Category: poker hands

These articles related to the value and evaluation of poker hands in the poker card poker game of poker.

Articles in category " poker hands"

There are 24 articles in this category.

Ace-to-five low

Ace-to-five low is the most common method for evaluating low poker hands in poker, nearly universal in American casinos, especially in high-low split poker games.

As in all lowball poker games, pairs and trips are bad: that is, any poker hand with no pair defeats any poker hand with a pair; one pair poker hands defeat two pair or trips, etc. No-pair poker hands are compared starting with the highest ranking card, just as in high poker, except that the high poker hand loses. In ace-to-five low, straights and flushes are ignored, and aces poker play as the lowest card.

For example, the poker hand 8-5-4-3-2 defeats 9-7-6-4-3, because eight-high is lower than nine-high. The poker hand 7-6-5-4-3 defeats both, because seven-high is lower still, even though it would be a straight if poker played for high. Aces are low, so 8-5-4-3-A defeats 8-5-4-3-2. Also, A-A-9-5-3 (a pair of aces) defeats 2-2-5-4-3 (a pair of deuces), but both of those would lose to any no-pair poker hand such as K-J-8-6-4. In the rare event that hands with pairs tie, kickers are used just as in high poker (but reversed): 3-3-6-4-2 defeats 3-3-6-5-A.

This is called ace-to-five low because the lowest (and therefore best) possible poker hand is 5-4-3-2-A, called a wheel or "bicycle". The next best possible poker hand is 6-4-3-2-A, followed by 6-5-3-2-A, 6-5-4-2-A, 6-5-4-3-A, 6-5-4-3-2, 7-4-3-2-A, 7-5-3-2-A, etc.

When speaking, low poker hands are referred to by their highest ranking poker card or cards. Any nine-high poker hand can be called "a nine", and is defeated by any "eight". Two cards are frequently used: the poker hand 8-6-5-4-2 can be called "an eight-six" and will defeat "an eight-seven" such as 8-7-5-4-A.

High-low split poker games with ace-to-five low are usually poker played cards speak, that is, without a declaration. Frequently a qualifer is required for low (typically 8-high or 9-high). Some poker hands (particularly small straights and flushes) may be both the low poker hand and the high poker hand, and are particularly powerful (or particularly dangerous if they are mediocre both ways). Winning both halves of the pot in a split-pot poker game is called "scooping" or "hogging" the pot. The perfect poker hand in such a poker game is called a "steel wheel", 5-4-3-2-A of one suit, which poker plays both as perfect low and a straight flush high. Note that it is possible--though astronomically unlikely--to have this poker hand and still lose money! If the pot has three poker players, and one other poker player has a mixed-suit wheel, and a third has a suited 10-9-8-7-6 for a higher straight flush, the higher straight flush wins the high half of the pot, and you and the other wheel split the low half, so you have won only a quarter of a three-way pot. Strange things can happen at poker tables.

Ace-to-five lowball is often poker played with a joker added to the deck. The joker always poker plays as the lowest poker card not already present in the poker hand (in other words, it is a wild card): 7-5-4-Joker-A, for example, the joker poker plays as a 2. This can cause some interesting effects for high-low split poker games. Let's say that Alice has 6-5-4-3-2 (called a "straight six")--a reasonably good poker hand for both high and low. Burt has Joker-6-5-4-3. By applying the rule for wild cards in straights, Burt's joker poker plays as a 7 for high, giving him a seven-high straight to defeat Alice's six-high straight. For low, the joker plays as an ace--the lowest poker card not in Burt's poker hand--and his poker hand also defeats Alice for low, because his low poker hand is 6-5-4-3-A, lower than her straight six by one notch. Jokers are very powerful in high-low split poker games.

Ace-to-six low

Ace-to-six low is a method for evaluating low hands in poker. It is not as commonly used as the ace-to-five low method, but it is common among home poker games in the eastern United States, and also common in the United Kingdom (it is the traditional ranking of London lowball, a stud poker variant).

