Poker Hand Rankings Chart for Texas Hold'em

One of the things you’ll notice when checking out the hand rankings is that the higher-ranked hands are much harder to make. The probability of making these hands is very low, which is what makes them so valuable.

While it’s not necessarily important to know that you only get a royal flush once in every 650,000 times or so, it’s good to understand just how rare these hands are as it puts your opponent’s possible range into perspective. If you do want to get a better understanding of the important poker math, make sure you check out our poker odds calculator, where you can explore the equities of different hands on the flop, turn, and river.

A mistake beginners make is always assuming that their opponent has a much stronger hand than them. Even if they hold a strong hand, they convince themselves that their opponent must have a better one if they’re continuing to bet. However, being able to look at how rare these hands are should help you put into perspective how infrequently your opponent will have these hands, allowing you to play with more freedom.

If you’re a bit of a math aficionado and want to know how it’s calculated, here’s how it’s done.

We start by working out the number of possible five-card hands. This can be found with the equation 5⁵², which equals 2,598,960.

Then, we divide the possible number of hand combinations by that number. For example, there are four possible ways to make a royal flush, so the calculation is 4/2,598,960, which can be simplified to 1 in 649,739.

Games That Use Poker Hand Ranking Systems

In poker, each possible hand you can make is ranked by its rarity, with the rarer hands being more valuable and therefore ranked higher than more common hands. However, it’s important to note that not all games use the same hand ranking system, as the rules between variants can differ greatly. The above poker hand rankings chart mentioned above applies to the following games.

• Texas Hold’em
• Omaha
• Stud
• Five-Card Draw

How to Play Different Hands Based on Their Strength

Understanding how to play different poker hands effectively is crucial for success in Texas Hold’em. While hand rankings give you a foundational understanding of which hands are stronger, the real skill comes from knowing how to play these hands in various scenarios, based on position, stack size, and opponent behavior. Below, we’ll break down specific strategies for playing pocket pairs, suited connectors, and low-value hands, including bluffing tactics.

1. Pocket Pairs: A Foundation of Power

Pocket pairs are some of the most straightforward hands to play, but each pocket pair comes with its own level of risk and reward. Here’s how to approach them based on their rank:

Premium Pocket Pairs (Aces, Kings, Queens)

These hands are the strongest in Texas Hold’em and should be played aggressively. In most cases, you’ll want to raise or re-raise preflop to build the pot. Be wary of overcards on the flop when holding Kings or Queens, as an Ace on the board could spell trouble if your opponents are betting heavily. Avoid slow-playing these hands too often, as giving free cards to your opponents can backfire.

Strategy Tip: Aim to build the pot preflop and post-flop by betting strong. If you see an overcard on the flop, be cautious but still apply pressure by betting. Don’t be afraid to fold to heavy action if you sense your opponent has hit an Ace.

Mid-Pocket Pairs (Jacks to Sixes)

These hands are solid but can be more vulnerable to overcards. In early position, it’s better to raise but proceed with caution if the flop brings higher cards. When in late position, you can consider seeing a cheap flop and evaluating your strength based on the community cards. Look for opportunities to hit a set (three of a kind), which can lead to a big payoff if you conceal the strength of your hand.

Strategy Tip: If you hit a set on the flop, consider slow-playing against aggressive players to extract maximum value. If the flop shows high cards, it’s best to proceed with caution and limit your losses if your hand seems weak.

Low Pocket Pairs (Fives to Twos)

Low pocket pairs are speculative hands, and their value mostly comes from hitting a set on the flop. Without hitting a set, these hands are often too weak to continue unless you’re in late position, where you can attempt a steal. Play these hands for set-mining—if you hit a set, you’re often in a great position to win a large pot.

Strategy Tip: Only call a small bet or limp in with low pocket pairs from early or middle position. Avoid overcommitting to these hands without hitting a set.

2. Suited Connectors: The Power of Potential

Suited connectors (cards that are both connected and suited, like 7-6 of hearts) are excellent hands for creating draws to straights and flushes, especially in multi-way pots.

