Poker Hand Ranking

By: PokerListings.com 4/5

Confused by what beats what in poker? Check below for a list of all poker hands ranked from best to worst. Still confused after? Drop a question in the comments and we'll be happy to help you out.

 

 

 

Royal Flush

A straight from a ten to an ace with all five cards of the same suit. In poker all suits are ranked equally.

Straight Flush

Any straight with all five cards of the same suit.

Four of a Kind

Any four cards of the same rank. If two players share the same Four of a Kind, the bigger fifth card (known as the kicker)   decides who wins the pot.

Full House

Any three cards of the same rank together with any two cards of the same rank. Our example shows "Aces full of Kings" and it is a bigger full house than "Kings full of Aces."

Flush

Any five cards of the same suit (not consecutive). The highest card of the five determines the rank of the flush. Our example shows an Ace-high flush, which is the highest possible.

Straight

Any five consecutive cards of different suits. Aces can count as either a high or a low card. Our example shows a five-high straight, which is the lowest possible straight.

Three of a Kind

Any three cards of the same rank. Our example shows three-of-a-kind Aces, with a King and a Queen as side cards - the best possible three of a kind.

Two Pair

Any two cards of the same rank together with another two cards of the same rank. Our example shows the best possible two-pair, Aces and Kings. The highest pair of the two determines the rank of the two-pair.

One Pair

Any two cards of the same rank. Our example shows the best possible one-pair hand.

High Card

Any hand not in the above-mentioned hands. Our example shows the best possible high-card hand.

Comments

456
  1. DaRee

    2008-02-29

    This is a great site to help individuals with the hand rankings. The best I have found. Thank you and this will help in teaching my friends how to play!

  2. paul egan

    2008-03-22

    is it possible to open with an open ended flush 6 7 8 9 of hearts in draw poker

  3. Felipe

    2008-03-23

    Hello. I am a begginer and have two questions:

    1) I was playing with some friends and we had a situation where two of them had a flush, using an ACE from the table. We decided that the winner was the one with the second highest card of the same suit. Was that correct or the only card that matters on a flush is the highest?

    2) When two players have one pair, the card that decides the winner (kicker) is the highest on players' hand or including the cards on the table? For 1-pair games, if the kicker is the same for both players should we decide based on the next better card?

  4. Erik Winkler

    2008-03-25

    Hey guys, I have a simple question. If at the end of the hand I have K 9 and another dude has K 8 who would win if the community cards held a queen or does that even matter?

  5. Fionn

    2008-03-29

    Erik Queen doesnt matter but k9 would win because 9 is a higher kicker

  6. Fionn

    2008-03-29

    Felipe 1) that should have been a 'split pot'
    2) split pot also

  7. Giovanni

    2008-03-30

    Hey guys. IF i have Ace,10 the other guy has 7 10.

    The flop is 6,7,8,9 and Q.
    Who is winning.We almost had a fight over this last nite because the guy said he had a straight plus the pair 7 and he has winning hand.So can you please clear this up for me.And also can you refer me to an official rule to explain this.This is my cuzin and he is still upset so i just want to convince him that he was wrong.
    thank you guys.

  8. piyi

    2008-04-01

    giovanni,
    'split pot' since u both have straight with 10 as top card.

  9. Shannon from Oz

    2008-04-01

    Giovanni, The Ace and Queen are irrelevent in this hand - tell your cousin .. .its the "best five cards" including one or two from your own hand plus up to the five community cards - you can't use six cards ..... this is a "split pot" ...

    my webiste has some official rulings for you ... will be live in a couple of days - check it out then.

    regards

    shannon

  10. Shannon from Oz

    2008-04-01

    Felipe - i do not agree with Erik Winkler's reply ...(1) he assumes that on a board showing (for instance) 4 hearts with Ace as the highest ... that we split the pot if you have a 2 hearts and i have the King of hearts .... i clearly win.
    The correct answer to your query is the next highest heart in a players hand is the winner - unless the board holds the next highest and then it is a split pot.

    (2) Assuming the board has the next highest card outside of the two pair then it is a split pot. If one of the players has a higher "kicker" than the other player - or the board then he/she wins.

    regards

    Shannon

  11. bruce

    2008-04-01

    hey im bruce tonight i was beatin with a hand ace 2 3 4 5. is that a straight i wasnt sure.

  12. vador

    2008-04-06

    Hello, everybody
    I'm a beginner and I have a little question:

    my friends and I where playing a texas hold'em last week, and we had a fight about a hand.
    I had a five full of two's
    My friend had a Two full of sixes

    My friend argued that his hand was better than mine since his highest card was a 6 whereas mine was a 5. But I think I win because I have three 5's whereas he have three 2's

  13. Pete

    2008-04-10

    Bruce - A-2-3-4-5 is a legitimate hand. Also referred to a wheel draw.

    Vador - you seem to be a little confused about your/your friend's hand. you mention you had 5-5-5-2-2 vs 2-2-2-6-6. As you can see, this is impossible as there are only 4 cards to every number/picture in a deck.

    fyi in a case of 5-5-5-2-2 vs. 6-6-6-2-2, the second hand is the better hand.

  14. Guido

    2008-04-11

    Hello guys, I have the following question.
    If you hit a flash, but the A is on the table, and two players hit the flash, how do you determine who wins? Do you split the pot?
    Thank you!

  15. jonzee

    2008-04-14

    K J 10 9 5 are all spades and all community cards. I have the 7 other guy has the queen.
    The winning hand is? Or is it a split pot.

  16. Steve

    2008-04-14

    Vader and Pete-

    Pete it is possible because they were playing hold'em.

    for example the board could read

    5226Q

    vador could hold 55 (fives full of two's)

    and his friend could hold 26 (two's full of sixes)

    So it is very much possible that those hands are legit

  17. shintle .b

    2008-04-17

    K J 10 9 5 are all spades and all community cards. I have the 7 other guy has the queen.
    Does he win, or is it split pot?

  18. mark

    2008-04-18

    which wins.
    jack jack jack ace ace
    or
    king king king jack jack

    this is a holdem game with two jacks and one king on the board.
    i hold an ace and jack. he holds 2 kings.

  19. Hogan

    2008-04-22

    Hey guys! I'm pretty up to date on poker nut last week I had something that I never run into. on the board was.....
    Q 8 10 K 10
    I had A 8 and the guy that said he beat me had 9 9.
    Now my question is..is that when you have two pair I thought that as long as you have the same high pair no matter what the second pair is it comes down to your kicker because two pair is two pair if you have the same high pair. I thought I was supposed to win because I carried A kicker?

  20. cav

    2008-04-27

    If I had AA333 and another guy had 99933 which full house wins.

  21. nate

    2008-05-08

    on an ace high flush on the board does it matter who has the next highest card

  22. Guy Johnson

    2008-05-17


    Nate: Look at all five cards in flush. If the highest card ties, it's the 2nd card that determine winner. If the 2nd card ties, it's the 3rd card etc

    Cav: 99933 > AA333

    Hogan: if board is q 8 10 k 10, then 9 9 > A 8 (pick 5 best cards each player has. If highest pair ties, then 2nd pair determines winner.)

    Mark: kkkjj > jjjAA

    shintle and jonzee: if board is KS JS 10S 9S 5S, then QS > 7S (You guys playing in same game???)

    Guido: Look at all five cards in flush. If the highest card ties, it's the 2nd card that determine winner. If the 2nd card ties, it's the 3rd card etc

  23. jason

    2008-05-19

    remember a strate flush with ace k q j 10 is the best hand

  24. John

    2008-05-21

    ok How strong is this hand or is it not at all.

    A 10 J Q K - Mixed suit

    I thought that this hand should be a very good hand to have but my friend said that it would be beaten by a full house. Is that right?

  25. Sean Lind

    2008-05-21

    Hey John, the hand you're talking about (a straight to the Ace 10-J-Q-K-A... it's nickname is Broadway).

    It's the best possible straight. In Hold'em it's a very strong hand, but is beaten by any flush or full house.

    If the board has no pair, and no three cards of one suit, it's the nuts... the best hand you can have.

    If the board does have a pair, or three, four, or five cards of a suit it loses value. So you'll have to play it keeping that in mind.

    If you're playing Omaha instead of hold'em, It's even more important to be careful if the board has the pair or suited cards.

  26. BubbaDan

    2008-06-01

    Hogan, if the first pair ties, then it goes to the second pair. it only goes to the kicker if the second pair also ties. if the first pair second pair AND kicker all tie, you split.

  27. BubbaDan

    2008-06-01

    Hey guys, after re-reading these questions, i have realized something, even though Hold-Em has 7 cards, you only get to use 5. Pick the 5 that make you the best hand and go from there. Always compare each hand to the 5th card. Flushes almost never split pot. If the board had
    A Q 7 5 3 of spades, and noone has a spade down, it's a split, but all it takes to beat the board is a 4s or higher, because it would beat the 3 on the board. If one person had the 2, it's still a split.

    I recommend the following:
    Any book by Doyle Brunson;
    Any book by Dan Harrington;
    the DVD "Poker for dummies" hosted by Moneymaker is an AWESOME starter for most of the questions I've seen here, and only costs $12.00 or so.

    Enjoy your games, we play every Friday night at my house, and most of us are in a casion playing every month or so as well.

    (I even got a professional Hold'Em table in the basement. We call it out Poker Room)

  28. Otter

    2008-06-03

    If player 1 hole cards are 8,2, and player 2 hole cards are K,4, and the board is 2,K,4,2,2; would player 1 win with his four of a kind or would player 2?

  29. namedude

    2008-06-03

    otter player one would win with four of a kind altho player 2 has a full house. .. a very strong hand four of a kind is ultamently better.

  30. astrit

    2008-06-08

    If we have the order like this: King(heart) A (heart) 2 ( in german Karo which looks like red quadratic form) 3 (heart) and 4 (heart). Is this a valid straight? Thank you

  31. Edick Morad

    2008-06-09

    Question:
    Hand One: A, 3
    Hand Two: A. Q
    Community: A. 4, 4, 7, K
    Who Wins?

  32. Sean Lind

    2008-06-10

    Edick Morad Jun 9, 2008

    Question:
    Hand One: A, 3
    Hand Two: A. Q
    Community: A. 4, 4, 7, K

    Both players have the best 5 card hand of:
    A, A, 4, 4, k

    It's a chop pot. If that K was a J, AQ would win.

    astrit Jun 7, 2008

    Kh-Ah-2h-3h-4h

    This is not a straight, as straights can not wrap in hold'em. But it is a flush.

  33. joe bloe

    2008-06-10

    BOLA DE PUTOS!!!!!!!!

  34. Doan Nguyen

    2008-06-15

    What if there was a flush on the table, and it was between two players? One player has a pair of three's and the other one has a high queen. If the Flush is universal for both players, doesn't it come down to who has the best hand besides the common flush? Or does both players use the flush and split pot?

    My email is Priestofdota@gmail.com - Please send me a reply. It'll contribute to my overall knowledge of Hold'em, Thanks.

  35. scott osterhout

    2008-06-15

    hand 1 has 8-5 and hand 2 has k 9 and the board is 35663, does hand 2 take it with the king 9 or does the hand with 8-5 take it.

  36. Sean Lind

    2008-06-17

    Doan, I emailed this to you as well:

    If the flush on the table is made up of hearts, and both players have no hearts in their hand, the pot is split. Poker always used the best 5 card hand.

    If either player has a heart in their hand that is higher than any of the hearts on the board, they have a better flush and will take the pot.

    Scott:

    hand 1 - 8-5
    hand 2 - k-9
    Board - 35663

    The winner is hand 1. Here is why:

    Hand 1's best 5 card hand is:
    66 55 8 (two pair, 6's and 5's, Eight Kicker)

    Hand 2's best 5 card hand is:
    66 33 K (two pair 6's and 3's, King kicker)

    If the board was 66553

    and the hands where

    AK vs. 83, AK would now win, since both players have two pair 66 and 55, but AK has a higher kicker.

  37. Brendon

    2008-06-18

    If community cards are a hearts flush and player 1 has 2s Kd and player 2 has 3d and Ac confirm the pot is split as the winning 5 cards are the community cards and there are no heart kickers out there.
    Basically you are only limited to 5 cards no more

  38. Ryno Mellet

    2008-06-26

    Hi There, I am kind of new to poker, and opviously uninformed of holdem' poker, so we just play normal 5 card poker. A friend of mine told me that the best possible hand is Aces High (4 Aces) is that true, or does the 4 Aces only count as an 4 of a kind?

  39. Sean Lind

    2008-06-26

    Ryno Mellet. The hand rankings are exactly as it shows above there. Four Aces is four of a kind. It's the best four of a kind, but it will still lose to a straight flush. (A royal flush is just a straight flush, but the highest possible one. It gets its own name because it's the highest possible hand you can make in the game)

  40. Kristen

    2008-06-30

    HI,

    Please help, Do you take the best five cards for each player even if they are all on the table?

    Player 1: J,9
    Player 2: Q,10

    Table: A,K,3,6,7

    Is this a split pot? Or does player 2 win with the Q high? Although they share the A high on the table???

  41. larry

    2008-06-30

    Need help- texas holdum
    Player a- 9 A , Player b- 9 7.
    Flop- 9 9 7 7 4
    Who is the winner or would this be a split pot.

  42. will

    2008-07-01

    in reference to larry's question the hand 9-7 wins because the one with 9-A is just a three of a kind with an ace kicker but the 9-7 is actually a boat (full house)... therefore the 9-7 has a better hand

  43. will

    2008-07-01

    wait scratch last comment...my apoligies...its a split pot my bad...you can only count 5 cards...split pot

  44. will

    2008-07-01

    kristen.... Q high does it...you count 5 highest cards on the table... watch world poker tour

  45. Sean Lind

    2008-07-02

    Kristin, in a high game (such as holdem) always count from the top down until there's a difference.

    Player 1 has A-K-Q
    Player 2 has A-K-J

    Queen is higher than a Jack. :)

  46. Mike

    2008-07-04

    Actually Will you were right the first time. He had the boat with 7's over 9's 777-99. That beats the three of a kind with the Ace kicker

  47. pantsula

    2008-07-04

    Hey guys. We had a huge fight about this last night and I need your help to resolve...

    player 1 has - K 8
    Player 2 has - 6 3
    Flop is - 2 6 5 7 J

    who wins the pot?

  48. KristenKristen

    2008-07-04

    pantsula, Player 2 wins, Pair of 6's

  49. Zstanman

    2008-07-06

    Larry, unfortunately you're getting a ton of mixed answers to your relatively simple question. Will was correct the SECOND time when he corrected himself. It is a split pot. Remember that BOTH players play their best 5 cards. For each player, his best hand is a Full House, 999-77. Both player A and B will disregard their second cards (The A and the 7) because they do not enhance their best hand. Sean Lind had great advice when he said "always count down until there's a difference." I've never thought about it that way but that's great advice.

  50. sincere

    2008-07-06

    this is a really cool site

  51. Todd

    2008-07-07

    Some of the questions asked by people need more information because they dont mention the suit of the cards. A flush beats many hands and in some questions it is not known if the person has a flush or not.

