Standard Poker Rules

Poker has been around for many years and over these years the game of Poker has evolved and spawned into many different variations, yet the old games still remain strong. As different as these variations are, they all remain true to the basic principles that made Poker popular. The main principle is how hand values are determined. Regardless what variation you might be playing, be it Hold’em, Omaha, 7 Card stud or even 5 card Draw the hand values are all the same. Below is a list of hand values that are ranked from strongest to weakest.

Royal Flush: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 all in the same suite. A Royal Flush is the best hand you can get in Poker.

Straight Flush: When 5 cards are in sequential order. ie. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack. This is the second best hand that can only be beaten by a Royal Flush or a higher Straight Flush (for example a 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 would beat a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). The Ace may be used either below a 2 (A, 2, 3, 4, 5,) or Above the King (10, J, Q, K, A).

Four of a Kind: Any four cards of equal value, ie. Four 4’s or four 8’s.

Full House: This is when you have a three of a kind and a pair. ie 3 Queens and 2 Kings.

Flush: This is when you have any 5 cards that all from the same suite. For a Flush the order of the flush doesn’t matter, the cards do not have to be in sequence. ie: 2, 5, 7, Queen, and King of hearts.

Straight: This hand is made up of 5 cards in sequence. Unlike the Straight Flush these cards are not all from the same suite. For example: 3 of hearts, 4 of clubs, 5 of clubs, 6 of hearts, 7 of spades.

Three of a kind: This is where a player has 3 cards of the same value. ie: 3 Kings.

Two Pairs: This is where a player has two sets of cards that match. ie two 4’s and two Ace’.

Pair: This hand consists of two cards of the same value. ie 2 Aces.

High Card: This is a hand that doesn’t even contain a Pair. The value in this hand lies solely with the highest card.