If the pairs and the kickers are the same, the decision goes to the next highest card in the hand. 9-9-K-7-2 beats 9-9-K-5-3. This process continues until both "best 5 cards" are exactly the same or there is a winner.
*Keep in mind that, what is listed here describes "poker hands" in general. Some of the scenarios presented are NOT possible in the game of Texas Hold Em. For example, it is not possible in Texas Hold Em for two opposing players to have made flushes of two different suits!
The cards used in poker have two qualities. Suit (obviously spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds) and Rank (two through Ace).
With this in mind, here is how you create poker hands:
Royal flush - All cards of same suit. Ranks from ten through Ace.
Straight Flush - All cards of same suit. Rank in sequence.
Four of a Kind - Four cards with the same rank.
Full House - Three cards of one rank, and two cards of a second rank.
Flush - All cards of same suit.
Straight - All card with ranks in sequence. (ex. 4-5-6-7-8)
Three of a Kind - Three cards with the same rank.
Two Pair - A pair is two cards of the same rank. Two pair is two sets of cards of the same rank. (ex. 8-8-3-3-9)
One Pair - A pair is two cards of the same rank.
High Card - When no other poker hand
can be formed, the highest ranking card in your hand is the "high
card"
First and foremost, remember - The Best 5 Cards Wins!
Hands can end in a tie, and result in a split-pot. But, there are tie breaking rules to consider first. They are:
| Pairs - When two players both have a
pair, the highest pair wins. When both players have the same pair, we
look at the highest card in each hand. This card is referred to as the
'kicker'. For instance, 3-3-J-9-8 beats 3-3-9-8-7. If the pairs and the kickers are the same, the decision goes to the next highest card in the hand. 9-9-K-7-2 beats 9-9-K-5-3. This process continues until both "best 5 cards" are exactly the same or there is a winner. |
| Two Pair
- the higher of the top pairs wins. A-A-9-9-2 beats K-K-J-J-10. If the top
pair are equal, the second pair breaks the tie. If both the top pair and the
second pair are equal, the kicker breaks the tie.
Three-of-a-Kind - the higher ranking
card wins. J-J-J-9-8 beats 5-5-5-9-8.
|
Straights - the straight with the
highest ranking card wins. A-K-Q-J-10 beats 9-8-7-6-5. If the straights both
contain cards of the same rank, the pot is split. There is NO
kicker on a straight!
|
Flush - the flush with the highest
ranking card wins. A-9-8-7-5 beats K-Q-J-5-4. If the highest cards in each
flush are the same, the next highest cards are compared. This process
continues until either the hands are shown to be exactly the same, or there
is a winner. In Texas Hold Em, there cannot be two competing suits in
flushes; i.e. - there cannot be a Heart flush vs. a Spade flush.
|
Full House - the hand with the
higher ranking set of three cards wins. J-J-J-2-2 beats 9-9-9-A-A.
|
Four of a Kind - the higher ranking
set of four cards wins. 9-9-9-9-2 beats 8-8-8-8-A.
|
Straight Flush - ties are broken in
the same manner as a straight.
(Two differently suited Straight Flushes are not possible in TEXAS
HOLD EM).
|
Royal Flush - Two or more Royal
Flushes split the pot
(not possible in TEXAS HOLD EM).
Some purists would settle multiple Royal Flushes by suit - with highest to
lowest being: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs.
| Expect bullets to fly if you attempt to settle two Royal Flushes in this manner!
|