  52. sunny

    2008-07-08

    Question- who wins the pot-

    player 1 has 10,9
    player 2 has A,2

    flop k k 10 7 7

    Does the Ace (player 2)win cause there are 2 pairs on the table???

  53. ryan

    2008-07-08

    player1

  54. Sean Lind

    2008-07-08

    Mike - The way you're counting the hands is how you do it in Omaha, in Hold'em you are allowed to use only one card out of your own two, thus they both have a full house.In Omaha you have to use two cards out of your four.

    pantsula - I don't understand where there is confusion here, 6-3 has a pair of 6's, wile K-8 has nothing but a King high (no pair). 6-3 wins every time. (Also you wrote "Flop is - 2 6 5 7 J", technically the flop is just 2-6-5, turn is 7 river is J, all together it's "the board".)

    Todd - If the players don't mention suits, it's always taken as the suits do not matter. A flush is the one hand that even new poker players rarely miss. It's easy to spot. So if no suits are given, you assume it's rainbow.

    sunny - You're thinking about a "counterfeit" situation, but this is not one of them. Count from the top down, player one has K-K-10-10-9 player two has K-K-7-7-A, a 10 is higher than a 7, so player one wins.

    You're thinking of a situation like this:

    Player 1: 4-4
    Player 2: A-9
    Board: K-K-Q-6-Q

    Now both players are playing two pair, KK and QQ, but player two has an ace kicker, while Player one plays the board. The last queen falling counterfeit his pair leaving his hand worthless.

  55. bobby

    2008-07-11

    Play 1: ME: 10d, Jh DEALER: 6s, 7s
    board: 4h,4s,5s,4d,8s


    Play 2: ME: 4d, 3d Dealer: 4c,5c
    board: Jc,6c,5h,2s,Qc

    New to hold'em so im just checking.

  56. Jessica

    2008-07-12

    "Mike - The way you're counting the hands is how you do it in Omaha, in Hold'em you are allowed to use only one card out of your own two, thus they both have a full house.In Omaha you have to use two cards out of your four."

    Actually, Sean in Holdem you are allowed to use one, both, or neither of your hold cards. Both players have a full house 9-9-9-7-7.

  57. Sean Lind

    2008-07-16

    Jessica - "Actually, Sean in Holdem you are allowed to use one, both, or neither of your hold cards. Both players have a full house 9-9-9-7-7. "

    That's exactly what I said. "they both have a full house" where my exact words. I also said:

    "in Hold'em you are allowed to use only one card out of your own two"

    I'm not sure where we're disagreeing here?

  58. Sean Lind

    2008-07-16

    bobby :

    Play 1: ME: 10d, Jh DEALER: 6s, 7s
    board: 4h,4s,5s,4d,8s

    The dealer wins with a straight - 4-5-6-7-8

    Play 2: ME: 4d, 3d Dealer: 4c,5c
    board: Jc,6c,5h,2s,Qc

    Here you have a straight, but you lose to the dealers's flush (4c-5c-Jc-6c-Qc)

    Playing against a dealer? Sounds like a "Texas Hold'em Scratch And Win"? Or as I like to call them "Bad Beat Poker". I've never lost with the big full or quads more often.

  59. kalijha

    2008-07-20

    if i have a pair of 3's and she has a pair of 5's who wins?

  60. Sean Lind

    2008-07-22

    kalijha: Depends what falls on the river

  61. Alex

    2008-07-26

    Sean: whats the fall of the river?

  62. M dog

    2008-07-27

    two players have the same hand

    player one 3 7
    player two 3 8
    flop 3 A K 2 10


    both players have a pair of 3s but does the high card on the board split the pot or does it go to the kicker?

  63. Sean Lind

    2008-07-29

    M dog: Two players have the same hand

    player one 3 7
    player two 3 8

    flop 3 A K 2 10

    First off, that's a board the flop is only the first three cards. As for your question, players must make five card hands.

    Player One: 3-3-A-K-10
    Player Two: 3-3-A-K-10

    So yes, they split the pot. if the 10 was a 4, then the kicker would play making player two the winner.

  64. Nimfa

    2008-07-30

    I have question: I have 7-7 and the other player has A-5 and the community card has A-2-5-10-9 who is the winner

  65. gee

    2008-07-31

    im fairy new to poker, learnt most i need to from facebook poker:)
    well the question is this if the opponent has two jacks and i had a eight.
    then the dealers card gets dealt and i have a pair of eights from the dealt dealer who is the winner. i was assuming that because i have a pair of eight i win, thanks you in advance for the advice

  66. Ant

    2008-08-01

    Okay here is my scenario....
    *note - there is no flush in this hand for either players*

    Player 1 A-9
    Player 2 A-7

    Table K-6-8-8-4

    Player 1 (best 5) 8-8-9-K-A
    Player 2 (best 5) 8-8-7-K-A

    Here is the question, they both have a pair of 8's with an Ace kicker. The only differance between the hands is the 9 and 7. So do they push for the pair of 8's and the Ace kicker OR does the 9 and 7 decide the winner even though they are both lower than the Ace kicker? (need help fast, a fight almost broke out over this one) Thanks!

  67. Sean Lind

    2008-08-01

    Gee: Your question is a little confusing, but it sounds like you're asking this:
    Your hand: 8x (x is for anything else)
    Other Hand: JJ

    the board: 88xxx

    Assuming that's what you're asking, and one of the x's isn't a jack, then you will be the winner. If this is not your question, ask again. It helps if you put in the hands like the examples below. thx

  68. Sean Lind

    2008-08-01

    Ant:

    Player 1 A-9
    Player 2 A-7

    Table K-6-8-8-4

    Player 1 (best 5) 8-8-9-K-A
    Player 2 (best 5) 8-8-7-K-A

    The kicker plays. Because the 9 beats the board, meaning it's higher than the 6 and the 4 it is used in the hand (just like you listed in your best 5's). It plays, and player 1 is the winner of the whole pot.

  69. kerry

    2008-08-03

    Okay here is my scenario....
    *note - there is no flush in this hand for either players*

    Player 1 A-9
    Player 2 A-7

    Table K-6-8-8-4

    Player 1 (best 5) 8-8-9-K-A
    Player 2 (best 5) 8-8-7-K-A

    Here is the question, they both have a pair of 8's with an Ace kicker. The only differance between the hands is the 9 and 7. So do they push for the pair of 8's and the Ace kicker OR does the 9 and 7 decide the winner even though they are both lower than the Ace kicker? (need help fast, a fight almost broke out over this one) Thanks!
    ________________________________

    player one wins with a pair of A's and 9's

  70. Archwel

    2008-08-07

    The rules of Holdem state that its the best 5 card hand. you must play five cards. in the event of a tie it goes the the kickers. not the highest single kicker but all playable kickers.i.e the best 5 cards.

    In the scrnario with the A9 vs the A7 and the 88 on the board the hand is decided by the 5th card.

    Both players have 8-8-A-K-x

    but Player one has 8-8-A-K-9
    and player 2 has a best hand of 8-8-A-K-7

    so player one wins.

    if the board had another card higher than 9. i.e 8-8-K-J-7

    then it woudl be a tie with both players having the best possible five card hand with 8-8-A-K-J


    The same issue come up with flushes when both players have a flush with the Ace on the board. Both have an Ace high flush but the second highest card of the suit plays to make the winning hand.

  71. gee

    2008-08-08

    just wondering really here. how does a double queen beat one pair.

    dealers hand
    8c 9d jc 2s 4h

    player 1
    qs qd

    player 2
    kd jh

  72. gee

    2008-08-08

    sorry another request
    have to know why player 1 wins

    dealers hand
    js 2h jc 3d 4s


    player 1
    6h ks

    player 2
    10 c qc

    because i was player 2

  73. Sean Lind

    2008-08-08

    just wondering really here. how does a double queen beat one pair.

    Board:8c 9d jc 2s 4h
    player 1 : qs qd
    player 2 : kd jh

    Here player two is playing a pair of Jacks:
    Jc-Jh-Kd-9d-8c
    While Player one has a Pair of Queens:
    Qs-Qd-Jc-9d-8c

    You make the best 5 card hand, it doesn't matter what cards you use (your own or the board) just the final best hand.


    another request
    have to know why player 1 wins

    Board: js 2h jc 3d 4s
    player 1: 6h ks
    player 2: 10c qc

    You both have the same category hand (a pair of jacks) your kicker is Queen high (Js-Jc-Qc-10c-4s) while Player 1 has a kicker King high (Js-Jc-Ks-6h-4s)

    If you just look at the top three cards you'll see
    Js-Jc-Qc vs. Js-Jc-Ks

    Count your hands from top down, when there is a difference, that's where you choose a winner. If the third best card was the same you'd go on to the fourth. If all 5 cards are the same, then you chop the pot. Hope that helps

  74. brad

    2008-08-09

    most of these questionsthe awnser is that payer 1/2 has a higher kicker gee
    so if the board is
    8s Jh Kd Qd Qs
    player1 Qh 7h
    player2 qc 9h

    player 2 won because ithad a higher kicker(number/letter card)
    A can be counted as one or 14 witch is abuv the king

    felipe, its not correct
    if two ppl have the same card win ( 2pair 1pair flush ect.) then whoever has the highest second card wins

  75. brad

    2008-08-09

    bruce it is a straight

  76. Over

    2008-08-10

    Hi, i am dumbfounded by this:

    P1: 8,8

    P2: 9,9

    P3: K,Q

    Community Cards: A,A,A,5,Q

    Is it a split pot amongst the 3 players??

  77. blindsided

    2008-08-11

    player A has a fullhouse three 2's and a pair of Queens , player B has three 5's and a pair of two's who wins ??

  78. hillo

    2008-08-17

    blindsided: three 5's and a pair of two's will win. Three 2's are lower than three 5's.

    Over: P3: K,Q will win. Three A's and 2 queens are higher than P1 and P2.

  79. gee

    2008-08-18

    i dont know if this being said. this is a question about full house hand.

    this how it goes say if a player has a pair of any hand and the flop hand comes out to be:

    Q 4 J Q Q
    or any three of a kind

    does this mean the player with the pair always gets a full house?

    thk you in advance

  80. Sean Lind

    2008-08-19

    Over:
    P1: 8,8
    P2: 9,9
    P3: K,Q
    Community Cards: A,A,A,5,Q

    All three players have a full house, Aces over, but they all have different valued pairs. Aces over eights, Aces over nines, and Aces over Queens.

    Player three wins the whole pot.

  81. Sean Lind

    2008-08-19

    Gee:
    Anytime there is a board with three of a kind, and you have a pair in your hand you have a fullhouse.

  82. alfie

    2008-08-21

    ive came out of the poker world series and i lost $1,000,000,000 guted

  83. gracie

    2008-08-22

    WHAT IS THE WINNING NUMBER? NUMBER:10-10-10-10-7 OR 2-2-2-6-J

  84. KAG

    2008-08-30

    in this scenario who wins?

    player 1: K 9
    player 2: K 8
    player 3: K 4

    Table: K A A Q 4

    who wins?

  85. Sean Lind

    2008-09-02

    KAG: player 1: K 9 , player 2: K 8 , player 3: K 4

    Table: K A A Q 4

    It's a three-way chop, all players win. Since you have to use five cards, and you can use any combination of the board cards and your own, all players have - KKAAQ as their best 5 card hand.

  86. April

    2008-09-22

    In this hand, who wins?

    P1- 6, 6
    P2- A, 6

    Flop- K, 7, 5, K, 7

  87. Lizzy

    2008-09-23

    I was wondering if there is a ranking to the suits when all players have the same cards?

  88. Sean Lind

    2008-09-23

    April:
    P1- 6, 6
    P2- A, 6
    Flop- K, 7, 5, K, 7

    Player one got counterfeit. Player two wins the pot with two pairs Kings and Sevens with an Ace kicker.

    Lizzy: Yes and no. Suits have no bearing in most aspects of poker. A pot is never decided by suit. That means when playing stud, if two players have the exact same flush A-9-6-5-2 they chop the pot.

    Suits are only taken into account for things such as:
    Drawing for seats/dealer button
    The Bring in stud (two players with the same low card will go to their suits to descide who brings)

    That's actually all the examples I can think of. In these scenario's the suits are in Alphabetical order: (from worst to best)
    Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades

    This is known as the "bridge" suit ranking, since it was taken from Bridge. Games such as Big-Two use the Chinese suit ordering:
    Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts, Spades

    I wrote a bunch of odd rules and what-nots in an article here with this very information. Check it out if you want to learn a bunch of rarely useful knowledge.

  89. krystal

    2008-09-30

    I am playing poker night scratcher through ca lotto I have an important question.

    on the back with the winning hands examples it says A spades is higher than any other card in hand.

    But, its shown in order from lowest to highest with the A of spades being the first example. I got A spades, A diamond, 2 hearts, 2 spades, and an 8 hearts.

    Dealer got a straight with
    5s, 6d,7h,8c,9c

    WHO IS THE WINNER?

  90. Sean Lind

    2008-09-30

    krystal:

    Aces are higher valued than any other single card (the suits rarely matter, other than a flushnever for determining a winning hand).

    You have two pair with AA228
    You lose to a straight 56789

    Rule of thumb for scratch and wins: Just assume you've lost, you'll probably be correct.

  91. Hobbo

    2008-11-03

    Just reading through the comments and picked up on this:

    --------------------------------------
    Brad states:
    most of these questionsthe awnser is that payer 1/2 has a higher kicker gee
    so if the board is
    8s Jh Kd Qd Qs
    player1 Qh 7h
    player2 qc 9h

    player 2 won because ithad a higher kicker(number/letter card)
    A can be counted as one or 14 witch is abuv the king
    -------------------------------

    In this hand the pot would be split as both players have the same hand QQQKJ the fact that p1 has 7 and p2 has 9 is irrelevant as you can only play a 5 card hand.

  92. Sean Lind

    2008-11-04

    Absolutely correct Hobbo. Thanks for that.

  93. homogdog

    2008-11-27

    yeah man that was up n the down yo that was all like up in my grille gee

  94. funkmanfist

    2008-11-27

    fo fho dodo that was off the hildo dingo i was ridin up n the hood with my gee dogs thinkin to my self that was off the hizzy fizzy

  95. Roger

    2008-12-02

    I have a question regarding flush draws.

    If a flop produces akq of clubs for example and two players are holding a flush, one with j6 and the other with 73 then who wins?

    I was always led to believe it was the highest card which ranked the flush, in this case an ace so it would be a split pot.

    However I have had examples of playing online where the jack has won the hand based of it being higher than my 7.

  96. Sean Lind

    2008-12-02

    Roger: This gets confused often because of how online sites list the winning hand. When you win it would say "Wins with flush Ace high". In the real world you'd never say that. In your example, the first player would call his hand as:
    "I have a flush, Jack high"

    while the second player would say that he has a flush "Seven high".

    Because you have to make the best 5 card hand, the winner is the one with the highest flush cards in their hand. If you're using all 5 on board, and so is your opponent, it's a split. If either of you has a flush card higher than anything on board, you win the pot.