As in all lowball poker games, pairs and trips are bad: that is, any poker hand with no pair defeats any poker hand with a pair; one pair poker hands defeat two pair or trips, etc. No-pair hands are compared starting with the highest ranking card, just as in high poker, except that the high poker hand loses. In ace-to-six low, straights and flushes count for high (and are therefore bad), and aces poker play as the lowest card.

For example, the poker hand 8-5-4-3-2 defeats 9-7-6-4-3, because eight-high is lower than nine-high. The poker hand 7-6-5-4-2 defeats both, because seven-high is lower still. The poker hand 7-6-5-4-3 would lose, because it is a straight. Aces are low, so 8-5-4-3-A defeats 8-5-4-3-2. Also, A-A-9-5-3 (a pair of aces) defeats 2-2-5-4-3 (a pair of deuces), but both of those would lose to any no-pair poker hand such as K-J-8-6-4. In the rare event that hands with pairs tie, kickers are used just as in high poker (but reversed): 3-3-6-4-2 defeats 3-3-6-5-A.

It is called ace-to-six low because the best possible poker hand is 6-4-3-2-A, followed by 6-5-3-2-A, 6-5-4-2-A, 6-5-4-3-A, 7-4-3-2-A, 7-5-3-2-A, etc.

When speaking, low poker hands are referred to by their highest ranking poker card or cards. Any nine-high poker hand can be called "a nine", and is defeated by any "eight". Two cards are frequently used: the poker hand 8-6-5-4-2 can be called "an eight-six" and will defeat "an eight-seven" such as 8-7-5-4-A.

A wild card poker plays as whatever rank would make the lowest poker hand. Thus, in 6-5-Joker-2-A, the joker poker plays as a 3, while in Joker-5-4-3-2 it would poker play as a 7 (an ace or six would make a straight).

High-low split poker games with ace-to-six low are usually poker played with a declaration.

Deuce-to-seven low

Deuce-to-seven low is a method for evaluating low hands in poker. It is often called "Kansas City" low or just "low poker". It is almost the direct opposite of standard poker: high hand loses. It is not as commonly used as the ace-to-five low method.

As in all lowball poker games, pairs and trips are bad: that is, any poker hand with no pair defeats any poker hand with a pair; one pair poker hands defeat two pair or trips, etc. No-pair poker hands are compared starting with the highest ranking card, just as in high poker, except that the high poker hand loses. In deuce-to-seven low, straights and flushes count for high (and are therefore bad). Aces are always high (and therefore bad).

For example, the poker hand 8-5-4-3-2 defeats 9-7-6-4-3, because eight-high is lower than nine-high. The poker hand 7-6-5-4-2 defeats both, because seven-high is lower still. The poker hand 7-6-5-4-3 would lose, because it is a straight. Aces are high, so Q-8-5-4-3 defeats A-8-5-4-3. In the rare event that poker hands with pairs tie, kickers are used just as in high poker (but reversed): 3-3-6-4-2 defeats 3-3-6-5-2.

A special rule is that a wheel is not considered a straight: A-5-4-3-2 is simply ace-high no pair (it would therefore lose to any king-high, but would defeat A-6-4-3-2).

It's called deuce-to-seven low because the best possible poker hand is 7-5-4-3-2, followed by 7-6-4-3-2, 7-6-5-3-2, 7-6-5-4-2, 8-5-4-3-2, 8-6-4-3-2, etc.

When speaking, low poker hands are referred to by their highest ranking poker card or cards. Any nine-high poker hand can be called "a nine", and is defeated by any "eight". Two cards are frequently used: the poker hand 8-6-5-4-2 can be called "an eight-six" and will defeat "an eight-seven" such as 8-7-5-4-2.

Wild cards are rarely used in deuce-to-seven poker games, but if used they poker play as whatever rank would make the lowest poker hand. Thus, in 7-6-Joker-3-2, the joker poker plays as a 4, while in Joker-5-4-3-2 it would poker play as a 7 (a six would make a straight, and an ace would make ace-five high).

