Which hands should you play in poker?
The famous card game of Poker is pretty much synonymous with gambling. It’s seen by many as the end-all-be-all gambling game, but it also has a place in live casino. From live dealer games like 3-card poker to the famous 21+3 side bet in Live Blackjack, knowing how poker hands work.
With that in mind, here’s a complete rundown of how poker hands are made and ranked. Knowing this information will help you develop your skills as an online gambler, whether you play poker online or not.
How to play poker hands?
How are poker hands ranked?
All poker hand types have a certain degree of strength, so to speak. Essentially, if two or more players have the same hand, the hand with cards of higher value wins. The hands are listed here in descending order of strength. Each hand is weaker than the ones listed above and stronger than the ones listed below.
Poker Hand Rankings
1. Straight Flush
This is the strongest poker hand by most table rules. It contains five sequential cards, all of the same suit. For example, a hand of Jack, 10, 9, 8 and 7 of Hearts would be a Straight Flush. Straight Flush hands are often distinguished by the highest card in the sequence. For instance, the above example would be ‘jack-high straight flush’. A straight flush containing Ace, King Queen, Jack and 10 is the strongest possible poker hand.
2. Four of a Kind
Also known as quads, this hand contains four cards of the same value. Seeing how poker is usually played with one deck, this means they are all of different suits. For example, a 9 of hearts, 9 of Spades, 9 of Clubs and 9 of Diamonds. The fifth card is often called the ‘kicker’ and used to determine the winner in variants with more than one deck.
3. Full House
This hand combines a pair and three-of-a-kind. It’s formed by a pair of cards of the same value, and three cards of a different value. For example, two Aces and three 7s is a Full House. Full house is ranked first by the value of the triplet, then the value of the pair.
4. Flush
This hand contains five cards of the same suit which are not in sequential order. For example, a King, 10, 7, 9 and 3 of Spades are a flush. Flush hands are ranked based on the highest card first, then the second-highest then the third-highest and so on.
5. Straight
This hand contains five cards in sequential order which are not of the same suit. For example, 10 of Spades, 9 of Clubs, 8 of Hearts, 7 of Spades, 6 of Diamonds is a straight. Straights are also ranked by their highest card.
6. Three of a Kind
As the name implies, this hand requires three cards of the same value (different suits). The remaining two cards (kickers) are used to compare two Three of a Kind hands.
7. Two Pair
This hand contains two cards of the same value, while the other cards don’t form any other type of poker hand. Pairs are ranked by the value of the pair, then the three kickers in a descending order.
8. Pair
This hand contains two cards of the same value, while the other cards don’t form any other type of poker hand. Pairs are ranked by the value of the pair, then the three kickers in descending order.
9. High Card
Also known as ‘nothing’. If the cards don’t form any of the above combinations, then the hand with the highest-value card wins. Again, these are compared starting with the highest card and in descending order.
Conclusion
Before we end this blog, there are a few things you should note. First, some online poker variants have different rules surrounding the Ace. Sometimes, it is used strictly as the strongest-value card, sometimes as the lowest and sometimes both. Be sure to read the rules before you play Online Casino Poker as it can severely affect your poker strategy.
Secondly, all card suits are identical when it comes to strength. If the player and dealer have hands of the same value but different suits, the round results in a push or tie. If you want to know effective tips to maximise your chances in winning poker, “READ HERE“.