  97. Brad Miller

    2008-12-05

    5 of a kind (wild card/joker) beats a straight flush. Right?

  98. Sean Lind

    2008-12-05

    Brad, any game using a wildcard is going to be using a custom rule set, so really it's up to whomever's game it is. But typically a 5 of a kind beats a straight flush, as it's statistically harder to achieve. In fact, a five of a kind beats all straight flushes including a Royal flush.

    Unless I'm mistaken, stats wise 5 of a kind is just as unlikely as a Royal Flush as you have to use 5 specific cards to make the hand, while if you have a 4 card straight flush, you have two cards that can come to complete it (assuming it doesn't dead-end on the bottom), making it slightly (and I mean slightly) more likely than a royal or five of a kind.

  99. kase

    2008-12-07

    hey, i am confused about "split pots"
    heres and example

    board
    99277

    hand one
    9, 4

    hand two
    9, 3
    would this be a split pot? Thanks

  100. Thunder

    2008-12-09

    kase: both players got 99977 full house, split.

  101. vic

    2008-12-11

    both p have a the same Straight its a split?
    or thres a way to be the only winner?

  102. Sean Lind

    2008-12-11

    Vic, if both players have the SAME straight, such as 5-6-7-8-9, and the straight is the best hand, they split the pot.

  103. steve

    2008-12-11

    this article is wrong, or i'm wrong, explain how it is possible for more than one person to have the same 4 of a kind? it says the kicker will decide..... am i just being stupid?

  104. Sean Lind

    2008-12-12

    steve: if the board is KKKKA then the absolute best possible hand is four of a kind kings, with an ace kicker. Meaning all players split the pot.

    If the board is KKKK2 whomever has the highest card will win with four of a kind kings (x) kicker.

    If both player have an ace intheir hand, again, it's a chopped pot.

  105. FD

    2008-12-17

    Steve: Two identical four of a kinds are possible if more than one deck is being used

  106. Ben!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2008-12-23

    ok so here is the situation:

    Dealer: 2 3 7 J J

    P1: J 5(club)
    P2: J 5(spade)

    do we split the pot or does the pot go to player to because spade beats club??

    we are playing texas hold 'em

  107. Sean Lind

    2008-12-23

    Ben!!!, in texas hold'em suits ranking order never comes into play, meaning in your example you will split the pot.

    (ok Never isn't really correct, as you will use suits to highcard for a dealer, or chip race. But that's it)

  108. john

    2008-12-26

    witch one win hand 1:A,9
    2:8,5

    6,4,7,8,10

  109. utkal

    2008-12-27

    POKER BOARD 5,6,7,8,10

    P1: 4,5
    P2: J,9

    who wins

  110. Whacko

    2008-12-28

    @ utkal:
    P2 wins
    he has the higgest straight

  111. Sean Lind

    2008-12-30

    john: A9 wins since it has a higher straight

    6-7-8-9-10

    while the other hand has only a lower straight:

    4-5-6-7-8

  112. marc rester

    2009-01-01

    when does a 4 of a kind beat a royal flush? If ever or a straight flush?

  113. Sean Lind

    2009-01-02

    Marc, if you're playing a common game such as Hold'em, Omaha, Stud or Draw the answer is never. The above order of hands never changes (unless you're making up your own rules for some fancy home game).

    There are some variations of poker in which things change slightly, such as three card poker, where a straight will beat a flush. Other than that switch though, all hand orderings remains the same.

  114. Freddie

    2009-01-04

    Hey, I have a quick question that is a little confusing.
    In Texas Hold'em if three people are playing. All three people go all in on a hand. If the person with the least amount of chips wins the hand. I understand that the winner gets only what they put in from the other two. Then what happens to the rest of the pot? Do the other two split it, or does it go to the second best hand?

  115. Sean Lind

    2009-01-06

    Freddie:

    Short stack all-in against two players: When a short stack is all-in against two larger stacks, the blinds, short stack, plus the amount of the short stack from each larger stack is placed in the main pot. All players are eligible to win this pot.

    The two players on the side are now free to play and bet as usual into a side pot, which only they are eligible to win. (This means there can be two winners in the hand - a side pot and a main pot winner.)

    That answer plus many more answers to odd poker situations I wrote about in this article: http://www.pokerlistings.com/strategy/general-poker/odd-situations-and-rules-for-your-home-game

  116. JOE

    2009-01-09

    hy i have qostion in poker game AAA210 winer or 345QA is a winer which one thank u

  117. Ange

    2009-01-09

    who wins this hand

    Board: J Q 4 3 6

    Player one: Q 2

    Player two: Q 8

    or is it a split pot?

  118. Sean Lind

    2009-01-09

    JOE: the hand with three aces wins, as the other hand has nothing.

    Ange: I'm sensing a common theme among 90% of these questions. The answer is that you have to make a 5 card hand. Make the best hand you can using 5 cards for each player, and see who has the highest hand (you use all 5 of the cards to evaluate).

    If you're still stuck:

    Player one - QQJ64
    Player two- QQJ86

    you should be able to see a clear winner from that. (The answer is player two ;) )

  119. jay

    2009-01-10

    dealer hand is 6h 7h 8d 9d ks
    hand 1 5c 5d 5s 2h 3d
    hand 2 qh qd qc 2s 8h
    hand 3ac ah 4s 4d 2d
    hand 4 jh js 3s 3c kd
    hand 5 10h 10d 9c 9s jc
    hand 6 10s 10c 4h 5h

    do any hands beat dealer?

  120. Tom

    2009-01-11

    On The Board
    -36A88-
    Player 1 - A 5
    Player 2 - A K

    Who wins and does high card matter with 2 pair.

  121. Ken

    2009-01-11

    Always remember, the top five cards play. So,

    1) On the Board -36A88-
    Player 1 - A 5
    Player 2 - A K

    Player 1 has: AA886
    Player 2 has: AA88K

    Player 2 wins


    2) On the Board -36A88-
    Player 1 - A 5
    Player 2 - A 4

    Player 1 has: AA886
    Player 2 has: AA886

    Split pot


  122. Sanold

    2009-01-12

    Who wins the following hands:

    dealer: 2 5 5 5 3

    P1: 2 2

    P2: 6 2

    dealer: 2 5 5 5 Q

    P1: 2 2

    P2: 6 2

  123. Sean Lind

    2009-01-13

    jay: Your question is kind of odd. First of all it looks like you're playing 5 card stud, or 5 card draw? (well actually it looks like you're playing a poker themed scratch and win)

    Firstly, hand 6 only has four cards, so they're right out. Secondly, the dealer has nothing but a broken straight, so anyone with a card higher than a King, or as little as a pair beats them.

    Hand 1: Three of a kind fives (beats dealer)
    Hand 2: Three of a kind, Queens (Best hand overall)
    Hand 3: Two pair, Aces and fours (Beats Dealer)
    Hand 4: Two pair, Jacks and Threes (beats dealer)
    Hand 5: Two pair, 10's and 9's (beats dealer)
    Hand 6: Only has four cards, but still has a pair of 10's (beats dealer)

    So to answer your question:
    Yes

  124. Sean Lind

    2009-01-13

    Tom, Ken answered your Q quite nicely, so I'll just let you read what he said.

    Sanold:

    In the first hand, it's a split pot, Player one had a full house 22255 on the flop, but got counterfeit on the turn when the third five came, now both player have the same full house 55522

    The second hand is exactly the same thing, no change what-so-ever.

    If the river was a 6, then player two would win the pot, but other than a six coming, the only card that will give player 2 the win would be the final 5. After the turn, player one can not win the hand, only split (this is because the final two is in his opponents hand)

  125. wade

    2009-01-19

    ok if the table shows
    Ad 9d 8s Qd 4d

    Hand one: 10d 2s
    Hand two Kd 3s
    itwould be a split pot right because the king does not beat the Ace high flush correct

  126. Sean Lind

    2009-01-20

    Wade, You're mistaken, hand two wins the pot. You need to use all five cards of a flush to decide the flush. Hand two has a flush AdKd... while hand one only has a flush AdQd...

  127. jimmy

    2009-01-23

    i want to know if 5 of a kind is the second best hand in poker after royal flush

  128. Sean Lind

    2009-01-23

    Jimmy, in any game that has a wild card, and allows for 5 of a kind hands, 5 of a kind is the absolute nuts, beating a royal flush.

    this may change due to house rules, but that's kind of the "standard"

  129. alec Rubin

    2009-01-26

    if my hand was jack seven and i have a three pair of sevens and two pair of jacks but the opponent has a hand of nine and nine and ends up with three pair of nines and 2 pair of sevens who wins the hand.

  130. Sean Lind

    2009-01-27

    alec Rubin: Your question doesn't really make any sense. When you say "three pair" I'm assuming you mean three of a kind, and "two pair" you mean a pair. Those combined would be a fullhouse.

    Board 7jj99
    You: 77
    Opp: 97

    You: 777jj
    Opp: 99977

    You count the three of a kind half of a full house first, your opponent has three nines, higher than your three sevens, thus your opponent wins.

  131. ant

    2009-01-27

    alright...say the board was 10 9 j q k and in your hand you have a 10 and a 2 and your opponent has a 10 and a 3....do they win? or is it a tie since you can only play the top 5 cards?

  132. Sean Lind

    2009-01-28

    Ant: It's a tie because you can only play 5 cards. You're both, in fact, playing the board, meaning you'll even tie with a player holding 4-5. The only way a player can beat the board here is by holding an ace, for a slightly higher straight (or a flush, if the board permits)

  133. serge isho

    2009-01-31

    hi, i simple question.
    if player 1 has for ex : 2 and 6 and the second the same and in the land u have 2.6.A.K.7 HOW IS THE WINER ?

  134. Sean Lind

    2009-01-31

    Hey serge, I'm not really sure what you're asking? I think you're asking this:

    Board: 2-6-A-K-7
    Hand 1: 2-6
    Hand 2: 2-6

    Who wins?

    If so, it's a split pot, both players are the winner.

    If you're asking something else, try writing it in the same style as I just did here.

  135. kambal

    2009-02-02

    hey guys...
    i know the simple rules of poker but my friends wont belive me in the hands that we are playing we are a little bit confused in winning hands especially a single pair and single card highest where cod i find a best illustration of poker that could answer all my questiond thanks...

  136. Sean Lind

    2009-02-03

    Kambal, this article should answer your questions:

    http://www.pokerlistings.com/strategy/beginner/how-to-determine-the-winning-hand

  137. Navid-(Bangladesh)

    2009-02-20

    awsome forum...
    my conception of poker is totally clear now..
    thanks 2 all of the guys who have contributed in giving the answers...
    "LET YOUR CARDS BE ALIVE AND YOUR POTS BE MONSTEREOUS"
    ......;P

  138. Ace "High Card" Mooney

    2009-02-21

    wow you guys.. some of the hand advice is sooo wrong! Beginners Beware! DO NOT LISTEN to some of these chumps telling you waht hands are better and when there is a split pot or who wins the pot period. If you are playing Hold 'Em then look at a Hold 'Em rules site to get your answers and do not trust the yahoo's on here..lol
    i feel sorry for the guys who have lost money listening to the advise found from some online poker guru comment poster.
    The only advice or rulings you should go by are the ones posted on official sites (such as this one) and not the commenter.
    The rules are simple... The are posted up here for a reason and that is to settle disputes. Go by the ones posted here by the webmaster or find one that has Texas Hold 'Em rules. Easy enough to find, you found this didn't you?

  139. Ace "High Card" Mooney

    2009-02-21

    Sanold Jan 12, 2009

    Who wins the following hands:

    dealer: 2 5 5 5 3

    P1: 2 2

    P2: 6 2
    (out come of first hand ) (idiots cant read a question right)
    ------------------------------------------

    dealer: 2 5 5 5 Q

    P1: 2 2

    P2: 6 2
    (out come of second hand) (dumb asses and you guys actually win these game by bullying over newbies)

    Both players have full houses in each hand.. the question is which hand wins...

    Player two wins both hands. The Q (in the 1st hand) and the 3 (in the 2nd hand) are not counted. Player two wins because the 6 is the high card. Higher than the EXTRA 2 in each round.

    Player 2, congrats on two winning hands there partner.

  140. Sean Lind

    2009-02-21

    Hey Ace, firstly I wanted to say that 99% of all comments I've seen answering questions on this site have been 100% accurate (and that doesn't include all the ones I answer).

    Since I'm the one who's in charge of writing all the poker rules articles for the site, I figure my comments are every much as useful as the articles.

    Anyways, you're wrong in your answer to Sanold. In fact I gave him the correct answer 1 or two comments below his post.

    Both pots are a split pot. The way you are counting the hands is only correct if the player is playing Omaha, since he has only two cards, I have to assume he's playing hold'em. In hold'em you can use just one card (or none) from you hand, meaning both players in both questions have the same hand:
    55522

    all split pots.

  141. Ace "High Card" Mooney

    2009-02-21

    Sean,
    I disagree... (and sorry about the multiple post my pc had a glich) ...

  142. Sean Lind

    2009-02-22

    don't sweat the multiple posts, it's not hard for me to fix them.

    I'm curious as to what you disagree on? the validity of comments, or the split pot scenario?

    If it's the comments, then I'm not too worried. I think people know to be weary of random advice from anonymous posters. I do hope they trust my advice at least somewhat though, as I like to think I know what I'm doing most of the time.

  143. Dani

    2009-02-24

    One player has:
    A pair of 2's, a King, a Queen and a 7

    and the other player has:
    A pair of 2's, a King, a Queen and a 3

    It is a draw because they have the same kicker (King)? or the first player wins, because the kicker is King, Queen and 7?

    Thanks, I am making a Poker program and I have that doubt.

    Sorry for my english

  144. Damion Mitchell

    2009-02-24

    Can this be a straight

    J-Q-K-A-2

  145. Sean Lind

    2009-02-24

    Dani, you use all five cards, so the player with the 7 wins.

    hand 1: 22kq7
    hand 2: 22kg3

    the 7 is higher, so hand 1 wins.

  146. Sean Lind

    2009-02-24

    Damion Mitchell, the answer is no. You cannot "wrap" straights in any standard game of poker. Think of straights as being a straight line.

    The lowest straight is A-2-3-4-5 and the highest straight is 10-j-q-k-a

    everything else is in between.

  147. sagarika

    2009-02-28

    1. The ranking of suits is not mentioned specifically .i.e. whether Spade Royal Flush ranks higher or Hearts Royal Flush etc. Ofcourse it Is given that Spade Flush(with Ace) is the highest possible one

    2. Similarly whether Spade Ace as High Card ranks higher than Hearts Ace as High
    Card .

  148. Sean Lind

    2009-02-28

    Hey Sagarika.

    Firstly, in all forms of "standard poker" meaning, Hold'em, Omaha, Stud, Razz, Draw, Lowball... any of those, suits do not matter for a winning hand.

    This means that a straight flush 5-6-7-8-9 of hearts ties with a straight flush 5-6-7-8-9 of spades.

