’em.
Does Four of a Kind beat a Full House?
Yes. Four of a Kind beats a Full House.
Four cards of the same rank make one of the strongest hands in poker. Only a Straight Flush ranks higher.
Does a Straight beat Three of a Kind?
Yes. A Straight beats Three of a Kind.
Even the lowest Straight, A-2-3-4-5, beats three Aces.
Does Two Pair beat Three of a Kind?
No. Three of a Kind beats Two Pair.
It does not matter how high the two pairs are. A-A-K-K-Q still loses to 2-2-2-A-K.
Does One Pair beat High Card?
Yes. Any Pair beats a High Card hand.
Even a pair of 2s beats A-K-Q-J-9.
What beats a Flush, Straight, or Full House?
If you know the hand you have, these are the stronger hands that can beat it.
What beats a Flush?
A Full House, Four of a Kind, or Straight Flush beats a Flush.
A Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card all lose to a Flush.
What beats a Straight?
A Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, or Straight Flush beats a Straight.
Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card all lose to a Straight.
What beats a Full House?
Only Four of a Kind and a Straight Flush beat a Full House.
A Royal Flush also beats a Full House because it is the highest possible Straight Flush.
What beats Four of a Kind?
Only a Straight Flush beats Four of a Kind.
A Royal Flush is the strongest possible Straight Flush and therefore also beats Four of a Kind.
Flush vs Straight: which hand wins?
A Flush beats a Straight in Texas Hold’em. Even an Ace-high Straight loses to a Flush.
The Flush wins. A Flush ranks above a Straight, so the King-high Straight still loses.
Full House vs Flush: which hand wins?
A Full House beats a Flush. This remains true even when the Flush is Ace-high.
The Full House wins. Even an Ace-high Flush cannot beat a Full House.
Straight vs Three of a Kind: which hand wins?
A Straight beats Three of a Kind. Even three Aces lose to the lowest Straight.
The 5-high Straight wins. Even three Aces cannot beat a Straight.
What if both players have the same poker hand?
If both players make the same hand, use that hand’s tie-break rule.
When does the kicker decide the winner?
A kicker matters when both players have the same hand and the remaining cards are needed to break the tie.
Both players have a Pair of Kings with an Ace kicker. The next card is Queen versus Jack, so Player A wins.
Three tie-break rules players often get wrong
Do suits break a tie?
No. In Texas Hold’em, spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs all have equal value.
If two players have exactly the same best five cards, the pot is split rather than awarded by suit.
Can an Ace be low in a Straight?
Yes. An Ace can play low in A-2-3-4-5, which is the lowest possible Straight.
It cannot wrap around. Q-K-A-2-3 is not a Straight.
Can the board make the best hand?
Yes. In Texas Hold’em, your hand is the best five-card combination you can make from your two hole cards and the five community cards.
Sometimes the five community cards already form the best hand for every player still in the pot.
How to tell which poker hand wins
Compare the hand ranking
If tied, compare the cards that make the hand
Compare the remaining kickers if needed
Suits do not break ties in Texas Hold’em
Does this hand order apply to every poker game?
This hand ranking is used in Texas Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and many other high-hand poker games.
Some variants use different rules. Short Deck can change the order of certain hands, while Razz and other lowball games reward lower hands instead.
