Guide To Winning Poker Hands
If you want to become a better poker player, or just beat your friends, you’ll need to be able to evaluate your hand in an instant, something that can take practice to master. It’s usually not recommended to play every hand, but as a beginner poker player, how do you know which hands to play and which to fold?
CasinoEuro’s comprehensive guide to poker hands will show you all of the winning poker hands in a classic game of Texas Hold ’em. The aim of the game is to get the best possible hand with exactly five cards, using any of the board cards (otherwise known as community cards) and your hand cards. You can use one, two or even none of your own hand plus the community cards to make the best winning hand.
While the two hole cards you’re holding could be the winner, they could also be a loser. In reality, only a few poker hands actually have enough value to go past the pre-flop (the first round of betting), and where you are seated at the table can also a difference. More players calling/betting before you means that you can probably play more confidently as you’ve seen their decisions before having to make your own.
As a poker novice, it can be a little tricky remembering all of the different winning hands, and in fact determining whether you’re holding a winning hand at all. Here’s our handy guide to the main types of winning poker hands, ranked from highest to lowest.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Straight hand beat a Flush?
In Texas Hold’em a Flush beats a Straight, but a Straight-Flush will beat both.
I have a hand of all red or all black cards, is this a winning hand?
No, in order to get a Flush you need to have five cards with the same suit, not the same colour.
How do the winning hands differ in Three Card Poker?
In this variant of the game, a Straight actually beats a Flush. The highest winning Three Card hand is a Straight Flush (eg 10, 9, 8 of one suit).
To learn the basics of Three Card Poker, watch our handy video guide now.
What if myself and another player has the same hand?
The highest non-matched card will be designated the ‘kicker’ and the highest value of the two wins the hand. If both the ‘kickers’ are equal then the pot will be split between the two players.
What are Pocket Pairs?
Pocket pairs such as two Aces, two Kings or Queens are your best starting positions, but as the game progresses there are loads of potential winning hands.
Which is the best poker hand?
The best hand of all is the Royal Flush, which includes the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10, all of the same suit.
Did You Know?
Now that you’ve mastered the basics of poker hands, why not try a few free rounds on our Table Games, or if you’re feeling a little more confident, hit the Live Poker tables and put your best foot (or hand) forward.