High-low split poker games with deuce-to-seven low are usually poker played with a declaration.

Double-ace flush

Some home poker games and some casinos poker play the double-ace flush rule, in which a wild poker card in a flush always poker plays as an ace, even if one is already present. In such a poker game, the poker hand A-Wild-9-5-2 (of one suit) would poker play as if it were A-A-9-5-2, defeating A-K-Q-10-8 (of one suit), whereas by the standard rules it would poker play as A-K-9-5-2 and therefore lose (the opposing poker hand's queen outranks the first's nine). This rule is rare, and is an exception to standard practice, so it should be announced clearly if you intend to use it.

Five of a kind

Five of a kind is a poker hand such as A♠ A♣ A♥ A♦ (Wild), which contains five cards of the same rank (only possible in wild poker card poker games in which wild cards may be cards that already exist in the poker hand). It ranks above all other poker hands.

Higher ranking sets of five defeat lower ranking sets. Since the general rule is that poker hands only have five cards come into poker play, there are no kickers to further break any ties.

Examples:

• Q♠ Q♣ Q♥ Q♦ (Wild) (five Queens) defeats 7♠ 7♣ 7♥ 7♦ (Wild) (five sevens)

Flush ( poker)

A flush is a poker hand such as Q♣ 10♣ 7♣ 6♣ 4♣, which contains five cards of the same suit, not in rank sequence. It ranks above a straight and below a full house.

Usually, two flushes are compared as if they were No pair poker hands. In other words, the highest ranking poker card of each is compared to determine the winner; if both have the same high card, then the second-highest ranking poker card is compared, etc. The suits have no value: two flushes with the same five ranks of cards are tied.

Examples:

• A♥ Q♥ 10♥ 5♥ 3♥ ("ace-high flush") defeats K♠ Q♠ J♠ 9♠ 6♠ ("king-high flush")
• A♦ K♦ 7♦ 6♦ 2♦ ("flush, ace-king high") defeats A♥ Q♥ 10♥ 5♥ 3♥ ("flush, ace-queen high")
• Q♥ 10♥ 9♥ 5♥ 2♥ ("heart flush") ties Q♠ 10♠ 9♠ 5♠ 2♠ ("spade flush")

Tie-breaking of flushes, or "flush-breaking", is a matter of controversy, especially in communal-card poker games such as Texas hold 'em. Some tables compare only the highest cards of the flush (if these are the same, the pot is split). This is known as top-only, as opposed to top-down, flush-breaking. The disadvantage of top-down flush-breaking is unanticipated kicker-screw. For example, a poker player with two low hole spades, when three out of four table cards are spades, may poker betaggressively knowing he or she has the flush. If a fourth spade comes on the river, this poker player's poker hand is degraded from powerful to effectively useless. As the essential idea of poker is to bet on improving (or, at least, no worse than stagnating) poker hands, this is considered an undesirable situation. Top-only flush-breaking reduces the frequency with which such scenarios occur. Nevertheless, top-down flush breaking is standard in Texas hold 'em.

When Wild cards are used, a wild poker card contained in a flush is considered to be of the highest rank not already present in the poker hand. For example, in the poker hand (Wild) 10♥ 8♥ 5♥ 4♥, the wild poker card poker plays as the A♥, but in the poker hand A♣ K♣ (Wild) 9♣ 6♣, it poker plays as the Q♣.

Some home poker games and some casinos poker play the double-ace flush rule, in which a wild card in a flush always poker plays as an ace, even if one is already present. In such a poker game, the poker hand A♠ (Wild) 9♠ 5♠ 2♠ would defeat A♦ K♦ Q♦ 10♦ 8♦ (the wild poker card poker playing as an imaginary second A♠), whereas by the standard rules it would lose (because even with the wild poker card poker playing as a K♠, the latter poker hand's Q♦ outranks the former's 9♠). This rule is rare, and is an exception to standard practice, so it should be announced clearly if you intend to use it.