    IN these poker games, suits never matter in the showdown

    Just so you know, the poker suit ranking order is alphabetical from worst to best:
    Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades.

    (It's used for the Bring in Stud)

  149. sean

    2009-03-08

    if i have 5,6,7,8,9 and 6,7,8,9,10 and my bro has 9,9 6,6 and 6,7,8,9,10 who wins

  150. Sean Lind

    2009-03-10

    I'm sorry Sean, I really have no idea what you're asking?

    Are you saying:

    your hand: 5x
    your bro: 69
    The board: 678910

    If that is the case, then it's a split pot, as you both have the best straight. If that's not what you're asking, please format your Q the same way I just did.

  151. Omer

    2009-03-13

    I lost once with a Straight flush to a higher Straight flush =[. It hurts.

  152. bill kirk

    2009-03-15

    could youtell me what is the best hand
    AA 333 or 666 22 thx

  153. Sean Lind

    2009-03-17

    Bill: A full house is always ranked by the value of the triples. So:

    66622 is higher than 333AA

  154. Aleksandar

    2009-03-27

    Dealer 4 4 10 10 7

    pl 1 22
    pl 2 A Q who wins ??

  155. Loulou

    2009-03-27

    today i played a hand in texas hold'em where me, and 2 other players had the same straight. I was holding the card of the straight, and an A.... I said that I should win the pot, because I had a kicker, but they said we needed to split it because after the 5th card, it didnt matter. Did i get screwed?

  156. Sean Lind

    2009-03-27

    Aleksandar:
    You have to use the best five card hand for each player. Player one in your example is playing the board since the BEST hand they can make is two pair 10-10-4-4 with a 7 kicker.

    Player two has a better kicker: 10-10-4-4-A so they win. For player one, this is known as getting counterfeit.

    LouLou:
    What happened was correct. Only the best 5 card hand you can make will count. If there is a straight on the board 5-6-7-8-9, even if you hold AA you still split the pot with 23.

    You didn't get screwed by the players, just by the board.

  157. noodle

    2009-04-07

    Hello, I'm still in the beginning stages of poker mainly playing NLTH, still have a world to learn. I decided to give PLO HI a try for the first time and thought that the hand rankings generally apply across all the different poker games. Well, below is a hand I had played and thought that my flush Ace high would always beat a straight. Apparently my flush didn't work in this hand. I'm the player listed as "ME". If you have the time to comment, I am most thankful. Please pardon my ignorance if indeed I'm in err.


    ***** Hand History for Game 57391984403 *****

    2,000 PL Omaha - Tuesday, April 07, 13:17:57 EDT 2009

    Table Play money 4071452

    Seat 9 is the button

    Total number of players : 6

    Seat 7: Judi555 ( 2,000 )

    Seat 8: MaGiC2008 ( 3,965 )

    Seat 10: ME ( 933 )

    Seat 4: SmokinSupra ( 2,158 )

    Seat 5: albundy33333 ( 19,625 )

    Seat 9: chickenjack2 ( 25,759.50 )

    ME posts small blind [5].

    SmokinSupra posts big blind [10].

    ** Dealing down cards **

    Dealt to ME [ Ac 3c 8h Kc ]

    albundy33333 calls [10]

    Judi555 calls [10]

    MaGiC2008 calls [10]

    chickenjack2 calls [10]

    ME calls [5]

    SmokinSupra checks

    ** Dealing Flop ** [ 3d, 8c, 7c ]

    ME checks

    SmokinSupra checks

    albundy33333 checks

    Judi555 bets [10]

    MaGiC2008 calls [10]

    chickenjack2 calls [10]

    ME calls [10]

    SmokinSupra calls [10]

    albundy33333 calls [10]

    ** Dealing Turn ** [ Th ]

    ME bets [30]

    SmokinSupra folds

    albundy33333 calls [30]

    Judi555 calls [30]

    MaGiC2008 calls [30]

    chickenjack2 folds

    ** Dealing River ** [ 6d ]

    ME bets [237]

    albundy33333 folds

    Judi555 calls [237]

    MaGiC2008 raises [1,185]

    ME is all-In [646]

    Judi555 calls [948]

    MaGiC2008 shows [ 9c, Ad, 7s, 9s ]a straight Six to Ten.

    ME doesn't show [ Ac, 3c, 8h, Kc ]two pairs, Eights and Threes.

    Judi555 shows [ 8d, Qh, 9d, 6s ]a straight Six to Ten.

    Judi555 wins 302 playchips from the side pot 1 with a straight, Six to Ten.

    MaGiC2008 wins 302 playchips from the side pot 1 with a straight, Six to Ten.

    Judi555 wins 1,443 playchips from the main pot with a straight, Six to Ten.

    MaGiC2008 wins 1,443 playchips from the main pot


  158. Sean Lind

    2009-04-08

    Hey Noodle, the problem is that you have to use exactly two cards from your hand, and three from the board.

    because there are only two clubs on the board there, with two clubs from your hand you would need one more club on the board to make a flush.

    The best hand you can make is two pairs, which loses to a straight.

  159. noodle

    2009-04-08

    Sean, I appreciate it very much. As always, I have to put my hand on the stove to realize it's hot.

  160. Alex

    2009-04-21

    Hey,
    I really enjoy playing poker, and im decent. But I have some missing knowledge spots, so my question is are there any books that explain how the 7 cards are split up in hold em( as in which 5 make up the final hand ). Or any sites? Just with info regarding hold'em basics, cos once I start playing I win quite a lot, but I dont understand everything. E.G ( Had some experiences, where I figured I had a bad hand, put in little chips, ended up winning it but with a small amount of chips )

  161. Christos kap

    2009-04-22

    Hi, if someone can help me..texas hold em,
    five cards on table A,9,3,5,8 all h
    i have 10 h , other player has K h.
    isn't that a split???and if not why??
    for the record i lost

  162. Sean Lind

    2009-04-25

    Hey Alex, the winning hand in holdem is made from the best 5 card hand using any combination of the seven cards available to you.

    Here's an article I wrote that might help you out:
    How to determine the winning hand

  163. Sean Lind

    2009-04-25

    Hey Christos, in short, you lost the hand because your opponent had a better flush.

    To learn exactly why, take a quick read at the article I linked to in the post above this one.

  164. anthony

    2009-04-25

    Who wins
    Player 1: 5, 9
    Player 2: 10, 2

    Community: 2, 3, 4, 2, 5
    Who wins?

  165. herbert

    2009-04-26

    in poker,you throw your hand down and then pick it back up again?

  166. Hugo Dias

    2009-04-28

    Hi everyone,
    who can explain me this?

    table cards J J J J 3
    my cards A2
    other guy cards KK

    who wins?

    i think its me..am i right?
    because J J J J A > J J J J K

  167. Sean Lind

    2009-04-28

    Anthony:

    Community: 2, 3, 4, 2, 5

    Player 1: 5, 9
    Player 2: 10, 2

    Player 2 has three 2's, since three of a kind beats a pair of 5's, Player 2 wins.

  168. Sean Lind

    2009-04-28

    Herbert, Technically if you muck your hand, meaning you fold it face down across the line, it's gone. A mucked hand "technically" can't be recovered and played.

    This rule is not hard-fast, as most pit bosses will allow some mucked hands to be recovered depending on the circumstances of the mucking.

    In shot, no you can't take your hand back, but it does happen a lot anyways.

  169. Sean Lind

    2009-04-28

    Hugo, you're correct in that you win. The player with pocket kings got counterfeit and your Ace is now the best kicker for the four of a kind.

  170. shep

    2009-05-04

    u cant have to four of a kind hands

  171. Dee

    2009-05-05

    Last night when we played the community cards read 6, J, J, 2, 6

    I had 2 pair ( J's & 2's) my friend had an ACE, he claimed that because the 6's are higher than the 2's im ruled out and he wins.

    I was ademant that i won and took the money. was i right or in the wrong?

  172. Sean Lind

    2009-05-05

    Shep, I'm not sure what you're saying. It is possible for two players to have four of a kind in Hold'em.

    In other poker variations, such as stud, it's technically possible for all players to have four of a kind.

  173. Sean Lind

    2009-05-05

    Dee, you owe your friend some money.

    You got counterfeit on the river, you had your friend beat until that card.

    You J,J,6,6,2 (or whatever kicker you had with your 2)

    Your friend has J,J,6,6,A

    You have to make the best five card hand, this means your pair of two's no longer plays.

  174. Mike n' Ike

    2009-05-05

    This website helps a lot I had a good hand today when I was playing poker with my friends and I folded and now they say that if I didn't learn the hands I couldn't play again, so I came here.

  175. joey

    2009-05-06

    hi, i just have a question.
    im holding ace jack...
    my friends has ace two.

    the cards in the middle are:
    44a29

    can u please explain who wins?

  176. Sean Lind

    2009-05-06

    You win. You have to make the BEST 5 card hand.

    You have AA44J
    your friend has AA449

    His third pair can't play, so he plays the same two pair as you. You have a higher kicker, so you win the pot.

  177. Ben

    2009-05-10

    i HAD A PAIR OF KINGS, THE FLOP WAS ACE, 9, JACK. THEN CAME ANOTHER ACE, THE RIVER WAS A 3.

    I LOST TO A PAIR OF ACES AND A PAIR OF JACKS?

    HOW WHEN I HAD A PAIR OF KINGS, TO GO WITH THE ACES.
    THE WINNING HAND WAS A PAIR OF ACES AND PAIR OF JACKS?

    HELP?

  178. laforce

    2009-05-12

    poss senario's:

    1) bord: A9JA3
    you: KK (2pair AAKKJ)
    p2: AA (for of a kind AAAAJ)
    you lose

    2) bord A9JA3
    you: KK (2pair AAKKJ)
    p2: A with (9,J,3) (full house AAA/99,JJ,33)
    you lose

    2) bord A9JA3
    you: KK (2pair AAKKJ)
    p2: JJ (full house JJJAA)
    you lose

    3) bord A9JA3
    you: KK (2pair AAKKJ)
    p2: 99 (full house 999AA)
    you lose

    4) bord A9JA3
    you: KK (2pair AAKKJ)
    p2: 33 (full house 333AA)
    you lose

    5) bord A9JA3
    you: KK (2pair AAKKJ)
    p2: Ax (three of a kind AAAkicker)
    you lose

    6) bord A9JA3
    you: KK (2pair AAKKJ)
    p2: (flush)
    you lose

    7) All outher senario's YOU WIN
    (2pair AAKKJ)

  179. laforce

    2009-05-12

    oeps, there are 7hands that could beat you, so i think i missed a number somewhere :)

  180. Sean Lind

    2009-05-12

    Ben,

    You say

    Board: A-9-J-A-3
    You: KK

    "I LOST TO A PAIR OF ACES AND A PAIR OF JACKS?"

    The only explanation is that you're mistaken. your KK beats any hand with a J, other than JJ or AJ. Chances are they had AJ and won with "Full House, Aces and Jacks". And you only saw the "Aces and Jacks" part of it.

    99.9999% of the time the answer is that the player is simply mistaken, if you actually did win, you need the hand history to prove it.

  181. Sean Lind

    2009-05-12

    laforce, any hand with an ace beats him A2-AA. So there are a few more than seven, but those are indeed all possible scenarios of him being beat.

  182. paul

    2009-05-17

    if i have a full house of
    ten ten ten 99
    and other guy has
    999 - QQ

    which wins?

    thanks

  183. brady

    2009-05-17

    paul, 10101099 would win, three of a kind ranks first in full house

  184. laforce

    2009-05-18

    Sean, i think had rote this example in situation nr 5 (Ax). But you are right, my "7 hands" had to be something like 7 types of hands

  185. Damir

    2009-05-26

    If there is a royal flush on the field for example: 10 j q k a all diamonds who wins? does everyone split the pot or does the next highest card win?

  186. Sean Lind

    2009-05-26

    Damir,

    If the best five card hand is on the board, everyone with cards split the pot.

  187. tansukoksal

    2009-05-28

    JUST PLAY

  188. marc

    2009-05-30

    i thought a full house beat a strait flush. Who knew?

  189. Jackson Heights

    2009-05-31

    In regards to Felipe's question on two players with flushes, the player who holds the highest ranked hole card between the two players wins.

    For example:

    A: 10h 5h
    B:7h 6h

    Board: Ah Qh Jh X X

    Player A wins. The determining card doesn't have to the 2nd highest ranked card.

  190. Dave Gilbert

    2009-06-02

    I have always believed that a pocket pair should hold over a a hand with 2 rag cards ie A7 or K4 however in a recent game i was dealt pocket 8"s the flop came and it showed 866 another 6 came on the turn and the river resulting in 86666 i then lost the hand to an A7 even though all he was holding was A high nothing against a pair/full house which under your winning hands above shows the A7 is the low hand, is this a gliche in the game as it leaves the door open for a table royal flush to be beaten by a much lower hand, at very least i feel the pot should have been split on the basis no one was holding a higher hand than the quad 6's.
    this is not the first time i have witnessed the unfairness of a system that awards the worst starting hand the prize, if we follow your chart my 88 beats his A7 except in the above scenario

  191. Sean Lind

    2009-06-02

    Hey Dave,

    What happened was your flopped fullhouse got counterfeit.

    You have to make the best 5 card hand possible. The best hand you can make is four of a kind (sixes) with an eight kicker.

    You: 66668
    Him: 6666A

    Since the ace is higher than your 8, he wins with a higher kicker.

    Unlucky, but not an error.

  192. Pierre

    2009-06-04

    Who wins?

    Board: J 9 2 5 7

    Player1: 10, 9
    Player2: 3, 9

  193. Sean Lind

    2009-06-05

    Hey Pierre,

    Both players have a pair of 9's, but player 1 has a higher kicker.

    Best 5 card hands:

    Player1: 9 9 10 7 5
    Player2: 9 9 7 5 3

    Player 1 wins.

  194. Pierre

    2009-06-06

    Hi Sean,

    So if it was,

    Player 1: 7,9
    Player 2: 3,9

    Board: J 9 2 5 7

    is this a split or does Player 1win? Is the 7 count as a kicker, or is it too low which results in a split...

  195. Sean Lind

    2009-06-06

    Pierre,

    In your example, player 1 wins because he has two pair:

    Player 1: 9 9 7 7 J
    Player 2: 9 9 J 7 5

    You only split if all five cards are the same. So if player one had 9,2 then it would be a split, since both players would have 9 9 J 7 5

  196. Joe Romine

    2009-06-11

    Please settle this argument. Game=Omaha-Low 8

    Player 1: 5 2
    Player:2: 4 3

    Board: J Q 8 7 A

    Who wins?
    Thank you. :-)

  197. Sean Lind

    2009-06-11

    Hey Joe:

    Board: J Q 8 7 A
    Player 1: 5 2
    Player:2: 4 3

    For the Low:
    Player 1: 8-7-5-2-A
    Player 2: 8-7-4-3-A

    Since you always count from the top down for a Low in O8, Player 2 wins (4 is lower than 5).

