More and more people are tuning in to watch the World Series of Poker on television, and the number of those who actually play the game is rising as well. Here, I’ll explain the poker hand rankings, from best to worst, and the odds that each player will be dealt a specific hand.
Rank-and-file straight
This is every poker player’s ultimate goal: to have the finest possible hand. However, this does not mean that you will always win a large amount of chips if you get this hand, and most players would likely play this hand slowly in an effort to trap you.
The poker hand of “straight flush” consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit. The value of a hand is determined by the value of the top card. Therefore, a royal flush, consisting of a ten, jack, queen, king, and ace, is the best possible poker hand.
About one in a sextillion (one in sixty-five thousand) is the chance of getting this hand.
To have a four of a kind
A four of a kind is when you have four identical playing cards of the same rank or number. In the same vein as the previous, the higher the rank of the four cards, the greater the value. So, out of all potential four of a kinds, four aces is the best.
The odds of getting this hand are roughly one in 4,166.
A packed house
When you have three cards of the same rank and two of a different rank, you have a complete house. Similar to the preceding, the value increases as the rank of these two groups rises. Therefore, the best possible flush is made up of three aces and two kings. To put it another way, whoever has the greatest value set of three cards is the winner.
These cards have a probability of about one in 694.
Flush
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. The highest possible payout is for an ace-high flush. In the event of a tie between two or more hands that each feature an ace in a flush, the pot is split according to the next highest card, and so on.
This particular hand has a probability of about one in five hundred and nine.
Straight
It occurs when five consecutive cards are all of a different suit. Once again, the straight with the highest card on top is the best possible straight.
About one in 245 chances of getting this hand.
Straight flush
Having three cards of the same rank or number is equivalent to having four of a kind, therefore this explanation is redundant.
It’s estimated that the odds of getting this hand are about 1 in 47.
This case, there are two sets.
Two cards of one rank and two cards of a different rank. One other wild card exists, and it shows up occasionally as well.
In the event that there are two players at the table, the pair with the highest value wins. When the highest-ranking pair is tied, the player with the higher second-ranking pair wins. When both players have two pairs, the winner is determined by who has the highest odd card.
There is a one in twenty-one chance of getting this hand.
Just one pair
In this case, you have exactly two identical playing cards. When more than one person at a table has a pair, the other three cards are used to determine a winner.
This particular hand has a probability of about one in two and a half.
Ace high
In this situation, you have a high card and nothing else. When all players at a table each have a high card, the winner is determined by which card is higher.
The odds of being dealt this hand are almost equal to those of a coin flip.
I hope this has shed some light on the relative strengths of various poker hands for you.
While poker can be a lot of fun, it’s important to only risk money you can afford to lose.
Gambling online has several advantages, and I’ve found that I much prefer it to going to a physical casino. For the most part, I just play for enjoyment, with the side goal of making a little more cash.
I tend to sit tight and wait for a nice hand to come my way. I’ve had a lot of success in the last year because to this ability, which I consider to be crucial in the game of poker.
Avoid playing poker when under the influence of alcohol. Perhaps it’s just me, but when I’m really tipsy, I play with a lot less patience and a lot more violence. While it may be successful for some, whenever I try it I end up losing a lot of cash.