Early Stage Play

In early stages or tight games, suited connectors offer strong potential for catching a monster hand (flush or straight). You can limp or call small raises with suited connectors to see the flop. Post-flop, if you hit a draw, be aggressive with semi-bluffs, especially when you’re up against opponents with obvious high pairs.

Strategy Tip: If you flop a strong draw (open-ended straight or flush draw), consider semi-bluffing to build the pot while putting pressure on your opponents. This strategy forces weaker hands to fold and improves your odds of winning either by hitting your hand or bluffing out your opponent.

Late Stage or Late Position Play

Suited connectors become much more valuable when you’re in late position and can see how your opponents are playing. If everyone checks or plays passively, suited connectors can be a great opportunity to steal the blinds or take control of the hand with a raise. When you do hit a draw or a pair, you can often take control of the hand and outplay opponents who are only focused on high cards.

Strategy Tip: Play suited connectors more aggressively in late position. Bluffing or semi-bluffing works well because suited connectors are less obvious than premium hands, and your opponents won’t always see it coming.

3. Low-Value Hands: Knowing When to Bluff

Low-value hands, also known as “junk hands,” might not seem like much on the surface, but they can be used effectively in strategic bluffs. The key with these hands is position and opponent behavior.

Bluffing with Low Hands

Low-value hands (like 8-4 offsuit or J-5) have little to no chance of winning at showdown. However, when you’re in late position and see weakness from your opponents, these hands can become prime candidates for a well-timed bluff. Bluffing works best when you have a tight image at the table, and your opponents respect your raises.

Strategy Tip: If you’re in late position and everyone has folded or just limped in, consider raising to steal the blinds. Be ready to fold to any significant resistance or re-raises, as low-value hands generally have poor playability post-flop.

Bluffing Post-Flop

Sometimes, even when you miss the flop, you can still win the pot through a continuation bet (C-bet). For example, if you’re the preflop aggressor, you can represent a strong hand even if the board is unfavorable to you. Many opponents will fold weaker hands, assuming you’ve hit something.

Strategy Tip: Use continuation bets after raising preflop to maintain pressure. The key is not to overuse this tactic; mix up your bluffs with value bets to stay unpredictable.

4. Adjusting Based on Opponents

The success of playing hands based on their strength isn’t just about what’s in your hand—it’s also about understanding your opponents. Adjust your hand strategy based on the type of players you’re up against:

Against Tight Players

Tight players are likely to fold to aggression unless they have a strong hand. Bluffing against these players can be effective, especially with suited connectors or junk hands in late position.

Strategy Tip: Be aggressive against tight players when you sense weakness, but be ready to fold if they fight back, as they usually hold strong hands.

Against Loose Players

Loose players will call or raise with a wide range of hands, making them harder to bluff. Focus on value betting with strong hands, as loose players are more likely to call your bets even when they’re behind.

Strategy Tip: Play stronger hands aggressively against loose players and avoid bluffing too much, as they’ll often call even with marginal hands.

Hand Rankings in Other Poker Games

One important thing to be aware of is that not all poker games use the same hand ranking system. Depending on the game you’re playing, you may encounter a slight difference in the hand ranking chart, or find it completely turned upside down!

For example, in Short Deck, a flush is more valuable than a full house due to the 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s being removed from the deck. Also, the lowest straight you can make in this game is A6789, as the ace can still count as a high card or low card when making straights. This can take a bit of getting used to when playing for the first time, especially if you’re used to playing Texas Hold’em, where full houses are one of the strongest hands you can make.

Then you have other games such as 2-7 Lowball, where the aim of the game is to get the worst hand possible. In this game, you don’t want to make any pairs, and straights and flushes are some of the worst hands you’re likely to find! In 2-7, 23457 is the best hand you can have, as it’s the lowest possible hand without any straights or pairs. Trying to get the worst hand possible while avoiding all pairs, straights, and flushes will seem alien to most people, but we can assure you that this is a real game played at the World Series of Poker!

There are a large number of poker games out there, each with its own set of rules, and it can be fun to try out a new variant and see how different it is.