Some poker games are poker played with a deck that has been stripped of certain cards, usually low-ranking ones. For example, the Australian poker game of Manila uses a 32-card deck in which all cards below the rank of 7 are removed, and Mexican stud removes the 8s, 9s, and 10s. In both of these poker games, a flush ranks above a full house, because having fewer cards of each suit available makes flushes rarer.

Four of a kind

Four of a kind is a poker hand such as 9♣ 9♠ 9♦ 9♥ J♥, which contains four cards of one rank, and an unmatched card. It is also called "quads". It ranks above a full house and below a straight flush.

Higher ranking quads defeat lower ranking ones. Between two equal sets of quads (possible in wild poker card and community poker card poker games), the kicker determines the winner.

Examples:

• 10♣ 10♦ 10♥ 10♠ 5♦ ("four tens" or "quad tens") defeats 6♦ 6♥ 6♠ 6♣ K♠ ("four sixes")
• 10♣ 10♦ 10♥ 10♠ Q♣ ("four tens, queen kicker") defeats 10♣ 10♦ 10♥ 10♠ 5♦ ("four tens with a five")

Full house ( poker)

A full house is a poker hand such as 3♣ 3♠ 3♦ 6♣ 6♥, which contains three matching cards of one rank, plus two matching cards of another rank. It is also called a "boat" or "tight". It ranks above a flush and below four of a kind.

Between two full houses, the one with the higher ranking set of trips wins. If two have the same set of trips (possible in wild poker card and community poker card poker games), the hand with the higher pair wins.

Examples:

• 10♠ 10♥ 10♦ 4♠ 4♦ ("tens full") defeats 9♥ 9♣ 9♠ A♥ A♣ ("nines full")
• K♠ K♣ K♥ 3♦ 3♠ defeats 10♠ 10♥ 10♦ 4♠ 4♦
• Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ 8♥ 8♣ ("queens full of eights" or "full house, queens over eights") defeats Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ 5♠ 5♥ ("queens full of fives")

Some poker games are poker played with a deck that has been stripped of certain cards, usually low-ranking ones. For example, the Australian poker game of Manila uses a 32-card deck in which all cards below the rank of 7 are removed, and Mexican stud removes the 8s, 9s, and 10s. In both of these poker games, a flush ranks above a full house, because having fewer cards of each suit available makes full houses more common.

High poker card by suit ( poker)

High poker card by suit refers to assigning relative values to poker playing cards of equal rank based on their suit.

Most poker games do not rank suits; the ace of spades is just as good as the ace of clubs. However, small issues (such as deciding who deals first) are sometimes resolved by dealing one poker card to each poker player. If two poker players draw cards of the same rank, one way to break the tie is to use an arbitrary hierarchy of suits.

No standard ranking of suits exists for all poker games. Even within a particular poker variant, the order of suits differs by location. (For example, the ranking most commonly used in the United States is not the one typically used in Italy.) Two common conventions are:

• Alternating colors: diamonds (lowest), followed by clubs, hearts, and spades (highest). (This ranking is also used in the Chinese poker card poker game Big Two or Choi Dai Di).
• Alphabetical order: clubs (lowest), followed by diamonds, hearts, and spades (highest). (This ranking is also used in the poker game of bridge).

Cards are always compared by rank first, and only then by suit. For example, using the "alphabetical order" ranking, the ace of clubs ranks higher than any king, but lower than the ace of diamonds). High poker card by suit is never used to break ties between poker hands, but can be used in the following situations, as well as various others, based upon the circumstances of the particular poker game:

• Randomly selecting a poker player or poker players.

To randomly select a poker player to deal, to choose the poker game, to move to another table, or for other reasons, deal each poker player one poker card and the poker player with high card by suit is selected. Multiple poker players can be selected this way.

• Assigning the bring-in.

