Straight Flush: Technically a Royal Flush is just the best possible straight flush, which is a hand that is both a straight and a flush.ģ. Still one of the most iconic images in the game, it’s the highest possible straight flush consisting of A, K, Q, J and 10 of the same suit.Ģ. Royal Flush: The best hand in poker, although it doesn’t occur very often. In a few games the probabilities and rankings differ, but for most variants, including Texas Hold’em, winning poker hands are determined in this order:ġ. If you see these particular card combinations in your starting hand, your best option is to fold 'em.These poker hand rankings are based upon the probability of each occurring, with the rarest holdings having the highest value. If you're dealt one of these hands, there are almost no circumstances in which you should play them. Of all the possible starting hands you can be dealt in Texas Hold 'Em, the following five hands are the least welcome.

Some starting two-card hands are more likely to work well with the other cards in the deck than others. That hand may or may not contain the hole cards.

There is then one more round of betting, and the best five-card hand wins. A round of betting also precedes the river card. Another round of betting occurs before the turn card is dealt. Anyone who doesn't fold after viewing his hole cards then sees the three flop cards. At this point, players look at their hold cards and choose to check, bet or fold. Those hole cards can eventually be used with the cards revealed in the flop, turn and river to assemble a (hopefully) winning hand.Īfter you are dealt your starting cards, there is a round of betting. These are your hole cards or starting hand. At the begging of each round of Texas Hold 'Em poker, you are dealt two cards.

Best starting hands in texas holdem