How to Play Card Ranks by Suit

Using suit ranks when playing poker.

In traditional poker, the suit is generally unimportant. What matters is the rank of the hand, and if two people have the same hand, then they split the pot. It works this way in Texas Hold 'em, with one exception: when players are drawing for seats. However, many people do indeed play ranked suits and find it useful as a means of breaking ties so the pot doesn't have to be split.

Instructions

1. Draw for seats to determine who gets first choice. The card value is the primary deciding factor, ranked as ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2. If there is a tie, the highest ranking suit order is spade, heart, diamond and club.

2. Play the game according to its rules.

3. Look at the outcome of the hands to decide the winner. The hand rank is the primary deciding factor. Some hand ranks are only possible with the addition of a wild card, such as the joker. Poker hands are valued as follows, from highest to lowest rank: five of a kind (five of the same value card, such as five aces); straight flush (five consecutive cards of the same suit); four of a kind (four of the same value card); full house (consists of three of the same value card plus two of another value); flush (five cards of the same suit); straight (five consecutive cards); three of a kind (three of the same value card); two pair (two pairs of the same value cards); high card (just high cards with nothing matching).

4. Break any ties based on card value. The higher the card value, the better the hand. This applies to any hand. A pair of aces beats a pair of kings. A 9-to-king straight is better than a 2-to-6 straight. A ace high flush is better than a jack high flush, and so on. This also applies to any remaining cards in the hand. For example, a hand that has a pair of aces, plus a king, 8 and 2 will beat a hand with a pair of aces, plus a queen, jack and 10, because the next highest card, the king, beats the next high card of the other hand, the queen.

5. Break ties with suit ranks. This only applies when each hand is the same, i.e., all five cards are mirrored, such as ace, ace, king, king and ten in both hands. This also only applies when playing a game where suit ranks are used. In these cases, the higher rank of suit wins. Suits are ranked from highest to lowest: spade, heart, diamond and club.

   In mixed suit hands, such as pairs, there is no absolute rule as to where the suit rank comes into play, i.e., the highest suit in the pairs or the highest suit of the remaining cards? This needs to be decided among players before commencing the game.

References

• Texas Holdem Poker: Rank of Suits
• Pagat: Ranking of Poker Hands
• Poker Stars: Poker Hand Ranks