poker hands chart
Poker Hands Chart For Quick Hand Rankings
Use this poker hands chart to compare rankings, examples, what each hand beats, and how charts connect to tournament study.
Search intent
Visual-reference intent for players searching for a compact hand ranking chart.
Interactive chart
Tap a hand to see what it beats
Best to worst
Rank #1
Royal flush
The highest possible straight flush.
- Example
- A K Q J T, all one suit
- Beats
- Every standard poker hand.
- Loses to
- Nothing in standard high-hand poker.
- Tournament note
- Rarely relevant preflop, but useful as the top anchor when learning rankings.
What a poker hands chart should show
A useful chart lists each hand category in order, gives one clean example, and shows what beats it. For tournaments, the chart should also remind you that starting-hand play depends on position and effective stack.
The ten hand categories
There are ten standard high-hand categories: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card. The category matters first, then kickers or card ranks break ties inside the same category.
How to read examples on a chart
Chart examples are usually simplified. A full house example like jacks full of sevens means three jacks and two sevens. A flush example shows five cards of the same suit that are not consecutive. A straight flush example shows five connected cards of one suit.
Chart mistakes to avoid
Do not confuse a flush with a straight: a flush beats a straight. Do not rank two pair above three of a kind. Do not treat ace-high as a made hand; high card only wins when nobody has a pair or better.
Using charts without over-memorizing
Charts are best as quick reference points. Once the rankings are automatic, the next study step is practicing spots by stack depth, previous action, and tournament stage.
From hand chart to starting-hand chart
A hand ranking chart explains showdowns, while a starting-hand chart explains which two-card hands to enter the pot with. Tournament players need both: rankings for hand reading, and starting-hand logic for shove, fold, call, and raise decisions.