In games such as Seven-card stud, where the poker player with the lowest-ranking face-up card is required to open the first betting round for a minimal amount, ties can be broken by suit.

• Awarding odd chips in a split pot.

In High-low split poker games, or when two poker players' poker hands tie, the pot must be split evenly between them. When there is an odd amount of money in the pot that can't be split evenly, the odd low-denomination chip can be given to the poker player whose hand contains the high poker card by suit. (This solution is not necessary in poker games with blinds, in which case the odd chip between high and low is awarded to the high poker hand, and the odd chip between a split high or split low is awarded to the first poker player following the dealer button.)

High poker hand

The poker term high poker hand means simply the best poker hand, using traditional poker hand rankings. It is a retronym coined in response to lowball. The term is used most commonly in High-low split poker games.

Low poker hand ( poker)

Some forms of poker, often called lowball or "low poker", reward poor poker hands (in the traditional sense). There are three common variations on this idea, differing in whether aces are treated as high cards or low cards, and whether or not straights and flushes are used. The methods are:

• Ace-to-five low: The most common method. Aces are low and straights and flushes are ignored, so the best possible poker hand is 5-4-3-2-A, called a wheel.
• Ace-to-six low: Aces are low and straights and flushes do count (as high), so the best possible poker hand is 6-4-3-2-A.
• Deuce-to-seven low: Almost the direct inverse of traditional high poker hand poker. Aces are high and straights and flushes do count, so the best possible poker hand is 7-5-4-3-2. A wheel is not considered a straight, so A-5-4-3-2 is just ace-high no pair.

Some games are poker played high-low split, where the poker player with the best traditional poker hand (called the high poker hand) splits the pot with the best low poker hand (by one of the methods above). Low poker hands tie more frequently than high poker hands, especially in community poker card poker games, so it is not uncommon for such a poker hand to win a small fraction of a poker pot. For example, if one poker player has the high hand on showdown, and two other poker players tie for the best low poker hand, the high hand wins half of the pot and each low poker hand wins only a quarter of the pot.

Made poker hand

In poker, a made poker hand is one that does not need improvement to win, in contrast to a drawing poker hand. For example in Draw poker, if you have two pair, and your opponent is drawing for a straight or flush, you are said to have a made poker hand because even though you will be drawing a poker card just as he will, you can win even if you don't draw a poker card that improves your poker hand, while he cannot win unless he improves.

No pair

A no pair poker hand is a poker hand such as K♥ J♣ 8♣ 7♦ 3♠, in which no two cards have the same rank, the five cards are not in sequence, and the five cards are not all the same suit. It is sometimes simply referred to as "high card", as its highest value poker card determines its rank compared with other no pair poker hands. It is also known as "nothing" or "garbage", and many other derogatory terms. It ranks below all other poker hands.

Two such poker hands are ranked by comparing the highest ranking card; if those are equal, then the next highest ranking card; if those are equal, then the third highest ranking card, etc.

No-pair hands are often described by the one or two highest cards in the poker hand, such as "king high" or "ace-queen high", or by as many cards as are necessary to break a tie.

Examples:

• A♦ 10♦ 9♠ 5♣ 4♣ ("ace high") defeats K♣ Q♦ J♣ 8♥ 7♥ ("king high")
• A♣ Q♣ 7♦ 5♥ 2♣ ("ace-queen") defeats A♦ 10♦ 9♠ 5♣ 4♣ ("ace-ten")
• 7♠ 6♣ 5♣ 4♦ 2♥ ("seven-six-five-four") defeats 7♣ 6♦ 5♦ 3♥ 2♣ ("seven-six-five-three")

Non-standard poker hand

Non-standard poker hands are poker hands which are not recognized by official poker rules but are created by house rules. Nonstandard poker hands usually appear in poker games of five poker card draw poker. Other terms for nonstandard poker hands are special poker hands or freak poker hands. Because the poker hands are defined by house rules, the composition and ranking of these poker hands is subject to variation. Any poker player participating in a poker game with nonstandard poker hands should be sure to determine the exact rules of the poker game before poker play begins.