  198. Rob

    2009-06-13

    Here is a situation for you guys this actually happened to me playing a regular poker hand i played an A-K-Q-Q-9 of clubs another player laid down a A-10-7-7-5 of spaids and the guy running this game said the spaid flush wins because it was a higher suit.
    I promtly left the game. i have never heard of one suit being higher than the other.
    Have you?

  199. Sean Lind

    2009-06-13

    Suits are never taken into account in ranking a poker hand.

    But, it's impossible for you to have a flush, since you had two queens in your hand, he couldn't of had a flush either with two sevens.

    Either way, even if you both had the identical flush, it would be a chop pot, suits never count.

  200. boberto

    2009-06-21

    Make a poker face (put on glasses, close one eye, raise on eyebrow, wear a fake mustache, and say in detectiv-ey italian accent, "I'm bluffing!"

  201. Jpuck

    2009-06-22

    can't wait to try it; will let you know how it worked for me

  202. PokerNoob

    2009-06-23

    why is there 5 cards in every rank? isnt it suppose to be only 2 cards?

  203. Sean Lind

    2009-06-24

    Hey PokerNoob, I'm not really sure what you're asking.

    The ranks up top are 5-card poker hands. You're dealt 2 cards in Hold'em,. but you have to use 3 board cards to make a 5 card hand.

  204. Rakib

    2009-06-27

    will "J-Q-K-A-2" be a straight?

  205. unknown

    2009-06-29

    rakib: no you can't do thatt

  206. Sean Lind

    2009-07-03

    Hey Rakib,

    You can't "wrap around" a straight. This means that aces are either high, or low, they can't be both.

    The lowest straight: A-2-3-4-5
    The Highest straight: 10-J-Q-K-A

    Every other straight will be in between.

  207. ryan

    2009-07-04

    if you guys dont even know hand strengths then i would think you would be loosing all your money playing a real money game, soo i wolud recommend playing on full tilt or any other online poker site with play chips (not real money) to get used to the game and the diffrent hand strenghths soo good luck poker is a fun game.......................................when you know how to play

  208. carlos

    2009-07-07

    what hand wins two pairs 10s with 6s and ace kicker or 10s and 8s with 4 kicker

  209. Sean Lind

    2009-07-07

    Carlos,

    You rate two pairs by the top pair first, then the second pair, finally the kicker. So in your example, 10's and 8's would win, since 8's are better than 6's.

  210. Rajesh Sinha

    2009-07-11

    Who Wins? Texas Hold'm Poker

    Player A: 10 & 5
    Player B: 2 & 2

    On Board:

    10-10-10-7-8

    Whether Player A with Four of a Kind will win

    or

    Whether Player B with Full House will win

  211. Sean Lind

    2009-07-11

    Hey Rajesh,

    Four of a kind always beats a full house, Player A wins by a long shot.

  212. master of poker

    2009-07-12

    can we play poker with joker card? is it possible?

    in the flop:

    A A JOKER 10 Q

    player 1 has JOKER.

    player 2 has Ace

    then.. who won the game?

  213. tsunami

    2009-07-13

    Is there such thing as a mountain in poker?

  214. Sean Lind

    2009-07-14

    Master of Poker:

    You can play poker with a joker, but it's rare, as it's seen as a novelty game. Wild cards are oldschool, or for children to most "purest" poker players.

    But when you're with friends, and drinking, it can be a lot of fun.

    In your scenario, both players would have the same hand (PS, there's usually only one joker in the game)

    Each player would make the joker an ace, and have 4 of a kind, aces.

  215. Sean Lind

    2009-07-14

    tsunami:

    A mountain in poker?

    You can have a mountain of chips
    You can play on Everest poker

    Other than that, I've never heard of any mountain in poker, especially not when talking about hand rankings.

  216. Abhishek

    2009-07-18

    Very helpful... thanx a lot.. It helped me earn a lot!!!

  217. vitali

    2009-07-20

    hi me and my friends had an interesting debate about a hand lets say table card were
    2 2 3 5 9 i had a hand 5 and 3 and another guy had 9 and 8 who's had stronger? or who won?

    thanks

  218. Sean Lind

    2009-07-21

    Vitaly,

    In that scenario the player with the 9 would win. In a two pair versus two pair scenario, you look at the value of the top pair first. If it's the same, then you move on to the second pair. If that's the same you move on to the kicker.

    In this scenario, 9 > 5.

  219. toots

    2009-07-25

    who will in this situation the community cards are 2 3 4 5 Q. My hand is 6 7 and my friend's hand is A 2 who will win?my friend and i are fighting about this

  220. Sean Lind

    2009-07-26

    Toots, you win.

    straights are linear:

    Lowest Highest
    1-2-3-4-5 --------------------- 10-J-Q-K-A

    Everything else lands in between. Your friend had the lowest possible straight, your straight was higher.

  221. steve

    2009-07-27

    i had a arguement last night i need cleared up

    say i have j7 and the other player has j3 the community cards are 8 8 j q 2

    he was saying it is a split pot because we both have jacks and eights and the queen would make up the rest of the hand. but in my poker dealers handbook it clearly states that if both players have the same hand it goes to the highest side card(with the exception of both players playing off the board and thier hole cards being less) who wins? i was under the impression that it would be j7

  222. stef

    2009-07-28

    hey i was watching a game earlier today. the pot was split between 2 players, there hands were J8 J6
    the flop was J 9 9 2 Q
    i was under the impression that person with J8 wouldve won the entire pot becuase of their high 8, or kicker whatever it's called. am i wrong?

  223. Jan Allen

    2009-07-28

    Scenario:

    Table: 8,8,J,5,J

    P1 - J,10

    P2 - 8,8

    Who wins?

  224. Sean Lind

    2009-07-28

    Steve, It's a split pot.

    You always have to make the best 5-card hand. If all five cards are the same as your opponents, it's a split pot, regardless of what else you have in your hand.

  225. Sean Lind

    2009-07-28

    Hey stef, read my post above this one, it's an answer to the exact same question.

    in short:
    result: split pot.
    Reason: Both have the same 5-card hand.

  226. Sean Lind

    2009-07-28

    Jan,

    You have a high full house, your opponent has four of a kind. Four of a kind will always beat a full house.

  227. hazel hines

    2009-07-30

    i have 6,4 and she have 7,3
    flop is Q6Q742 who win ? 2 pairs of 7,3

  228. Sean Lind

    2009-07-31

    Hazel,

    You lose this pot with a lower two pair.

    You: QQ667
    Her: QQ776

    Since the second pair of sixes is lower than the sevens, you lose.

  229. Sandra

    2009-07-31

    IF THREE PLAYERS HAVE FOUR ACES WITH WILD CARDS AND THE KICKER IS A KING FROM THE COMMUNITY CARDS BUT ONE PLAYER HAS A KING IN HER HAND, IS IT STILL A SPLIT POT. IN OTHER WORDS CAN THE KICKER COME FROM THE COMMUNITY CARDS OR YOUR HAND.

  230. Sean Lind

    2009-07-31

    Sandra,

    Firstly it looks like your Caps Lock key is broken. You should look into that.

    Secondly, I'm not sure why you were ever playing Hold'em with wild cards... seems odd to me, but hey if it's fun why not?

    Thirdly, kickers can, and will, come from the board. In a wildcard game, it's no better to have a "true" four of a kind, than a four of a kind made up from wild cards. You all split the pot.

  231. cedie

    2009-08-02

    which is better?

    A-2-3-4-5 (mixed suit}

    or

    2-3-4-5-6 {mixed suit)

  232. Sean Lind

    2009-08-04

    Cedie,

    straights are linear:

    Lowest To Highest
    1-2-3-4-5 --------------------- 10-J-Q-K-A

    Everything else lands in between.

    Since "6" is higher than "5", the 2-3-4-5-6 straight wins.

  233. Marsha

    2009-08-05

    We had the community cards that ended up being a flush. One player had an additional card for the straight, and another had a pair.

    Who would of won?

    Thanks

  234. luke

    2009-08-05

    hi, i want to know if this is right i had a pair 2 2 and the other had A 8 the flop was 2 A 4 4 6 I lost the hand as i had three 2's and two 4's and he had two A's and two 4's and a 6 who is at fault here. ?'

  235. johan

    2009-08-05

    regarding the hand with less than 5 essential cards, i.e. high card, one pair, two pair, three and four of a kind; does kickers always apply, and if so, how many of them? Is it always one kicker and then split pot , or do you sometimes look at the two highest cards?

  236. marsha

    2009-08-05

    sorry, i meant one player also had a card in their hand that was the same suit as the flush in the community cards.

  237. Sean Lind

    2009-08-05

    Marsha,

    If the whole board is a flush:

    4c 5c 9c Kc Ac

    Then the player with the highest club in their hand (as long as it's higher than any card on the board, so a 6 or better in this example) will win the pot.

    If no one has a club in their hand, it's a split pot.

  238. Sean Lind

    2009-08-05

    Luke,

    In your scenario you win. you have a fullhouse:
    22244

    while your opponent just has two pair:
    AA448

    The only way your opponent should have won, is if you read the board wrong, and you didn't have a full house.

  239. Sean Lind

    2009-08-05

    Johan,

    You always look at all five cards. The way it works is this. You start at the top of the hand, say the pair, and if you don't have a winner, you move down the hand one card at a time.

    Board: A-Q-9-6-2

    You: A8
    Him: A7

    Your best hand: AAQ98
    His Best hand:AAQ97

    In this scenario you both have a pair of aces, so you look to the first kicker. Since you're both using the queen, you move to the second. You're both using the nine, meaning you need to use your final fifth card. Since the 8 is higher than the 7, you win.

    If you had AK, you would have had a higher first kicker, so you wouldn't of had to look at the hands past that.

  240. Ed

    2009-08-06

    Unless you have wild cards, which these examples don't, you can't have two players with the same equal four of a kind-so forget the kicker as a dertimination of the winner.

  241. Sean Lind

    2009-08-06

    Actually Ed it's possible for multiple players to have the same four of a kind in Hold'em.

    Board: K-K-K-K-2

    Every player with cards here has four of a king, kings. The player with the highest kicker (an ace in their hand) would have the nuts, and win the pot.

  242. christian oneil

    2009-08-09

    i have a question,the other day i was playing 5 card stud with my friend and we both had 2,3,4,5,6 except i had clubs and he had hearts, we split the pot, but would someone win? or was it right to split the pot.

  243. Joseph

    2009-08-09

    When playing for money at home poker, we put in 2 extra dollars each for a royal flush pot. Meaning if anyone gets the royal flush they get the pot. what we want to know is that if you have Q-10 (hearts) and the flop comes out Ace (hearts) King (hearts) 8 (clubs). Turn is 9 (clubs) and everyone checks, river is Jack (hearts) and everyone but Q-10 holder folds. Does his royal count? because at a casino once you hit a royal you get an automatic reward. The question i have is does the hand have to be done in a showdown? in order to count? Casino rules.

  244. Sean Lind

    2009-08-10

    Christian,

    You should split the pot. You never take suits into account for determining the winning hand in stud.

  245. Sean Lind

    2009-08-10

    Joseph,

    No, it doesn't matter how or when you get the royal flush, just that you had it. You only need to get to a showdown for a "bad beat", but It's impossible not to in that situation any ways.

    Just turn over the hand, and receive your prize.

  246. lauri

    2009-08-13

    Question Hold 'em Pros, who would win this game?

    Player 1: A,A
    Player 2: 6,9
    Player 3: 3,5
    Player 4: A,4
    Community: 5,J,7,3,6

  247. Sean Lind

    2009-08-13

    Lauri,

    Player 4 wins the hand with a straight: 3-4-5-6-7

    Second place would be player 3 with two pair: 5-5-3-3-J

    Third place sees Player 1 with one pair: A-A-J-7-5

    And player 2, with just a pair of 6's comes in last.

  248. Evan

    2009-08-14

    i fyou have 9-8-7-6-5 can you take the 7 out of the straight and have a striaght and a 7 pair for one player

  249. Sean Lind

    2009-08-17

    Evan,

    You can only make one five card hand. If 9-8-7-6-5 is the best possible hand, anything else is irrelevant.

  250. Don

    2009-08-17

    I would like to see a "Poker Hand Ranking by Percentage Won" chart.

  251. Sean Lind

    2009-08-18

    Based on what metrics Don?

    Who's hands are we ranking, as every players chart would be different?

  252. Don

    2009-08-18

    "Poker Hand Ranking by Percentage Won"

    You could start with a 9 player holdem table. I respect pokerlistings.com and would like thier take on how often a hand wins. Out of 1 million deals AA win 31.38% of the time and 22 win 12.14%. I would like to see pokerlistings.com view of the % of probable wins of the169 hand rankings.
    Others might enjoy this too.

  253. Sean Lind

    2009-08-18

    Ahh I see what you're saying Don,

    We might get this up on our site, it would just take a lot of work. The numbers have been calculated and published by Mike Caro in his latest book (the yellow one).

    It has a chart showing every hand, and all the data you want to know about it. Until we get that up on here (if we do), that's the best place to go find it.

  254. dylan

    2009-08-25

    Is there such thing as a small straight and a large straight.

    Small straight being ace 1 2 3
    Large straight being ace 1 2 3 4

  255. Sean Lind

    2009-08-25

    Dylan,

    Firstly, Aces are one's so it would be A-2-3-4-5. In all the standard forms of poker there is no such thing as a four card straight.

    Some poker games will allow a four card straight, just as some games will allow wild cards. But in any of the standard variants (Hold'em, Stud, Omaha, Razz, Draw) there is no such thing as a four card straight.

    However, when a player says "a small straight", they mean they have the small end of the straight, or the sucker end:

    The board: 5-6-7

    If you hold 3-4 you have the small straight, or the sucker end.

    If you hold 8-9 you have the large straight.

  256. Renzo

    2009-08-27

    Waka waka renzo

  257. jonjo

    2009-09-04

    player1-J-3
    player2-5-5


    -J5JQQ-

    who win please

  258. Sean Lind

    2009-09-04

    Jonjo,

    make the best 5-card hand for each player:

    Player 1: JJJQQ
    Player 2: 555JJ

    Player 1 winds, since his full house is bigger.

  259. Vasile

    2009-09-06

    Sean, you are wrong about the best 5-card hand for each player:
    Player 1: JJJQQ
    Player 2: 555QQ

    Indeed, player 1 wins.

  260. Sean Lind

    2009-09-07

    Good call vasile, my bad.

    Either way, player 1 wins.

  261. joey

    2009-09-09

    wat happens if theres two pair on the board
    43439
    my m8 had K9 and i had 7A
    who wins the pot ,i sed that i do
    as u cant replace a pair on the board unless u have it in ur dealt hand ???? and i had the higest card with with the two pair ???

  262. Sean Lind

    2009-09-10

    Hey Joey,

    You can use any combination of 5 cards you want in Hold'em.

    You: 4433A
    Your m8: 99447

    Since 9's up is better than 4's up, you lose.

    better luck next time.

  263. RK

    2009-09-10

    In a split pot with an odd chip, how is the winner of the odd chip determined?

    Thanks

  264. Sean Lind

    2009-09-10

    Hey RK,

    If you're playing a High-Low split game the odd chip always goes to the high hand.

