Appendix C: What Beats What

No poker rulebook is complete without yet another recitation of poker hand order. (Compare Lowball Scales for some other hand orders.)

Standard order is as follows:

• Straight Flush: five in sequence in the same suit: 2♣3♣4♣5♣6♣; the highest one is called a Royal Flush A♥K♥Q♥J♥T♥
• Four of a Kind, a.k.a. Quads: four of the same rank, plus a kicker: 8♠8♥8♣8♦J♠
• Full House, a.k.a. Full Boat, House: three of the same rank, then two matched cards of a different rank 7♣7♠7♦2♥2♦
• Flush: five cards in the same suit A♥K♥9♥7♥6♥
• Straight: five cards in sequence of more than one suit 5♣6♦7♦8♠9♦
• Three of a Kind, a.k.a. Trips: three of the same rank: 6♣6♦6♥A♥K♠
• Two Pair: two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank: A♠A♣8♠8♣J♦
• One Pair: two cards of the same rank: 5♥5♠7♣8♣9♣
• High Card a.k.a. Nothing: 2♠3♠4♦5♣7♥ or A♥K♥Q♥J♥2♠

Conventional poker hands are 5 cards. Additional cards do not play. Use only the best five card combination in games that have larger hands.

For instance, in a Hold’em board where I have K♠K♦ as my hole cards, the board has T♣T♦5♠5♥A♠, I have two pair; and I lose to your A♦2♣ (K♠K♦T♣T♦A♠ loses to A♠A♦T♣T♦5♠).

Aces are allowed to be the highest or lowest card in a straight. Aces act as high cards in other hands.

When evaluating hands at showdown, all suits have the same relative value. Two ace-high straights (that are not flushes) are a tie.

For more information, consult the little card that came in the pack, or the first few minutes of any episode of Celebrity Poker Showdown on YouTube.