The Various Poker Hands in Texas Holdem

One of the most common difficulties new poker players experience is having to get used to knowing the many hands in poker and the relative worth of each one. Memorizing poker hands in Texas Holdem is not an easy undertaking, so it is important to learn some easy tips on how to memorize poker hands.

Before even attempting to memorize the worth of each hand, it is important to know what they are called. In order from the highest to the lowest ranking, they are: royal straight flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flushes, straights, three of a kind, one and two pair, and high card. These are all important to know to be able to judge the status of a game, or how well a given player is performing.

The lowest values are the high card, one and two pair, and three of a kind and are all fairly self-explanatory. The key to remembering high card is that it is singular; there is only one involved. One that doesn't have a match is considered high and this is essentially an extra category for when a group doesn't fall into any other definition. A one pair is exactly what it sounds like: two of the same value, for example, two Jacks or two Aces. A two pair, then, is fairly self-explanatory as well. Having two sets that match is having a two pair, for example, having two Jacks and two Aces. The fourth lowest rank, three of a kind, is also fairly easy to interpret. Having three cards of the same value (for example, three Jacks) is a three of a kind.

The next grouping is less self-explanatory, but still not very complicated. The next highest value, the straight, refers to a having cards of five consecutive values, for example, an 8, 9, 10, Jack, and Queen of any suit. A flush refers to any five that are the same suit (that is, five hearts, clubs, diamonds, or spades). One of the hardest rankings to remember is the full house, as the name has little to do with the meaning. A full house refers to having both three of a kind and one pair. One ranking higher than a full house is a four of a kind, which is having all four cards of any value in it (for example, four threes).

The two highest-ranking hands are the straight royal straight flush. Remembering what these are will be fairly easy, as they both draw on previous concepts. A straight flush is just having both at the same time - for example, when five of the same suit are in a consecutive order, such as a 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and are all of diamonds. A royal version occurs when the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 all of the same suit appear. There are no higher ranking poker hands in Texas Holdem than a royal straight flush (and so, appropriately, it isn't very easy to receive).