Play Poker Like the Pros
Nine-time World Champion of Poker Phil Hellmuth demonstrates exactly how to play and win - even if you've never picked up a deck of cards - the modern games of poker, including: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and Razz. Phil Hellmuth, Jr, a seven-time World Champion of Poker, presents his tournament-tested strategies to beat any type of player, including: The Jackal (crazy and unpredictable) The Elephant (plays too many hands) The Mouse (plays very conservatively) The Lion (skilled and tough to beat)
Poker Hand Rankings.
In general, Poker is played with the standard 52-card 4-suit deck. In some variations a joker or designated wild cards are included. Normally, aces play high, however, as is explained later they sometimes play low. When the showdown comes, all players that still remain in the game compare their hands. The following rankings, used in virtually all games of poker are what determines the winner. They are listed here from highest to lowest:
Five of a kind:
Five cards of identical rank. (i.e. 44444X). This is only possible in games permitting wild cards where the 5th card is perhaps the joker in the pack.
Royal Flush:
Five cards of the same suit in numerical sequence where the cards are specifically Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten.
Straight Flush:
Five cards of the same suit in numerical sequence (i.e. 98765 all Clubs. A straight flush is ranked by the top card if two straights flushes should tie. If the top card is the same in both hands, the pot is split between the players. The suits of the straight flushes are not taken into consideration. AKQJT is the best possible straight flush and is commonly called a royal flush. In poker games where the ace plays low, 5432A is the lowest straight flush.
Four of a Kind:
Four cards of the same rank. The fifth, remaining, card in the hand is referred to as the "kicker" or side card (i.e. 44442 where the 2 is the "kicker"). The Four of a kind hand is ranked by the quads. (i.e. 5555J beats 2222K). In poker games with wild cards or shared community cards it is possible that 2 players may present the same four of a kind at the showdown. In this case the hands are ranked by the side cards (i.e. 5555K beats 55559).
Kicker
Full House:
Three cards of one rank (Three-of-a-Kind) alongside a pair of cards of another rank (i.e. 333QQ). It is called a Full house as all the cards in the hand are being used. The Full House is ranked by the trips: the three cards of one rank. (i.e. 88822 beats 777AA). Once again, in poker games with wild cards or shared community cards it is possible that 2 players may present similar Full Houses at the showdown. In this case the hands are ranked by the pairs (i.e. 999KK beats 99977).
Flush:
Five cards of the same suit not in numerical sequence (i.e. K9732 of Diamonds). The Flush is ranked by the top card in the hand. If the top card is the same in each hand the cards are then ranked by the next highest card, and so on for all five cards in the hand. (i.e. Q8542 beats Q8432). The suits of the cards are not used as tie breakers. (i.e. Q8542 splits the pot with Q8542).
Straight:
Five cards in numerical sequence but not of the same suit (i.e. 87654 mixed suits). The ace plays high or low. (i.e. both AKQJT and 5432A are allowable). In most poker games, the Ace may not be used as a middle card to make what is called an "Around the corner" straight (i.e. 432AK). When two straights tie, the hand with the highest card wins. If the hands are of identical rank, the players split the pot.
Three of a Kind:
Three cards of the same rank alongside two "kickers" of dissimilar ranks. (i.e. JJJ43). Three of a Kind hands are ranked by the trips (i.e. JJJ97 beats JJJ42). In poker games with wild cards or shared community cards it is possible that 2 players may present the same Three of a kind. In this case the hands are ranked by the two kickers (i.e. 99954 beats 99952).
Two Pair:
Two cards of one rank alongside two cards of another rank and a kicker of a third rank (i.e. JJ227). Two pair hands are ranked by the top pair, then by the bottom pair and finally by the kicker. (i.e. QQ668 beats QQ44A and QQ665).
One Pair:
Two cards of one rank alongside three kickers of differing ranks. (i.e. 88K72). One Pair hands are ranked initially by the pair, then by each kicker (i.e. 88K72 beats 88K65).
High Card:
Any Poker hand that is not one of those detailed above (i.e. Q9542 mixed suits). The High card hand is ranked, in the same way as a flush, by the top card in the hand, then by the second card and so on for each of the five cards. The suits of the cards are not used as tie breakers.
Tie Breakers.
The suits of the cards are not used as tie breakers. Cards beyond the fifth are not used as tie breakers. The only cards taken into consideration are the best five cards in each player's hand. When a tie occurs the pot is split equally between the players with the winning hands. (See splitting the pot).
Tie Breakers when Playing for low.
When playing for low other tie breaking variations come into play. Some poker games permit the ace to play low.
These games ignore straights and flushes during ranking, meaning that 5432A becomes the best possible low, regardless of whether or not it is straight flush.
Some poker games simply reverse the order that is used for high hands, meaning that 75432 in mixed suits becomes the best possible low.
There are some poker games that will count straights and flushes against you but let the ace play low, meaning that 6432A becomes the best hand. In the majority of poker games where Aces play low, a pair of aces is lower than a pair of deuces, just as an ace is lower than a deuce.
Wild Cards.
Games using wild cards or shared community cards include Texas Hold 'em.
In poker games where the joker is playable, it usually can only be wild for an Ace or or wild for a card that completes a straight or flush. It is not a wild card in the true sense of the word, having the ability to substitute any card in the deck. (i.e. The Joker cannot be used as a Jack to make JJ62X play as three Jacks. In a poker game where you're playing for low, the joker is forced to become become the lowest rank not already held, so Q963X is played as Q9643, with the joker used as a four.
Whilst they add a lot of zest to private games, they introduce considerable confusion between players, especially when two players present identical hands composed of different wild cards. Poker's standard rules have no precedence to determine which of these two hands will rank higher. Some players will rank hands that employ fewer wild cards over those using more.
Using true wild cards in poker makes it possible to create a whole new hand , Five of a Kind, which under normal circumstances will rank above a straight flush.
You'll not often find true wild cards being permitted in casino poker games.
Back to Top
Play Poker Like the Pros
Nine-time World Champion of Poker Phil Hellmuth demonstrates exactly how to play and win - even if you've never picked up a deck of cards - the modern games of poker, including: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and Razz. Phil Hellmuth, Jr, a seven-time World Champion of Poker, presents his tournament-tested strategies to beat any type of player, including: The Jackal (crazy and unpredictable) The Elephant (plays too many hands) The Mouse (plays very conservatively) The Lion (skilled and tough to beat)
- Home
- Poker Rules
- Poker Game Types
- Poker Books
- Poker History
- Poker Terms Glossary
- Poker Resources
- Sitemap
