A hand may also be written, say, A-A-x-x-x, where 'x' means any other card that does not form a better hand.Īce-high straight flush (Also called a Royal Flush)Ī-2-3-4-5 is considered a five-high straight, and it is called a wheel or bicycle this is the only time an ace plays as a low card.
This is commonly used in describing hands, for example, A-2-3-4-5 is a hand with an ace, a two ('deuce'), a three, a four, and a five - not necessarily in that order, but presenting them in that order makes it clear that the hand is a straight, note that matching suit is not required. Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace are often abbreviated T, J, Q, K, and A, respectively, so that each card name has a single number or letter associated with it. The two is usually called a 'deuce', and the three is sometimes called a 'trey'. An ace is the highest card, but it can also function as the lowest in completing a straight. The cards are ranked thus, from low to high: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. These hand rankings do not apply to games played 'low', such as lowball or razz see the section on 'low hands' below. While betting is extremely important to the game, players are wagering on whether they have won, therefore a complete understanding of hand rankings must come first. The most fundamental of poker concerns the hand rankings because the hand rankings determine the winner.