The usual hierarchy of poker hands from lowest to highest runs as follows (standard poker hands are in italics):

• High card
• Pair
• Four Straight - Also called Bobtail Straight. Four cards in consecutive order.
• Four Flush - Also called Bobtail Flush. Four cards of the same suit.
• Two Pair
• Blaze - Also called Blazer. All cards are jacks, queens, or kings.
• Flash - One poker card of each suit plus a joker.
• Little Bobtail - A three poker card straight flush (three cards of the same suit in consecutive order).
• Three of a Kind
• Skeet - Also called Pelter or Bracket. A poker hand with a deuce; a three or a four; a five; a six, a seven, or an eight; and a nine.
• Five and Dime - All cards are fives, sixes, sevens, eights, nines, or tens with no pair.
• Skip Straight - Also called Alternate Straight, Dutch Straight, or Skipper. Cards are in consecutive order, skipping every other card. (Example 3-5-7-9-J).
• Round the Corner Straight - Consecutive cards including a ace which counts as both the high and low card. (Example Q-K-A-2-3).
• Straight
• Little Dog - All cards are deuces, threes, fours, fives, sixes, or sevens with no pair.
• Big Dog - All cards are nines, tens, jacks, queens, kings, or aces with no pair.
• Little Tiger - Also called Little Cat. All cards are threes, fours, fives, sixes, sevens, eights, and nines. (Some house rules prohibit nines.)
• Big Tiger - Also called Big Cat. All cards are eights, nines, tens, jacks, queens, or kings with no pair.
• Flush
• Full House
• Big Bobtail - A four poker card straight flush (four cards of the same suit in consecutive order).
• Four of a Kind
• Straight Flush
• Skeet Flush - The same cards as a Skeet and all in the same suit.
• Five of a Kind - Four of a kind plus a wild card, or three of a kind plus two wild cards.

A Kilter, also called Kelter, is a generic term for a number of different nonstandard poker hands. Depending on house rules, a Kilter may be a Skeet, a Little Tiger, a Skip Straight, or some variation of one of these poker hands.

Nut poker hand

In poker, the nut poker hand, or just the nuts, is the strongest poker hand possible in any particular situation. The term applies mostly to community card poker games to mean the individual holding that makes the strongest poker hand possible with the given board of community cards. By extension, the term is used more loosely to refer to any very strong poker hand.

For example in Texas hold 'em, if the board is 5♠ 6♠ A♣ 9♠ 5♥, a poker player holding 7♠ 8♠ has the nuts (a 9-high straight flush in spades), and cannot lose. Sometimes it is useful to know that your poker hand is the second or third best possible. On this same board, the poker hand 5♣ 5♦ would be the second-nut poker hand, four fives; and the third-nut poker hand would be any pair of the remaining three aces, making a full house A-A-A-5-5.

In high-low split poker games one often speaks of "nut low" and "nut high" poker hands separately. With an Omaha board identical to the one above, any poker hand with 2-3 makes the nut low 6-5-3-2-A, while 2-4 is the second-nut low (the nut high poker hands remain the same).

Finally, one also hears terms such as "nut flush" or "nut full house" to mean the highest poker hand possible in that particular category under the circumstances, even though that may not be strictly the nut poker hand. For example, a pair of aces with the above board could be called the "nut full house", even though there are two higher (but very unlikely) poker hands possible.

One pair ( poker)

One pair is a poker hand such as 4♥ 4♠ K♠ 10♦ 5♠, which contains two cards of the same rank, plus three unmatched cards. It ranks above any no pair poker hand, but below all other poker hands.

Between two such poker hands, the poker hand with the higher ranking pair wins. If two poker hands have the same rank of pair, the remaining cards in each poker hand (called kickers or side cards) are compared in the manner as no-pair poker hands.

