Many poker rules are better understood with a clear knowledge of poker terminology. First, the deck is divided into four suits: spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. Each suit has 13 ranks, which are, from highest to lowest, ace, king, queen, jack, and the number cards from ten to two.
The common poker game rules require the player to make the best hand of five cards. In some games, these cards may all be in the player’s hand, in others the player may have to choose from six, seven or eight available cards to make the best five-card hand.
Under poker rules, the possible five-card combinations are given names and ranked from lowest to highest, as listed below.
High Card – Five cards of different ranks, not in sequential order and not of the same suit. The strength of the hand is determined by the highest valued card, such “ace high” or “queen high.”
Pair – Two cards of identical rank, with the three other cards not matching.
Two Pair – Two sets of two cards of identical rank, with the fifth card not matching either.
Three of a Kind – Three cards of identical rank, with the two other cards not matching.
Straight – Five cards, of different suits, in numerical order. The value of the straight is based on its highest card. For example, a “king high” straight, beats a “jack high” straight. In this case, an ace can be treated as a low card to make a straight of ace, two, three, four, five.
Flush - Five cards of the same suit. Like a straight, the value of the flush is determined by the highest card.
Full House – A combination of a three of a kind and a pair. The value of the hand depends on the rank of the three of a kind.
Four of a kind – Four cards of the same rank.
Straight Flush – A straight where the cards are all of the same suit. The highest straight flush–with an ace, king, queen, jack and ten–is called a “royal flush.”
Under poker rules, a higher hand beats a lower hand to win. Players should bet money based on the strength of their hand, or their perceived weakness of other players’ hands or abilities. The various poker game rules provide for many different styles of play, but share the basics discussed above.