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What Beats a Full House In Poker? Know Your Poker Hand Rankings!

Published: Oct 24, 8:30 am

If you’re asking yourself: “what beats a full house in poker?”, then it’s time you brush up on your poker skills, buddy. Knowing which poker hands come out on top in online poker is the most important part of the game.

Fortunately, this extensive poker guide is here to help, and after reading it, you’ll know exactly what beats what in poker. Ready to learn? Then let’s get to it.

Understanding Poker Hand Rankings

It doesn’t really matter which type of poker you’re playing, whether it’s 3-Card Poker, Texas Hold ’Em, Video Poker, or the different types of online poker found nowadays, hand rankings generally stay the same. Knowing these hand rankings will not only improve your skills as a player but will also help you enjoy the game a whole lot more.

A Straight Flush poker hand.

Knowing your poker hands will help you to make the right decisions in online poker games such as when to raise your bet, when to fold, or when to check. It’s a fundamental part of playing poker, and if you’re looking to get in on the action in one of the most exciting casino games on the menu, it’s definitely time you learn.

How Poker Hands Are Ranked

When playing poker games, it’s important to know that hands are ranked by the card values and the card suits. Generally, you’re looking for a winning poker hand in either a 5-card or a 3-card hand. If you or any of the players don’t have at least a Pair, which is the lowest-ranking hand in poker, the hand with the highest-ranking single card wins.

Let’s start with the lowest-ranking hands and work our way through to see what beats a full house in poker, and which are the highest-ranking hands in poker games.

10. High Card

When no clear winning poker hand appears in any of the hands (at least a pair), the highest card in each hand is used to determine the winner. The highest-ranking card in poker is an Ace, followed by the King, Queen, Jack, and finally the 10. After that, the card with the highest value comes into play to determine the winner.

A High Card and One Pair in poker.

9. One Pair

This one is rather self-explanatory. Whenever you have 2 of the same value cards in your hand ( not suits), it is considered a Pair. A Pair is one of the lowest-ranking poker hands, so if you want to know what beats a Full House in poker, you better keep on reading.

8. Two Pair

A Two-Pair means you have 2 separate Pairs in your hand, as seen with the 2 nines and 2 fives in the image below. A Two-Pair beats both the High Card and a single Pair, but is also a fairly common poker hand. However, it does not exist in 3-Card poker, as you’re only playing with a hand made up of 3 cards.

A Two-Pair and a Three of a Kind in poker.

7. Three of a Kind

Any 3 same-value cards in your hand is known as a Three of a Kind, for example, the three 10s in the image above. Does Three of a Kind beat a Full House? That’s a no. However, a Three of a Kind is one of the highest-ranking hands in 3-Card Poker, as a Two-Pair and a Full House do not exist in this type of poker game.

6. Straight

When you have 5 cards of any suit that run in sequential order, for example, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, it is considered a Straight. In 3-Card Poker, since there are only 3 cards in your hand, you’ll need only 3 cards in sequential order for a Straight. It’s also important to remember that an Ace can be the first or the last card in the sequence (before a 2, and after a King).

A Straight and a Flush in poker.

5. Flush

Any 5 cards of the same suit (for example, all diamonds) means you have a Flush. This is one of the easiest poker hands to identify, as all cards are the same color and display the same suit symbols. Does a Flush beat a Full House? We’re not there yet, but soon enough.

4. Full House

Finally - the hand you’ve been waiting for! A Full House consists of a Three of a Kind AND a Pair, for a full 5-card poker hand. A Full House is not as uncommon as you may think, but you might be playing a while before you see one - but you never know. Now it’s time to move on and answer the question: what beats a Full House in poker? These will be all the poker hands that follow.

A Full House and a Four of a Kind in poker.

3. Four of a Kind

A Four of a Kind is a poker hand consisting of 4 cards with matching values and hand rankings, like the 4 Queens in the image above. This means you will need all the cards of the same value for every suit in the deck. A Four of a Kind is very rare and is one of the highest-paying poker hands in online poker.

2. Straight Flush

It’s time to check out the once-in-a-lifetime poker hands that many long-time players have never even had the pleasure of laying down on the layout. A Straight Flush is 5 cards in sequential order, just like a Straight, but all the cards are of the same suit.

A Straight Flush and a Royal Flush in poker.

1. Royal Flush – THE BIGGEST HAND OF THEM ALL!

The highest-ranking poker hand you will find in any poker game is a Royal Flush. It’s basically the same as a Straight Flush, but instead of having any 5 cards in sequential order, you need the Royal cards, which are the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10.

Many experienced poker players have never even seen this hand when playing poker, and if you’re the lucky son of a gun to get one, you better abuse those bragging rights.

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