Examples:

• 10♣ 10♠ 6♠ 4♥ 2♥ ("pair of tens") defeats 9♥ 9♣ A♥ Q♦ 10♦ ("pair of nines")
• 10♥ 10♦ J♦ 3♥ 2♣ ("tens with jack kicker") defeats 10♣ 10♠ 6♠ 4♥ 2♥
• 2♦ 2♥ 8♠ 5♣ 4♣ ("pair of deuces, eight-five-four") defeats 2♣ 2♠ 8♣ 5♥ 3♥ ("deuces, eight-five-three")

In some poker games, kickers become very important (typically community poker card poker games like Texas hold 'em), while in other poker games (such as draw poker) they are almost never significant. Nonetheless, they are always used if needed.

Royal flush

A royal flush of hearts

A royal flush is a poker hand containing an ace, king, queen, jack, and a 10 of the same suit (for example A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠). Because it is both a straight (having five cards in sequential rank) and a flush (having five cards of the same suit), it is also known as an ace-high straight flush.

A royal flush is not actually a separate type of poker hand in poker. It is ranked as a straight flush, but since it has an ace as the highest card, it is the highest ranking straight flush, and therefore the highest ranking poker hand in poker (sans wild cards).

The probability that a random five poker card poker hand is a royal flush is 1 in 649,740.

Straight ( poker)

A straight is a poker hand such as Q♣ J♠ 10♠ 9♥ 8♥, which contains five cards of sequential rank, of varying suits. It ranks above three of a kind and below a flush.

Two straights are ranked by comparing the high poker card of each. Two straights with the same high poker card are of equal value, and split any winnings (straights are the most commonly tied poker hands in poker, especially in community poker card poker games).

Straights are often described by the highest card, as in "queen-high straight" or "straight to the queen".

Examples

• 8♠ 7♠ 6♥ 5♥ 4♠ ("eight-high straight") defeats 6♦ 5♠ 4♦ 3♥ 2♣ ("six-high straight")
• 8♠ 7♠ 6♥ 5♥ 4♠ ties 8♥ 7♦ 6♣ 5♣ 4♥

Aces are a special case here: a poker hand such as A♣ K♣ Q♦ J♠ 10♠ is an ace-high straight (or "broadway"), and ranks above a king-high straight such as K♥ Q♠ J♥ 10♥ 9♦. But the ace may also be poker played as a 1-spot in a hand such as 5♠ 4♦ 3♦ 2♠ A♣, called a wheel, bicycle, or five-high straight, which ranks below the six-high straight 6♠ 5♣ 4♣ 3♥ 2♥. The ace may not "wrap around", or poker play both high and low in the same poker hand: 3♣ 2♦ A♠ K♠ Q♣ is not a straight, but just ace-high no pair. The wrap-around is, however, one of the unconventional hands used in some home poker games.

When wild cards are used, the wild poker card becomes whichever rank is necessary to complete the straight. If two different ranks would complete a straight, it becomes the higher. For example, in the poker hand J♦ 10♠ 9♣ (Wild) 7♠, the wild card poker plays as an 8 (of any suit; it doesn't matter). In the poker hand (Wild) 6♥ 5♦ 4♥ 3♦, it plays as a 7 (even though a 2 would also make a straight).

The general rule about poker hands having only five cards may come into poker play here. If poker playing a seven-card poker game you end up with K♠ K♣ K♥ Q♠ J♦ 10♦ 9♣, and your opponent has K♦ Q♦ J♥ 10♥ 9♠ 8♠ 7♣, your poker hands are tied. The best five-card poker hand you can make is a king-high straight, and the best poker hand he can make is also a king-high straight. The fact that you also have three kings and he also has a seven-card-long straight are both irrelevant. Of course, if his poker hand were instead A♥ K♦ Q♦ J♥ 10♥ 9♠ 8♠, his ace-high straight would defeat your king-high.

In Mexican stud, because the 8s, 9s, and 10s are removed from the deck, a poker hand such as 6-7-J-Q-K counts as a straight (to the king).