    If you're playing a regular game you give the odd chip to the player with the worst position, closest to the left of the button.

  265. Drew F

    2009-09-12

    Is this a straight? I thought it was because they're all in order.
    BIG mistake, apparently.

    Q K A 2 3

  266. john

    2009-09-14

    is the ace of spades the highest card of the ace suit

  267. Sean Lind

    2009-09-14

    Drew,

    You can't wrap a straight like that in poker. Aces are high or low, they can't be both at once.

  268. Sean Lind

    2009-09-14

    John,

    Aces are the highest cards and spades are the highest suit.

    Suit order for poker:

    Clubs
    Diamonds
    Hearts
    Spades

  269. ralph

    2009-09-20

    Any four cards of the same rank. If two players share the same Four of a Kind, the bigger fifth card (known as the kicker) decides who wins the pot.


    How could two players have the same 4 of a kind ??

  270. billy bob

    2009-09-21

    if playing wild card poker (blind baseball) i told my friends at the table that my buddy thought he beat my 5 8s with 6 4s...as far as i knew five of a kind was the highest hand you could have?....was i wrong? ... he got the 20$ pot with his 6 4s...am i wrong???

  271. Sean Lind

    2009-09-21

    Ralph

    It's possible to share 4 of a kind in a community card game

    Player 1: KQ
    Player 2: A7

    Board: JJJJ24

    They both have four Jacks, but player 2 wins with his ace kicker.

  272. Sean Lind

    2009-09-21

    Billy Bob,

    If you're playing with wild cards you can have four, five, six, seven... even eight of a kind.

    Six of a kind will always beat five of a kind.

    But really, there are no standard rules for wildcard games, you can make up anything you want.

  273. Joseph

    2009-09-23

    Howzit Sean

    My question is with referance to "john sep 14", does the suit ever play a role in Hold'em, or any other Poker variant for that matter?

    I understand that when deciding a dealer in Hold'em you may have two people being dealt an Ace, and then deciding the dealer by the Rank of the Suit, but when and how, if ever does Rank of Suit come into play in Poker? (Hold'em in particular)

    Thanks for a great site!

  274. Sean Lind

    2009-09-24

    Joseph,

    In Hold'em suits are only ever used for deciding the dealer at the start of the game, or when chip racing while chipping up in a tournament.

    The only standard form of poker which uses suits during actual play is Stud. After dealing all window cards, if two players have the same lowest card, the suit decides who needs to bring.

    Same for the action starting on any other round. If two players both show AK, the best show cards on the table at that time, the player with the highest suited ace will start the action.

    Suits never matter for evaluating the winning hand. (unless you're playing some oddball poker variant which I've never heard of)

  275. Jack30

    2009-09-25

    Hi there!

    Was playing poker on line and something caught my atention.

    Player 1: A7

    Player 2: A3

    Board: A3KK9

    The computer gave the win to player 1 because of double A and double K. Thruth is that player 2 also has double A and double K but because of the 3, it chose this card to make a double 3!
    Is this correct? Who should have won?

    Thank you in advance!

  276. keke89

    2009-09-25

    hi
    argued over this..

    u use any 5 cards being in the board or/and in hand for the ranking?

    p1: 4,4
    p2:5,2
    board: 7,Q,5,8,K

    who gets the hand? situation a bit like jack30.
    explain plz!

    thanks in adv.

  277. Sean Lind

    2009-09-25

    Jack,

    The computer actually (well, I don't know what it did do, but it should have) given half the pot to each player.

    You have to make the best 5 card hand, for both players this is

    AAkk9

    same hand, they chop the pot. If hte 9 on board was a 6, then player 1 would win it all.

  278. Sean Lind

    2009-09-25

    keke89,

    I'm not sure what the argument was over? You're correct, you can use any combination of the cards to make the best 5 card hand possible.

    Player 1: 44KQ8
    Player 2: 55KQ8

    Since a pair of 5's are higher than a pair of 4's, Player 2 wins.

  279. kevin

    2009-09-25

    hi
    who wins in this case?

    p1: 4, A
    p2: 5, 10

    board; 4, 5, Q, 2, 9

    can u explain briefly?
    thanks

  280. Keia09

    2009-09-27

    Kevin...

    In that situation...P2 wins because P2 has a pair of 5's which is higher than a pair of 4's with a Q kicker.

    That cancels out the A kicker.

    Now if they both had a pair of 4s the A would determine the winner.

    Make sense? :)

    Good luck to you.

  281. Joseph

    2009-09-28

    Hi again Sean!

    We had a tiff this weekend, and i was hoping you could clarify -

    Player 1 - JQ
    Player 2 - 77
    Board - AK3AK

    I said it was Player 1's win, as he had two pair, A's and K's, Q Kicker,
    But it was argued that it must be awarded to player 2, as he had "pair hole cards, making his hand stronger."

    Please tell me i was right?

    :)

    Ciao

  282. Sean Lind

    2009-09-28

    Joseph,

    You're correct. There's no more value in having a pair in your hand than having the pair on the board.

    In Hold'em you MUST make the BEST 5 card hand, no exceptions.

    This means player 2 must play AAKK7, which loses to AAKKQ.

  283. Joseph

    2009-09-29

    Thanks!

    One more question, and hopefully one of the last....:)

    When two people have a straight, or a flush for that matter, and the highest card in either the straight of flush is on the board, do the players split the pot, or does it come down to the higher hole cards?
    eg -
    P1 = 23
    P2 = A2
    Board = 3456K (or any other River, obviously)

    Thanks in advance!

  284. Sean Lind

    2009-09-29

    Joseph,

    As I said before, you have to make the best 5 card hand.

    In your example it's a split pot, since they both have the same straight (2-6). If the highest card of the straight is on board, it will always be a split pot for two players who have the straight.

    In a flush, it will come down to who has the highest flush. If the AhKhQh2h is all on the board, the player holding Jh would have the nuts, and would beat any player holding any other heart.

  285. Joseph

    2009-09-30

    Awesome!

    Thanks!

  286. scott m

    2009-10-12

    is there a difference between a set and three of a kind or trips, was told that a set is only when you have a pocket pair and a another one hit the board, a friend had one card in his hand and two on the board and tried calling it a set, and i said it was not and it was just three of a kind or trips, can you help? ty

  287. Rino

    2009-10-14

    Playing with some friends we played a poker hand who can get the worst hand...
    i guy had 2-3-4-5-Q
    the other guy had 2-4-6-7-9
    which hand is the worst hand???

    Thank you Rino

  288. Rino

    2009-10-14

    Sorry not sure if it makes a difference...

    the other guy had 3-4-6-7-9

    which hand is the worst hand???

    Thank you Rino

  289. Sean Lind

    2009-10-14

    Scott,

    That is true, you have a set if you hold a pocket pair. If there's two on the board, one in your hand, you have trips.

    Same thing, just a different name.

  290. Sean Lind

    2009-10-14

    Rino,

    Best Hand: 2-3-4-5-Q
    Second Best: 3-4-6-7-9
    Worst hand:2-4-6-7-9

  291. kevin

    2009-10-15

    hi,

    was wonderin, who wins in this case?
    and wats d best card to use for each player?

    board: 9,9,7,5,A

    p1: 7,3
    p2: 5,4

    thanks.

  292. Sean Lind

    2009-10-15

    Hey Kevin,

    First, I suggest you read this article:
    How to Determine the Winning Hand

    After you read it you'll understand why player 1 wins with two pairs: 9977A

    -s

  293. kevin

    2009-10-16

    thanks sean, think i got it

    c if thats right, since they both have same highir pair..the scond pair is compared?

    and now since p2 have highest second pair he wins?

    cheers.

  294. Sean Lind

    2009-10-16

    You got it Kevin.

    -Pce

  295. summit agarwal

    2009-10-16

    hi every one........had a doubt....
    i had 3 & 4 of hearts n the other guy had 9 of hearts....
    the flop was 5,6&8 of hearts,he was chasing and in the end the river opened was Q of hearts...
    so whose the winner

  296. Sean Lind

    2009-10-17

    Summit,

    He wins, he has a higher flush. You don't have to use two cards from your hand in Hold'em, you can use 0,1 or 2.

    You: Q-8-6-5-4
    Him: Q-9-8-6-5

    Since Q-9 is higher than Q-8, he wins.

  297. John

    2009-10-17

    "If two players share the same Four of a Kind" then someone is cheating. HAHAHA

    Or if they are talking about hold-em (which this page currently fails to suggest)...

    Just for arguments sake: who wins if two people have royal flushes? Say one with spades, and the other clubs? Is it a draw, or does it go by who was dealt it first? I'd imagine a draw, but hell, I've been wrong before. :)

  298. Shiv

    2009-10-18

    John: "Just for arguments sake: who wins if two people have royal flushes?"

    This is not possible. For example: One player has "Ks Js" in his hand, other player has "Kc Jc", the flop comes and it is "Qs As 10s", the turn come it is "Qc 10c", one person has royal flush and the other person only has a straight. Since it require each person to have 5 cards of the same suit. The maximum number of cards that can be dealt is 7 cards to each player (2 in his hand, 5 on the board)

  299. dhiren

    2009-10-18

    wht shud i do wen..
    1st hand has 2,2
    2nd hand has 3,9

    and the table has "A A 7 7 5"

    Please clear my confusion!!!

  300. Sean Lind

    2009-10-20

    John,

    Multiple players can have the same 4 of a kind Hold'em only.

    As for two players having a Royal (or any same hand) suits do not matter. It's a chopped pot.

    Shiv,

    In games other than Hold'em, such as Stud, two players can have a royal.

  301. Sean Lind

    2009-10-20

    dhiren,

    Player 2 wins in your scenario. You have to make the best 5-card hand:

    P1 - AA775
    P2 - AA779

  302. James

    2009-10-22

    Ok so i was playing a Texas Hold'em game a few days ago with some buddies. On the board was: J, 10, A, 10, 9. My hand was A, 2. My buddies hand was A, 6. Would he have won because his 6 was higher than my 2? Or would it have been a split pot since there were higher cards on the board?

  303. Sean Lind

    2009-10-22

    James,

    You guys split the pot. You both have the same 5-card hand

    AA1010J

  304. poker player

    2009-10-25

    helped me alot in my games

  305. smokey

    2009-10-29

    you people cant possibly be that poker ignorant

  306. david

    2009-11-01

    ok i have 10-2 player 2-has 10-9

    flop is 10=8-10-k-q would this be split pot seeing we both have 3 10,s with kq to make our 5 cards?

  307. Sean Lind

    2009-11-03

    David,

    You are absolutely correct, Chop it up.

  308. lee

    2009-11-07

    so i have a question...if your playing a single deck poker game which i assume you are how is it possible that two players can have the same 4 of a kind hand?

  309. Sean Lind

    2009-11-10

    Lee,

    In Hold'em you can use any combination of your own cards and the board cards.

    If the board is: KKKK2

    Every player in the hand has the same four of a kind, Kings.

    The winner will be the player with the highest hole card for a kicker, anyone with an Ace has the nuts.

  310. Joao Esteves

    2009-11-13

    Hi all,

    1)
    P1 - Pair of A's
    P2 - Two pairs of 9's

    2)
    P1 - 3 Pairs of 8's
    P2 - Three of a King of 8's

    Who wins? :

  311. Sean Lind

    2009-11-13

    Joao,

    the higher the hand is on the chart above, the better. So take those hands and match them to a rank on the chart above.

    Do that, and all your answers will be revealed.

  312. Joao Esteves

    2009-11-13

    Hi Sean

    Thanks, but I didn't know the answer in case if you have more than 1 Pair vs another single Pair.

    So it seems that 1 or 2 or more pairs count as 1.

    Cheers!

  313. marius

    2009-11-13

    i have a easy Q for people who know to play poker ...is a pear of aa bigger than a pear of kk? tnx

  314. Sean Lind

    2009-11-14

    Marius,

    In poker Aces are both high and low. so a pair of AA will always beat a pair of KK.

  315. leanne

    2009-11-14

    please can someone let me know who wins when these hands appear!!! this has caused a big family argument!!!!!

    play1 has 7 2
    play2 has 7 q

    middle cards are 6 6 7 k 6

    myself says split pot as does play1 but play 2 says its his as his 2nd card queen is bigger than play1 2

    someone help so we can finish the game lol

  316. Sean Lind

    2009-11-15

    Leanne,

    It's a split pot. You can only use 5 cards to make a poker hand. Both players have 7766K

  317. K

    2009-11-17

    There is something I'm not sure about:
    Lets say I have a Flush to K:
    K-10-7-3-2

    Player 2 have a Flush to K as well:
    K-8-7-3-2

    Is this a split pot, or do I win?

  318. Sean Lind

    2009-11-17

    K,

    You win the pot. You take all 5 cards into account when evaluating a flush. Since K-10 is higher than K-8, you're the winner.

  319. JXC

    2009-11-20

    In Texas Hold'em, if the board playing a full house. Is this a tie or split pot if both players have pokets- P1: JJ P2: 77?

    Board: KKK55

    Thanks,
    JXC

  320. wazzza

    2009-11-20

    Player 1 J A
    Player2 A K

    On tablee j j 7 7 7

    Player 1 wins ? or split pot ?

  321. Sean Lind

    2009-11-21

    JXC,

    You have to make the best 5 card hand (wow I write that line a lot!)

    Player 1: KKKJJ
    Player 2: KKK77

    Player 1 wins.

  322. Sean Lind

    2009-11-21

    wazzza,

    Player 1 wins this hand. He has Jacks full of sevens (JJJ77) while player 2 only has sevens full of jacks (777JJ)

  323. buzu

    2009-11-21

    i have a question,i was playing with my friend and on the board there was A 2345, and i had A8 and he had 23,who wins?i thought since there is a straight we split pot cause we both won with a straight

  324. Sean Lind

    2009-11-22

    Buzu,

    You are absolutely correct. You have to play the best five card hand possible. For both of you this is a straight, A2345

  325. lucky dog100

    2009-11-23

    hi.I invented a new kind of poker!!!
    i called it mov'em.
    there are 4 players.
    each player gets 4 cards.
    and 1 card on his side.
    each player needs to mach his cards to that one card.
    until a player wins the tournament.
    the one with the least cards won

  326. Lupty

    2009-11-24

    Hi, I've been playing poker for a little bit but I came accross something I didn't think was right.

    Player 1: AA
    Player 2: 37

    Flop: A72 K 4

    I was player 2, and I lost, but I don't know why. There were 7 people left at the table, thus 7 was the "Wild Number". Shouldn't that have made my pair beat the Aces? Thanks.

  327. Sean Lind

    2009-11-25

    Lupty,

    Hey, so I think you're saying that 7's are wild. If that's true you lose (well, even if it isn't true you sill lose)

    If no wild, you have a pair of 7's, they have three aces. If there is a wild card your best hand would be a straight 2-3-4-5-6 (2-3-4-7-7)

    While your opponent has four of a kind AAAA (AAA7)

  328. Matthew

    2009-11-29

    Please, please help we are about to start killing each other. Flop is Ace,Ace,Jack,Jack,Eight One player has six,six, one player has King, two. Who wins or is it a split? Please we're ready for 911.

