Comparing Poker Hands
What Is Meant by Comparing Poker Hands
"Comparing poker hands" refers to the process of deciding which hand wins at showdown. Hands are compared first by category in the poker hand rankings, and then, when two hands fall into the same category, by the rank of the cards within the hand.
How Poker Hands Are Compared
Poker hands are compared in two steps. The first step is category. Every hand belongs to one of the ten categories in the hand rankings. In high hand poker games, a higher category always beats a lower one regardless of the rank of cards within the hands. For example, a flush beats a straight because a flush is the higher category, so no straight can outrank it.
The second step is card rank, used only when two or more hands share the same category at showdown. The hand with the higher-ranked cards wins. Two flushes are compared by their highest card, then the next, down the five cards until one hand is higher.
Two full houses are compared first by the rank of the three-of-a-kind, then the pair if necessary. Two hands holding two pair are compared first by the rank of the highest pair, then by the rank of the lowest pair, and finally by the kicker.
At showdown each hand is formed from the best five cards available. In Texas Hold'em, those five cards come from any combination of the two hole cards and the five community cards.
Kickers, ties and split pots
A kicker is a card that is not part of the main formation of a hand but is used to break a tie between two hands of the same category and rank. The higher kicker then determines the pot.
The number of kickers depends on the hand category. One pair uses the pair plus three kickers, compared highest first. Two pair uses both pairs plus one kicker. Three of a kind uses the three matching cards plus two kickers. Four of a kind uses one kicker. A straight, a flush, a full house, a straight flush and a royal flush use all five cards, so are not accompanied with a kicker.
A pot is split when two hands are exactly equal across all five cards. Suits do not affect rank in this comparison, so two hands identical in every card value split the pot at showdown even when their suits differ.
Playing the board happens when the best five-card hand a player can make is made up solely of the five community cards, with neither hole card featuring. If more than one player plays the board at showdown, the pot is split.
Examples
Example one: kicker decides
- Community cards: Q♠ 9♥ 6♦ 4♣ 2♠
- Player 1: A♦ Q♣
- Player 2: K♦ Q♥
Player 1 wins with a pair of queens and ace kicker, beating the pair of queens and king kicker of player 2.
Example two: split pot
- Community cards: A♠ K♦ 8♣ 10♥ J♠
- Player 1: Q♦ 7♣
- Player 2: Q♣ 2♥
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a flush beats a straight in traditional high hand poker games, A flush is the higher category in the ranking order, so it wins regardless of the card values in either hand. A flush loses only to a full house, four of a kind, a straight flush or a royal flush.
A kicker is a card that breaks a tie between hands of the same rank. It accompanies the main formation of the hand. A pair of kings with an ace kicker beats a pair of kings with a queen kicker.
No single hand wins a split pot. The pot is split when two or more hands are exactly equal across all five cards. Hands identical in every card value share the pot evenly. All suits are of equal value so do not determine the winner.
The best five-card hand is the strongest five-card combination that can be made from the cards available to it. In Texas Hold'em, it is built from any mix of the two hole cards and the five community cards, and it is this five-card hand that is compared at showdown. The best possible hand in a given situation is known as the nuts and the best five card hand in terms of absolute strength is the royal flush.