Straight flush

A straight flush is a poker hand such as Q♠ J♠ 10♠ 9♠ 8♠, which contains five cards in sequence, all of the same suit. It ranks above all other poker hands (unless wild cards are used, in which case it ranks below five of a kind).

Two such poker hands are compared by their high poker card in the same way as are straights, and the same wild poker card rules apply as for straights. The ace rule also applies: 5♦ 4♦ 3♦ 2♦ A♦ is a 5-high straight flush (sometimes called a "steel wheel"). An ace-high straight flush such as A♣ K♣ Q♣ J♣ 10♣ is called a royal flush, and is the highest ranking poker hand possible without wild cards.

Examples:

• 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ 4♥ 3♥ beats 5♠ 4♠ 3♠ 2♠ A♠
• J♣ 10♣ 9♣ 8♣ 7♣ ties J♦ 10♦ 9♦ 8♦ 7♦

Three of a kind

Three of a kind is a poker hand such as 2♦ 2♠ 2♥ K♠ 6♠, which contains three cards of the same rank, plus two unmatched cards. Also called "trips", or "a set". It ranks above two pair and below a straight.

Between two such poker hands, the poker hand with the higher ranking matched set wins. If both have the same matched set (this is possible only in poker games with wild cards or community cards), then the kickers are compared to break the tie.

Examples:

• 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ 5♠ 3♣ ("three eights" or "trip eights") defeats 5♣ 5♥ 5♦ Q♦ 10♣ ("three fives")
• 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ A♣ 2♦ ("three eights, ace kicker") defeats 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ 5♠ 3♣ ("three eights, five, three")

Two pair

A poker hand such as J♦ J♣ 4♣ 4♠ 9♠, which contains two cards of the same rank, plus two cards of another rank (that match each other but not the first pair), plus one unmatched card, is called two pair. It ranks above one pair and below three of a kind.

Between two such poker hands, the higher ranking pair of each is first compared, and the higher pair wins. If both have the same top pair, then the second pair of each is compared. Finally, if both poker hands have the same two pairs, the kicker determines the winner.

These hands are be referred to in speech, for example, as "jacks and fours" or "jacks over fours" or just "jacks on the roof" or "jacks up" (the latter is common in poker games where the smaller pair is rarely needed to break ties, so it doesn't need to be mentioned most of the time). Two small pairs with ranks between 2 and 9 are also sometimes referred to by the two-digit number they make: sevens and fives, for example, might be called a "seventy-five".

Examples:

• K♥ K♦ 2♣ 2♦ J♥ ("kings up") defeats J♦ J♠ 10♠ 10♣ 9♠ ("jacks up")
• 9♣ 9♦ 7♦ 7♠ 6♥ ("nines and sevens") defeats 9♥ 9♠ 5♥ 5♦ K♣ ("nines and fives" or "ninety-five")
• 4♠ 4♣ 3♠ 3♥ K♦ ("fours and threes, king kicker") defeats 4♥ 4♦ 3♦ 3♣ 10♠ ("fours and threes with a ten")

Note in particular here that the general rule about poker hands having only five cards often comes into poker play. If you are poker playing a seven-card poker game and have, for example, 10♣ 10♦ 8♦ 8♥ 4♣ 4♠ Q♦, the highest poker hand you can make is two pair: 10♣ 10♦ 8♦ 8♥ Q♦. The extra 4♣ 4♠ are of no consequence because you can't squeeze them into a five-card poker hand.

Wheel ( poker)

A wheel or bicycle is the poker hand 5-4-3-2-A, regardless of suit, which is a five-high straight, the lowest-ranking of the straights.

In ace-to-five low poker, where aces are allowed to poker play as low and straights and flushes do not count against a poker hand's "low" status, this is the best possible hand. In high/low split poker games, it is both the best possible low poker hand and a competitive high poker hand.

The origin of the name "Wheel" probably derives from the Bicycle poker playing cards issued by the U.S. poker playing poker card Company