  329. Sean Lind

    2009-11-30

    Matthew,

    Flop: AAJJ8
    P1: 66
    P2: K2

    Player two wins the entire pot. You have to make the best 5-card hand possible. Player one got counterfeit and is now player the board (the best 5-card hand player 1 can make is AAJJ8). Player 2 has a king, which is higher than the 8, so he's playing AAJJK.

    Player 2 wins.

  330. Jacques

    2009-12-01

    In your presentation of the Four of a King, you write :
    "Any four cards of the same rank. If two players share the same Four of a Kind, the bigger fifth card (known as the kicker) decides who wins the pot."
    How it's possible, only 4 kings (or other same rank) in each game of card.

  331. Sean Lind

    2009-12-01

    Jacques,
    In a community card game it's possible for there to be four of a kind on the board:
    KKKK2

    The player with the highest ranked card in their hand would win (I.E anyone with an ace has the nuts)

  332. PONOLOA

    2009-12-01

    In OMAHA Player1: A333 Player2: A222 Board: 8A3 6 6 .....Is this a split pot or does Player1 win? I say the A3 wins because you MUST play two hole cards, and 3 from the board...my friend says the 8 kicks the 3, so they split. He says because its a four card hand (two-pair) Please explain? Thanks in advance.

  333. Sean Lind

    2009-12-01

    Ponoloa,

    Player one has a full house, player two has two pair.

    You have to use exactly two cards from your hand, and three from the board. The best possible hand player 1 can make is 33366

    The best possible hand player 2 can make is AA662.

    A clear win for Player 1.

  334. PONOLOA

    2009-12-02

    Sorry, that was not a good example. Player1 did not have a "boat" (full house) so his hand was something like A334 and player2 had A224 with the board the same 8A3 6 6 . Both were looking at a two-pair hand. Does P1 win AA366 or does P2 win with AA466. Does the 8 on the board play, making them split?

  335. Sean Lind

    2009-12-02

    Ponoloa,

    Ok, well in your second example, player 1 still has a full house, but I see what you're trying to say here.

    P1: A554
    P2: A664
    Board: A77J2

    Now make the best 5-card hands for each player, using exactly 2 cards from each hand.

    P1:AA775
    P2:AA776

    Player two wins in this scenario. Because you must play two cards, neither player can use the J as their kicker, forcing them to rely on a second card from their hand. Since Player 2 has a 6, while Player 1 only has a 5, Player 2 wins.

  336. King 13

    2009-12-11

    is it possible to have a pair or two pair and those cards be included as part of a straight or flush?

  337. Sean Lind

    2009-12-11

    King,

    You can have a pair and a straight, but you end up not using the cards which give you the pair. So although you hold them in the hand, you don't actually play then in the final hand.

    You hold 78
    Board 56892

    Here you have a straight 5-6-7-8-9, but you also have a pair of 8's. Since you can only play 5 cards, you only have a straight.

  338. james

    2009-12-12

    hi is three kings better than three 3s

  339. BodyBuzz

    2009-12-13

    What is the high card in a straight flush, A 2 3 4 5? In other words: Can the A be used as high and low card at the same time?

  340. Sean Lind

    2009-12-14

    James,

    The ranking of cards in poker for pairs, three of a kinds and quads goes as follows (from worst to best):

    2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q,K,A

    Since Kings are to the right of 3's, three kings will always beat three threes.

  341. Sean Lind

    2009-12-14

    BodyBuzz,

    In poker the Ace has to be either high, or low. Since your straight flush goes A 2 3 4 5, the ace must be low since you can't wrap a straight around (for example Q K A 2 3 is never a straight)

    In a flush situation, the Ace will always be high, but when it comes to a straight, or straight flush, the ace must play in it's straight form, thus it's low for the wheel.

  342. Adult Toys Poker

    2009-12-15

    I've been beaten by A7 by A9 but the board cards are A95QQ. I thought this sould be split pot?

  343. Sean Lind

    2009-12-15

    Adult,

    On the board A95QQ any Ace with a 9 or lower kicker will split the pot with the same.

  344. Kukpa

    2009-12-20

    Please help
    4 4 10 10 2 community cards
    p1 A7
    p2 J2

    which is winner?

  345. louis

    2009-12-20

    what happens when the deck finishes?

  346. dave

    2009-12-20

    Kukpa....
    p1 would win... their hand would be Two pair (4s & 10s, with an Ace kicker).

    p2 would have (4s & 10s, with a J kicker)

  347. dave

    2009-12-20

    Kukpa... I of course, assumed that no one had a flush... 5 cards of the same suit.

    Which is entirely possible for either player..... since there's 3 distinct cards in the community and two distinct cards in each hand.

  348. dave

    2009-12-20

    Louis....
    Not sure what you mean by 'the deck finishes"....

    It is customary when playing poker (draw, stud, hold'em, etc) to reshuffle the deck after every hand.

    If you're playing 5 card Draw.... assuming everybody takes 3 cards... that's still 6 players (8 cards each... 48 total).... Hold 'em... with 9 players (the custom) at least two staying in to the River... that's only 26 cards.

  349. Jose

    2009-12-21

    Who Wins?

    The board is Q Q 6 6 7

    P1:A K

    P2:J J

  350. terry

    2009-12-21

    if some one had say k 3 not suited and some one has a pair of sixes in there hand the on the flop a five comes and then nothing on the turn but on the river another five comes up which hand would be the winning hand

  351. Sean Lind

    2009-12-21

    Kukpa,

    what Dave said.

    Lois,

    The only games which can see the deck run out of cards are 7-card games (Stud, Razz, Stud8). When this happens, instead of dealing the final street as a single down card to each remaining player, you deal one card face up in the middle as a community card.

  352. Sean Lind

    2009-12-21

    Jose,

    Player two wins with a better two pair: QQJJ7.

    Player one only has QQ66A

  353. Sean Lind

    2009-12-21

    Terry,

    You have to make the best five card hand possible. If the player with 66 holds 6655x they have two pair. So they would beat K3, as long as there is no King on the board, or the king 3 doesn't make a flush, or the 3 doesn't make a straight with A2455 as the board.

  354. LEEBOY

    2009-12-22

    community cards are A,10,10,A,6

    p1 has:K,7
    p2 has:3,3.

    who wins

  355. Sean Lind

    2009-12-22

    Leeboy,

    Player one wins. Since you have to make the best five card hand, both players have have two pair, AA and 1010. The winner is the player with a bigger kicker. Player one has a King, player two plays the board with a 6.

  356. matei

    2009-12-24

    Something super strange has happened as i was playing on full tilt (on the web): i had a pair of jacks and the other an ace and a four, and on the flop it was another four, and he won the hand with a smaller pair and an ace. how is this possible?

  357. Sam

    2009-12-25

    One player has two pairs QQ88 but decalres only "Pair of Queens".

    Other player has JJ55 and claims the pot because the first player declared mistakenly "One pair".

    First player loses. Right?

    Sam

  358. Bill One-Eye

    2009-12-25

    Absoltely...whatever you declare stands. Declare wrong and you lose. Simple. Make sureyou declare right then you'll win otherwise you lose!

  359. Poker-Mon

    2009-12-25

    If you declare the wrong thing then you lose even if you had four aces and you declare "two pairs" and the other player has three somethings you lose because you didn't declare FOUR aces.

    You gotta pay attention in poker all the way through from start to finish especially the finish.

  360. Ace High

    2009-12-26

    What you declare is what counts. You can't claim a higher hand if you declare low. Gotta be careful. I saw half a million $ lost a guy declared pair of aces and missed the pair of 2's in the middle. the other guy had pair of sixes and the two's in the middle. Finished. Aces lost.

  361. Sean Lind

    2009-12-28

    Matei,

    I'm sorry, but the only reason I can think of for A4 beating JJ is the A4 either his a pair of Aces, or the hand hit a straight.

    I've never seen Full Tilt make a mistake at showdown, and would be extremely surprised if I ever did.

  362. Sean Lind

    2009-12-28

    Sam,

    Despite what the other people have said in reply, the first player in your example (with queens and eights) wins the pot.

    The rule here is known as "Cards Speak". It doesn't matter what you say you have, it only matters what your cards show you having. JJ55 had a worse hand, so he loses the pot.

    It is against the rules to knowingly mis-declare your hand at showdown, but the game does not punish players for an honest mistake (or outright stupidity). People will be upset with you for the verbal slow roll, but it's not going to cost you the hand.

    That is unless you say what you think you have, then muck your hand. If you don't turn over your hand at showdown, you can't win.

    In short, Cards Speak, and the cards don't lie. If you show your hand, your hand is rated on the value of your cards, not on what you think or say.

  363. yooblonder

    2009-12-30

    Re Sam's question and Sean Lind's reply...

    What happens if a player doesn't declare their second card initially? Can that one be used later to win or is it too late?

  364. Sean Lind

    2009-12-30

    yooblonder,

    Yes, as long as you just turn the cards over, you'll win (with the winning hand). You need to show both cards to win, but you don't need to say anything. Words are just words, cards speak for themselves.

  365. jusitn

    2009-12-31

    if i have a flush with an ace kicker and the oppenent has a flush with a ten kicker who wins?

  366. Stunned

    2010-01-01

    K and Q hearts
    10 Diamonds
    9 & J of Diamonds (off suit)

    Does 3 10's off suit beat this hand?

  367. Sean Lind

    2010-01-01

    Justin,

    There are no kickers for flushes? What cards did you both have?

  368. Sean Lind

    2010-01-01

    Stunned,

    Absolutely not. A straight always beats three of a kind.

  369. justin

    2010-01-01

    i had a 2 and ace of clubs she had a 10 and a 7 of clubs. i win because i have an ace high flush right?

  370. Sean Lind

    2010-01-02

    Justin,

    You are correct, a flush with the ace is better than any other.

  371. Mahesh

    2010-01-03

    Hey everybody...
    If both the players have Royal flush, 1 has of Spade and other one of diamond, then how will we decide the winner??

  372. Hof

    2010-01-03

    Plz Answer

    Board:9 4 J J 10

    Me:9 4
    Him:J 2

    Who wins? Thnx

  373. BUGS

    2010-01-04

    plz answer.....


    we playing 7 card stud we both have a pair of A's...



    who wins????
    plz answer quik im in some arguement with a friend

  374. lucky

    2010-01-04

    TX Hold Em
    board:6663Q
    p1:77
    p2:Q2
    who wins?

  375. Stef

    2010-01-04

    Hi I was wondering if there is straight with the cards the dealer put down and I use a card of my own and the other player has nothing but straight from down who wins? do I win, because i used one of my own cards?

  376. Sean Lind

    2010-01-04

    Mahesh,

    If two players have the same hand, such as a royal flush, the players split the pot.

    Suit rankings are never used to determine a winning hand in any standard poker variations.

  377. Sean Lind

    2010-01-04

    Hof,

    You have to make the best 5 card hand possible.

    You have - JJ9910 (two pair)
    he has - JJJ109 (three of a kind)

    he wins.

  378. Sean Lind

    2010-01-04

    Bugs,

    In stud all 5 cards of your 5-card hand count towards your hand.

    If you both have a pair of aces, the winner is the player with the best (highest ranking) three other cards to go along with the pair. These are known as kickers.

    Example:
    AAJ96 is better than AA1043
    AAK32 is better than AAQJ10
    AAQJ8 is better than AAQJ6

  379. Sean Lind

    2010-01-04

    Lucky,

    Player two wins.

    P1 - 66677
    P2 - 666QQ

    Player two wins with a full house, sixes over queens, while player 1 only has a full house sixes over sevens.

  380. Sean Lind

    2010-01-04

    Stef,

    In Hold'em it makes no difference where your cards come from. This means that a straight using all 5 board cards, or a straight using just three board cards are exactly the same (assuming the straights are of the same value).

    The only way you will win by using a card from your hand is if your card gives you a higher straight. For example:

    You - 45
    Him - KQ
    Board A-2-3-4-5

    You split this pot, you both have a straight ace to five.


    You - 56
    Him - KQ
    Board A-2-3-4-5

    Here you win this pot, you have a straight deuce to six, while he only has a straight ace to five.

  381. Dana

    2010-01-05

    question: If theres a full house on the table, who wins?..do you split pot or whoever has the highest card wins?

  382. Dana

    2010-01-05

    who wins pot?
    board: 7 10 7 10 10

    me: A 8
    him:3 6

  383. Alex

    2010-01-05

    splitpot

  384. Sean Lind

    2010-01-05

    Dana,

    In your second post with the hands, it's a split pot, they have the same 5-card hand: 10-10-10-7-7

    If one player had a pocket pair, higher than 7, they would have won with a better full house.

  385. morri

    2010-01-06

    sean ya wrong the ace would be the decider in dana,s situation ....

  386. Sean Lind

    2010-01-06

    Morri,

    Actually, if you use the ace then you only have three of a kind, with an ace kicker.

    To make the best possible hand you need to use the board, for a full house. The ace does nothing for this hand.

  387. gagandeep

    2010-01-07

    why there is 13 cards in deck

  388. jakhu

    2010-01-07

    how can i use a playing cards for a calander

  389. Tupac

    2010-01-08

    I had a Jack and Seven other guy had a Ace and Queen... Dealer cards showed 2 six's.. who wins?

  390. Sean Lind

    2010-01-08

    Tupac,

    So you are alive... I knew it.

    Unfortunately I can't answer your question, you're going to have to give me all 5 board cards.

  391. Tupac

    2010-01-09

    Dont tell anyone i am speaking from beyond the grave lol

    About my question, I cant remember the other three cards that where on the flop i just remember 2 six's... surely the Ace Queen should win but i won with Jack Seven... i was playing at 888.com and there was 8 players first player won the pot (5000 chips) with good cards (which i dont remember what they where) i was second i won a little chips (152) but the 3rd guy should have won some chips too since he had Ace Queen, right? If this makes sense lol :D

  392. Robert Gibson

    2010-01-09

    In Texas hold'em what is a better starting hand pocket 3's or AJ un-suited ?

  393. Giorgos

    2010-01-10

    I think i don't understand the standing of high card???

  394. Anthony

    2010-01-10

    My Brother and i were playing holdem the other night and im confussed as to who won the last hand. He had a pair of 4's i had a Q 7 in our hands. The flop was 3 A's the turn and river were both 9's. How should that have been handled.

  395. Sean Lind

    2010-01-11

    Tupac,

    If you won with J7, then you either made a straight or hit a pair along with the two sixes. Otherwise AQ would have won.

  396. Sean Lind

    2010-01-11

    Robert,

    If you're putting the two hands against each other (33 vs AJ), 33 is a better starting hand

    33 - 53%
    AJ - 47%

    But, if we put 9 players in a hand, one with 33, one with AJ, and the other 7 with random hands AJ will take a small lead (assuming all players go to the river ever hand)

    Over 2 million permutations:

    33- 13.5%
    AJ - 19%

  397. Sean Lind

    2010-01-11

    Giorgos,

    If no players have a pair or better, the winner is the player with the highest value high-card in their hand:

    P1 - AJ
    P2 - KJ
    Board - Q9432

    In this scenario, Player 1 wins with ace high - AQJ94.