WINNING POKER HANDS: WHAT ARE THE BEST HANDS?

Let’s delve into the realm of winning poker hands and explore the optimal combinations that can lead to victory. In order to enhance your understanding, we’ll present you with specific examples involving both hole cards and community cards, showcasing the precise composition of your most favorable five-card hand. By offering this practical context, you’ll gain a clearer grasp of the rankings and how they materialize in real gameplay situations.

To make things easier, we’ve split the possible hand rankings into three groups – weak hands, strong hands, and the strongest poker hands. Hands that fall into the weak hands category are the most common hands you’ll make in poker, and while they may win you the pot some of the time, you’ll find that they’re regularly beaten by stronger ones.

Hands that fall into the strong hands category are a lot harder to make, and therefore will win you the pot a lot more often. However, these hands are not infallible, as there are still a number of hands that can beat them. This brings us to the strongest poker hands – these hands are incredibly hard to make, and you are almost certain to win the pot if you make one of these hands.

By offering this practical context, you’ll gain a clearer grasp of the poker hand rankings and how they materialize in real gameplay situations.

On occasion, you are going to find yourself in a situation where the best hand at the table is being shared by more than one player. In these instances, in order to break the tie and declare a winner, the extra cards that are not directly contributing to the best hand come into play.

These cards are known as ‘Kickers.’ When two or more players have the exact same hand rank, the player with the highest kicker takes the pot. Let’s look at an example:

Choosing the correct hands to start betting with preflop is very important and can get a beginner player winning poker hands right off the hop. We are going to break down the top 20 Texas Hold’em starting hands so that you can start playing preflop with confidence:

1. POCKET ACES

This is the best starting hand that a player could be dealt. It has the highest odds of winning against any other poker hand.

2. POCKET KINGS (COWBOYS)

Commonly called Cowboys, pocket kings are second in line behind the aces as the top starting hand. Go into your preflop situation confident, but be wary if you see an ace on the flop.

3. POCKET QUEENS

At the number 3 spot comes the lovely queens. Like the two pairs before it, pocket queens are an excellent starting hand and should be played in almost all situations.

4. POCKET JACKS (FISHHOOKS)

Despite some players consistently complaining about being dealt pocket jacks, this is still a very good hand. Aggressive play preflop can reap some nice rewards if done correctly.

5. ACE-KING SUITED (BIG SLICK)

Number 5 on our list is the first non-paired hand we have seen – ace-king suited. Despite going into preflop behind any pocket pair, this hand gives you a ton of top pair potential, flush/straight draw potential, and puts you ahead of all the other unpaired hands going into the flop.

6. POCKET TENS

Pocket tens comes in at number 6 due to its potential to collect a lot of value with the proper preflop raising strategy. Be careful not to go too deep in a situation where your opponents are heavily raising and 3-betting, as chances are you are going into the flop as the underdog.

7. ACE-KING OFFSUIT

While this hand lacks the flush draw potential that Ace-King suited has, it is still a very strong hand with great potential to land a top pair on the flop.

8. ACE-QUEEN SUITED

Ace-Queen suited brings a lot of possibilities and a lot of potential to hit some big pairs, a nut flush, and a straight draw. Preflop, look to play aggressively with this hand, and be sure to pay attention and evaluate your opponent’s response.

9. POCKET NINES

Much like pocket tens, pocket nines lack the flash that other high pairs have but should still be played aggressively preflop. This pair comes with great odds and can be deadly if you happen to catch a nine on the flop.

10. ACE-JACK SUITED

Ace-Jack suited shares similar qualities with Ace-Queen suited in terms of playability. This hand has a good chance of hitting some dominating pairs and gives you both a flush and a straight draw, but be cautious of the deadly Ace-King.

11. KING-QUEEN SUITED

Poker’s original power couple, this hand is valuable because of how well it flops. It’s common to make strong flush draws, strong straight draws, and good top pairs. However, if you do flop top pair, you’re vulnerable to someone having AK or AQ, so be careful.

