In poker, players create hands based on fixed rules, which differ in relation to which version of the game is being played. The hands are compared by means of a hand ranking scheme that is typical across every poker versions and the player holding the highest-ranking hand wins that specific deal in majority of poker versions. In several versions of poker, the player having the lowest-ranking hand can tie or win.
Though primarily used in poker, hand rankings also are employed in several other card games, poker dice as well.
Rankings of specific hands are increased by taking multiple cards in similar card ranks, by every card being from similar suit, or by every card being of successive rank. The comparative ranking of several hand kinds is according to the odds of being dealt at random from a well-rearranged deck.
The different hand categories in poker include:
Straight flush. A poker hand that has successively five cards, all of a similar suit. If two or more players hold straight flushes, the player with the highest-ranked card wins. The highest straight flush has a hand of ace, two, three, four and five of diamonds, and is also called as “steel wheel”.
Quads or four of a kind. A poker hand that has four kinds of the same suit plus any other card. Four of a kind with lower-ranking cards loses to higher-ranking ones.
Full boat or full house. A poker hand that has three similar cards of one rank plus two cards of any rank. If two or more players hold full houses, the player with the highest-ranking three cards wins the prize money.
Flush. A poker hand where the entire five cards are of similar suit, but not sequentially. If two or more players hold a hand of flushes, the player with the highest-ranking cards wins the prize money.
Straight. A poker hand that has five cards of rank in order in no less than two distinct suits. If two players both hold a straight hand, the player with the highest-ranking card is declared as the winner.
Set or trips or three of a kind. A hand in poker that has three cards of similar rank and two cards of any rank nor in similar suit. Usually, it is frequently known as trips when this hand category is formed by a card that the player holds in his face-down cards and having two matching cards.
Two-pair. A hand in poker that has two cards of similar rank, and two cards of any rank (that match one another but is not the first pair), and any other card of any rank. In order to rank two hands that both have two pair, the highest-ranking hand pair is declared the winner.
One-pair. A hand in poker that has two cards in one rank, and three cards which can be of different rank nor similar to one another.
No-pair or high-card. A hand formed that does not meet any requirements of the other hands. Basically, no hand is formed, and the player with the highest card wins, simple.