    If the two players have the same high-card, you check the second highest card, and so on. If all players have the exact same hand, it's a split pot.

  398. Sean Lind

    2010-01-11

    Anthony,

    Since you have to make the best 5-card hand possible, it was a split pot.

    AAA99
    You - Q7
    Him - 44

    The best hand both of you can make is a full house, Aces over nines. Since you're both playing the board, it's a split pot.

  399. Sue V.

    2010-01-11

    We were playing Omaha and two people had a heart flush. the cards on the table were 7,8, K. One person had a 2 & 6, the other had a 10 & a jack. They argued who one the hand because the person with the lower cards said they both had a King as their top card. so who is thewinner?

  400. Sean Lind

    2010-01-11

    Sue,

    In Omaha you have to make a five card hand, and all five cards in that hand count.

    Player1 Heart Flush - KJT98
    Player2 Heart Flush - K8762

    Look at all five cards and you can see that Player 1 clearly has a larger flush, they win.

  401. Tupac

    2010-01-13

    Hey Sean Lind!

    I didnt make a straight or 2 pairs nor a flush i had a 2 pair 6's from the board but never mind cus i dont know the other three cards from the flop, it was something to do with a kicker or either a counterfeit i'll never know, thanks any way...

    p.s

    Player One: J,7
    Player Two: 10,2

    Flop: K Q 5 8 10

    player one wins...cus if even tho player two has 2 pair 10’s
    K Q J 10 8 beats K Q 10 10 8

    (jack beats 10) am i right or wrong.

    thanks.

  402. Sean Lind

    2010-01-14

    Tupac,

    You're wrong, very wrong.

    http://www.pokerlistings.com/strategy/beginner/how-to-determine-the-winning-hand

    read that article, and if needed read the basic Hold'em rules in our rules section. Those should clear some things up for you.

  403. Tupac

    2010-01-15

    Sean lol,

    I know i was wrong but what i was trying to get at was this... if J,7 where happen to connect with the flop how would it? And the same with 10,2. (what would the layout be with the flop)

    p.s thanks for the site.

  404. Sean Lind

    2010-01-15

    Tupac,

    I don't really know what you're asking, but I'm willing to take a guess.

    Hand1 - J7
    Hand2 - T2

    Board - AAKKT

    In this scenario, the 10-2 hit their ten on the river, but it doesn't help them. both player have two pair - Aces and kings, but J7 has a better kicker on the two pair.

    Is this what you mean?

  405. Tupac

    2010-01-15

    Hey Sean,

    I understand that but its not what i meant, i try putting it in simple terms.

    Hand1: J,7
    Hand2:10,2

    Flop: Q 5 8 K 10

    What 5 cards would hand one make... K Q J 8 10?

    Or does it have no need to make 5 cards since it has a Jack high card (in other words high card King).

  406. Tupac

    2010-01-15

    J7 has only a hard card King but in texas hold em you have to make 5 cards so will they be K Q J 8 10.

  407. Sean Lind

    2010-01-15

    Tupac,

    In hold'em you always have to make a five card hand.

    In that scenario:
    Hand1: J,7
    Hand2:10,2

    Board: Q 5 8 K 10

    Hand1 - K-Q-J-10-8 (high card)
    Hand2 - 10-10-K-Q-8 (pair of tens)

    Obviously, Player 2 wins.

  408. Tupac

    2010-01-16

    Sean,

    yep thats what i needed to know the layout K Q J 10 8 and 10 10 K Q 8 thanks lol.

    By the way in texas hold em No Limit if i have 5100 chips and other player has 5000 we both go all in and the other player wins will i get 100 chips back since he beat only 5000 and i beat 5100.

    thanks.

  409. Sean lInd

    2010-01-16

    Tupac,

    You are correct, you'd get the 100 chips back. You can only win back what you're able to put in. This is known as "Table stakes"

  410. Tupac

    2010-01-16

    Cheers Sean,

    I also figured out the first confusing question about the (j,7 and A,Q) with the two 6's let me know if you would like me to elaborate.

    sorry, i have one last question.

    player1: 6,5
    player2: 6,2

    Flop: 3,6,3,3,9

    In this case both have a fullhouse and its a split darw, does the nine in the flop play a role counterfeiting the 6's?

  411. Tupac

    2010-01-16

    Correction......... "spilt pot"

  412. Ktm

    2010-01-17

    i had T5 and my frnd had 7 5.
    and the cards were 8 5 5 9 4
    who wins??or is it a split?

  413. Tupac

    2010-01-17

    Ktm,

    T,5 wins with a Ten kicker.

  414. Sean Lind

    2010-01-18

    Tupac,

    The 9 doesn't play since you have to make a 5-card hand. Both players are playing 33366, split pot.

  415. Sean Lind

    2010-01-18

    Ktm,

    Tupac is correct, it's a split pot. Make the best 5-card hand you can for both players:

    You - 555T9
    Friend - 55598

    Since 10 is higher than 9, you win.

  416. Tupac

    2010-01-18

    Thx Sean Lind,

    Hey, whats your asl, are you a professional poker player?

    p.s. this is a good website is it yours.

  417. Sean Lind

    2010-01-19

    You're welcome.

    About me:
    http://www.pokerlistings.com/featured-authors/sean-lind

    And I'm Canadian.

    I wish the site was mine, but no. This site is far too big to be any one person's. I'm just part of the content team. I used to play cards professionally (low limits, mostly live), but now I just play for fun from time to time.

  418. Tupac

    2010-01-19

    Whats Up Seany,

    Cheers 4 da site... hmmmmm who would u recommend the greatest poker player.

    Did u play in any tournaments with the grand prize being 100,000.


  419. gena lewis

    2010-01-20

    Hey I have a quick question:

    What about if the dealers hand was : K(diamond), K (Spade), 9(SPADE), 9 (heart) and 4(clover).

    My hand: K(clover), K(heart), 5(heart), 6(clover), and 7(spade).
    WHO WINS?

  420. Sean Lind

    2010-01-21

    Tupac,

    Greatest poker player: Ivey
    As for tournaments I've played in a few, the largest grand prize being worth 12 million. (WSOP Main Event 2006).

    I didn't win it.

  421. Sean Lind

    2010-01-21

    gena lewis,

    Your hand - You have a pair of kings: KK765
    His hand - He has two pair, kings and nines KK994

    He wins.

  422. Kevin

    2010-01-21

    At the end of a game, if a player wins, then finds he has three cards (1 card was stuck to the back of another) - what happens to that player? Does he have to muck and who wins the pot?

  423. Sean Lind

    2010-01-21

    Kevin,

    If at anytime you're found with a number of cards above or below the correct amount (I.E 3 cards in Hold'em), it's considered a fouled hand.

    You hand is killed, and you forfeit the pot, and all the money you put into it, no exceptions.

  424. Stef

    2010-01-22

    Question!

    player A have A K, player B have A 6 on the flop come up 7,2 9 and turn and river is 2 and 3, no flush combinations possible. my question is who wins or is it split pot

  425. Sean Lind

    2010-01-23

    Stef,

    All five cards of you hand count:
    Player A has 2-2-A-K-9
    Player B has 2-2-A-9-7

    So Player A wins

  426. Tupac

    2010-01-23

    Sean Lind,

    Phil Ivey vs Stu Ungar head 2 head... ur winning recommendation?

    p.s i asked this question before:

    In texas hold em No Limit if i have 5100 chips and other player has 5000 we both go all in and the other player wins will i get 100 chips back since he beat only 5000 and i beat 5100.

    But will i also get 100 chips back in "pot limit" texas hold em.

    Thank You. :O)

  427. Tupac

    2010-01-23

    Player1 bet 40 chips

    Player2 bets 40 chips

    player3 only had 10 chips and goes all-in

    Does this mean player3 is playing for 30 chips and the 30 chips goes into the main pot and player 1 and 2 are playing for 60 chips and this goes into a side pot?

    player3 wins and takes main pot

    player2 has secondy best hand and takes 60 chips

    if player 2 didnt have secondy best hand would he get 30 chips and the other 30 chips will go to player 1?

  428. wira

    2010-01-23

    hi,
    if the board is - 10,6,3,8,k
    player1- 10,A
    player2-10,Q
    player3-10,9
    who wins?

    if board is - 6,7,8,9,A
    player 1-10,7
    player 2-10-Q
    who wins

  429. wira

    2010-01-23

    if the board is - A,A,A,9,9

    player 1- 9,10 or 4,4
    player 2- 10,10

  430. Ed

    2010-01-23

    My poker gang gets hung up on suit ranking every now and again. I have never played poker where one suit was ranked higher than another or suits were used to break ties. Can anyone point me to an authoritative source one way or the other?

  431. Eddie

    2010-01-25

    Thissite has helped me alot to play gud poker!!!!!!it's the best poker learning site!!!!!!

  432. Sean Lind

    2010-01-25

    Tupac,

    Firstly Ungar versus Ivey. There is no way to tell who would have won this. The problem, as I see it, is that both players are absolute monsters at the table, both playing almost exclusively on reads and insight. It's impossible to predict who would have gotten the better read of the two.

    As for getting the $100 chips back, this is true in any table stakes game (I.E all of today's variations of poker).

    Side pots: You always resolve the side pots first.

    So who has the better hand - Player 1 or Player 2? The winner of that wins the $60 side pot.

    That winner (and only that winner) now compares his hand with Player 3 for the main pot, the winner takes that.

  433. Sean Lind

    2010-01-25

    wira,

    You have to make the best 5 card hand for each player. In your first example Player1 wins. All players have a pair of 10's, but Player one has the best kicker with the ace. His five card hand is 10-10-A-K-8.

    In your second example, all players make the same 5-card hand. 6-7-8-9-10. It's a split pot.

    Finally your third example, Player 2 wins it all. You judge a full house by the valued of the trips first, and the pair second. Since both players use AAA as their trips, the player with the highest pair wins. Player two has AAA1010 which is better than AAA99.

  434. Sean Lind

    2010-01-25

    Ed,

    In poker, suits are NEVER used to determine a winning hand. If two players have the same straight or same flush, it's a split pot.

    The only time suits are used in poker is when high-carding for the dealer, dealing for seats, chip racing and determining the bring in Stud.

    In poker suit ranking is alphabetical from worst to best:

    Clubs
    Diamonds
    Hearts
    Spades

  435. Eric

    2010-01-25

    Hi,

    I have a question.

    Is 2 3 4 5 6 stronger straight then A 2 3 4 5 and

    if A K Q J 10 is the highest straight what is the lowest... A 2 3 4 5?

  436. Sean Lind

    2010-01-25

    Eric,

    You are correct on all counts. Aces can be either high or low in most forms of poker. This means all straights are linear from ace to ace:

    A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A

    All straight have to be 5 consecutive cards in there. The value of the straight is as high as the right most card. This makes the lowest possible straight A-2-3-4-5 and the highest 10-J-Q-K_A

  437. Chet

    2010-01-26

    When playing 5 card wild cards when 2 pairs are deal what is best play. Draw one or three?

  438. Joni

    2010-01-28

    Four players hold four royal flushes. Which royal flush will win over the other three?

  439. Sean Lind

    2010-01-28

    Chet,

    Draw one. You have a much better chance at making a full house than quads by drawing one. But the more wild cards you have, the stronger you hand needs to be to win. If you're playing with 4 or more wild cards, a full house should be played more like a weak two pair. It's not useless, but not worth betting the farm.

  440. Sean Lind

    2010-01-28

    Joni,

    It will be a split pot. When two players have the exact same hand (such as a royal flush), they split the pot.

  441. karl

    2010-01-29

    what if both players have a staight player 1 has A and 3 the other player has 7 and 9 the flop is 23456 who wins? another question who wins if both players have fullhouse the player 1 has A and 8 player 2 has A 7 who wins if the flop is 444AK what if both players have the same cards will the symbol matter or its a split pot? thats all ty

  442. karl

    2010-01-29

    what if we both have flush player 1 has K heart Aof spades player 2 has Kheart 3spades the flop is 2 heart 6 heart 7heart jheart Adiamond who wins?

  443. Sean Lind

    2010-01-29

    Karl,

    First, 3-4-5-6-7 is a higher straight than A-2-3-4-5, so the player holding 7-9 would win.

    Second, both players have the same hand - 444AA,so it's a split pot.

    Finally in your third question both player have the King of hearts, so nobody wins, since there's obviously been a major mistake made in the deal.

  444. garry kedwell

    2010-01-31

    what is the winning hand..in diamonds queen,jack,ten,nine,eight...in hearts jack,ten,nine,eight,seven....both are straight flushes.

  445. Trebar420

    2010-01-31

    If two people have a flush and the ace of suit is on the river does the next highest card win

  446. Trebar420

    2010-01-31

    Please help big argument millions involved

  447. don montano

    2010-01-31

    which hand wins in royal flush?spades,hearts,diamonds,or clovers

  448. Sean Lind

    2010-02-01

    Garry,

    Queen is higher than Jack, so the straight flush 8-Q wins. The suits mean nothing.

  449. Sean Lind

    2010-02-01

    Trebar420,

    You are correct. The player with the highest card of that suit (to make 5-suited cards) wins the pot. If no player can beat the rank of 5 suited cards on the board, only then will it be a split pot.

  450. Sean Lind

    2010-02-01

    don montano,

    No one wins. Suits do not matter for ranking a hand. If two players have the exact same hand (such as a royal flush), then they split the pot.

  451. Alex

    2010-02-04

    Player1- King hearts jack speads
    player2- 10 hearts 8 hearts

    Board- A hearts 2 hearts 3 hearts 4 hearts 7 clubs

    does player2 have a more powerful flush hand cus he has 2 pair hearts

    or does player1 cus he has a King

    please answer

  452. Sean Lind

    2010-02-04

    Alex,

    You can use 0, 1 or 2 cards from your hand to make the best 5-card combination possible. So Player one wins with a higher flush- AK432 all hearts.

  453. Lindsey

    2010-02-06

    Okay, in texas hold em' this is the flop:
    Ace, nine,eight,five, three (all different suits)
    Player 1 has : Ace , Ten
    Player 2 has : Ace, Seven
    PLayer 3 has: Ace, Duece
    Who wins the pot, or is it a split pot?

  454. fire boy

    2010-02-06

    hi
    board card was 10 9 8 7 6
    i had kk
    another guy had k9
    will you tell who should win?
    please answer

  455. Sean Lind

    2010-02-08

    Lindsey,

    Player 1 wins the pot, he has the best kicker with his pair of aces.

    P1 - AAT98
    P2 - AA987
    P3 - AA985

    As you can see, after the pair, Player 1 has the highest kicker, so he/she wins it all.

  456. Sean Lind

    2010-02-08

    fire boy,

    It's a split pot. You have to make the best 5-card hand, using any combination of your cards and the boards.

    Since the best hand either of you can make is a straight 6-10, it's a split pot.

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