In 2003, the World Series of Poker famously featuredan unknown rookie Chris Moneymaker’s full house beating pro player Sam Farha’s pair of nines. It was a $2.5 million hand that gave hope to beginners everywhere.
In 2010, Jonathan Duhamel won $8.9 million when his ace-high outlasted John Racener’s queen-eight.
Doyle Brunson claimed two world titles in the 1970s with the same hand: ten-two, both times making a full house.
Every great moment in poker comes down to one simple thing: the hands on the table.
Poker is about dealing with probability and pressure. The game’s structure is built on a hierarchy of hands, from the unbeatable royal flush to the humble high card.
A player who knows the order, odds and power of each hand has the edge. Without that knowledge, there is no sensible strategy.
Every Vegas tournament, every online poker game, every casual home hand, is decided by how those cards rank against each other.
The importance of rank
Poker has dozens of variations, from Texas Hold’em to Omaha, but the ranking of hands is constant. Players must understand it to survive.
Strategy, bluffing and reading opponents and moments are important, but nothing replaces a command of the basics. A player who misreads a flush for a straight or overvalues a pair will lose.
Knowledge of hand rankings is not optional. It is the foundation of poker.
The hands of poker
Royal Flush
The royal flush is ace, king, queen, jack, ten of the same suit. Odds are 1 in 649,740.
It is unbeatable but players rarely see it in a lifetime.
In 2008, Gavin Griffin hit a royal flush in the EPT Grand Final, sealing victory. Its advantage is absolute.
Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit have odds of 1 in 72,193. It’s second only to the royal flush so it can crush four of a kind.
Players with a lower straight flush lose to a higher one in head-to-head play. It is a monster hand but vulnerable to its own kind.
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank. The odds are 1 in 4,165.
This hand beats full houses and flushes but can still lose to a straight flush.
In 2012, Phil Hellmuth won a huge WSOP pot with quad eights. The advantage is dominance against most holdings but the drawback is visibility: opponents fold fast.
Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair. The odds are 1 in 693.
This is a classic winning hand like Brunson’s famous ten-two both times.
The strength depends on the rank of the three. Aces full beats kings full.
Flush
Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Odds are 1 in 508.
Flushes are common in Omaha, less so in Hold’em. The highest card decides ties.
The advantage is steady strength. The disadvantage is losing to a higher flush.
In the 2006 WSOP, Jamie Gold pushed a flush to take chips off Allen Cunningham.
Straight
Five cards in sequence, mixed suits. Odds are 1 in 254.
A straight can turn weak hole cards into winners. The wheel (ace to five) is the lowest while Broadway (ten to ace) is the highest.
The advantage is surprise potential and nany big pots fall to this. The drawback is weakness against flushes and higher straights.
Three of a Kind
Also called trips or a set, its odds are 1 in 46. It is made from three matching cards.
Sets come from a pocket pair plus one on the board. Trips use one hole card and two from the board.
Thishand has strength in disguise.
Two Pairs
Two matching pairs plus one side card. Odds are 1 in 20 and this a very common hand in Hold’em.
The higher pair always decides the winner.
In the 2019 WSOP, Hossein Ensan lost a key pot when his two pair fell to a straight.
One Pair
A single pair plus three side cards has odds of 1 in 1.3 making it the most common winning hand.
Pocket aces remain the best starting cards in Hold’em but even they lose.
They have potential strength but their drawback is weakness against everything above. In 2009, Phil Ivey was eliminated when his pair of aces was cracked.
High Card
No pair, no sequence, no flush – simply the highest card plays. Odds are 1 in 0.99.
This is the bottom of the hierarchy. Ace-high beats king-high.
It rarely wins at showdown but the advantage is bluffing potential.
Knowledge improves decisions
Poker is about decisions under pressure. A player who knows the hands, odds and rankings makes better decisions.
That knowledge is vital for survival at any table. New players who learn the hierarchy early can gain confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Every successful player begins by understanding the cards.
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