12. ACE-TEN SUITED

The lowest of the broadway Ax hands, ATs still has a decent amount of value because of its straight potential, which makes it much stronger than A9s. You can flop nut flush draws and top pair top kicker with a ten-high flop, but be wary on ace-high boards.

13. ACE-QUEEN OFFSUIT

Slightly further down the rankings, thanks to its lack of suitedness, AQo is still a very strong hand. Whenever you flop a pair, it’s likely to be the best hand, and you can still make the broadway straight.

14. POCKET EIGHTS

Pocket pairs suffer from an exponential decline the smaller they get, which holds true for pocket eights vs. pocket nines. The smaller the pair, the more likely it is that overcards will flop, and the higher chance of being caught set under set. However, 88 is still a strong hand and should be played as such.

15. KING-JACK SUITED

While slightly weaker than KQs, KJs still flops a lot of strong pairs, strong draws, and strong flush draws. You would only need to be wary on king-high boards when a lot of money starts to go in, as it’s likely someone has a king with a higher kicker.

16. KING-TEN SUITED

Slightly weaker still is KTs, but it remains a strong hand and a respectable 16th in the rankings. It can still make broadway and king-high straights, as well as strong flush draws. However, similarly to KJs, you should be wary if there’s a lot of action on a king-high board.

17. QUEEN-JACK SUITED

Any two cards that are suited and connected always feel strong when you play them, and that’s certainly the case for QJs. There are lots of great straight and flush draws you can pick up on the flop, but the only downside is the top pairs it makes aren’t the strongest and are often beaten by other common hands people play.

18. ACE-JACK OFFSUIT

Losing its suited value really hurts AJo, as it’s just not as strong of a hand without it. While you’ll likely be in good shape on jack-high flops, it doesn’t perform as well on ace-high boards, particularly if you play this hand aggressively preflop.

19. KING-QUEEN OFFSUIT

Another hand that’s hurt by a lack of suited value is KQo. Not being able to flop a flush draw is a big reason why this hand is 19th, but it’s still great at flopping pairs, and there are still plenty of straight draws to give you equity.

20. QUEEN-TEN SUITED

The last hand in our rankings is QTs, a hand that’s starting to look a lot weaker than some of the hands in our top ten. While there’s the potential for broadway straights and good flush draws, its pairs are often dominated by strong hands, which can make it a tough hand to play.

While these hands are generally considered the 20 best preflop hands, there are some factors that we will discuss in the next sections that will influence both the value of these hands and the decisions you make.

HOW POSITION AFFECTS YOUR HAND VALUE

The most important aspect to consider when choosing your starting hands is the value of position. In Texas Hold’em, having position is a huge advantage, so you want to be as close to the Button as possible (the Button is the last person to act after the flop). The closer you are to the button, the more hands you can profitably play. Conversely, the further away you are from the button, the more hands you must fold preflop.

When you are in positions like the SB (Small Blind) and BB (Big Blind), your starting poker hands EV drops significantly in Texas Hold’em. This is due to the fact that you often end up betting or calling in these positions with hands that are much weaker than you would normally play.

In addition, people behind you get to see your actions, so they are in a better position to perform tricky moves or steal the pot if necessary. This is why many Texas Hold’em experts say that if you observe a game, that money tends to flow toward the direction of the Button.

This means that you want to tighten up your starting hand selection early in the game and drop questionable hands like [KT], [QT], [JT], [T9] – and possibly even [KJ] or [QJ] – in early position. These hands will lose you money in the long run in Hold’em if you play them too frequently – a mistake that many beginners make. In late position, however, you can relax your starting hand selection to include these hands. You can also begin playing pocket pairs a bit more liberally in late position, as it’s less likely someone will have a higher pocket pair.

Summary

The poker hand rankings are vital information that every player must know before starting their poker journey. It’s the perfect place to start for any beginner, as the poker hand rankings will form the foundation of the rest of your poker knowledge. From here, we’d recommend checking out our article on the rules of Texas Hold’em so you can build on the knowledge you’ve learned here today.