How to Recognize a Winning Poker Hand

If you're going to play an all-night poker game with your friends, you should know how determine a winning hand. Most poker games are won by finding the highest score in five cards, whether it is a hand of five cards that the player is holding, or a combination of the player's hand and a set of community cards.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Find the pairs and 3-of-a-kind. Pairs of higher value cards score the highest, while a set of 2 pair beats any single pair. A 3-of-a-kind beats a pair and 2 pair.

2. Determine if there are and hands that contain cards in rank order. This is called a straight. A straight beats a pair, 2 pair, and a 3-of-a-kind.

3. Check for hands that contain cards all cards of the same suit. This is a flush, and it beats a straight and anything lower.

4. Look for hands that contain a pair and a 3-of-a-kind. This is a full house, and it beats a flush, a straight and everything below.

5. Determine if there are any hands that contain 4 cards of the same value. This is a 4-of-a-kind. It beats a full house, a flush, a straight and anything below.

6. Declare a player the winner if he holds a royal straight, or cards in rank order of the highest value: 10, Jack, Queen, King, and ace. The only hand that beats a royal straight is a royal flush, a royal straight consisting of cards all of the same suit.

7. Proclaim a player the winner if she holds the highest value card and none of the players at the table have so much as a pair. This is called winning by high card. High card is also used to break ties in poker.