Reference
Poker FAQ
Short answers to 26 questions new poker players ask, grouped by topic.
Hand rankings
What beats what in poker?
From best to worst: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. Full answer.
Is a flush better than a straight?
Yes. A flush beats a straight in every standard poker game. Full answer.
Does a full house beat a flush?
Yes. A full house ranks one place above a flush.
Does three of a kind beat two pair?
Yes. Three of a kind ranks one place above two pair.
Does a straight beat three of a kind?
Yes. A straight ranks one place above three of a kind.
What is the best hand in poker?
A royal flush: ace, king, queen, jack and ten of the same suit.
Which suit is highest in poker?
None. Suits have no rank in standard poker, so two flushes are compared by their highest cards, not by suit.
What is a kicker?
A side card that breaks a tie. If two players both have a pair of aces, the one with the higher next card wins.
What happens if two players have the same hand?
If the best five cards are identical in rank, the pot is split equally.
Can a straight wrap around from king to two?
No. An ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (A-2-3-4-5), but Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
Texas Hold'em rules
How many cards do you get in Texas Hold'em?
Two private hole cards each. Five community cards are then dealt face up for everyone to share.
How many players can play Texas Hold'em?
Two to ten at one table.
What are the blinds?
Two forced bets posted before the deal by the players to the left of the button. The big blind is usually twice the small blind.
Who goes first in Texas Hold'em?
Before the flop, the player to the left of the big blind. On the flop, turn and river, the first player still in the hand to the left of the button.
Do you have to use both hole cards?
No. You make the best five-card hand from any mix of your two hole cards and the five community cards. Using none of your own cards is called playing the board.
What does the dealer button do?
It marks who acts last after the flop and where the blinds are posted. It moves one seat to the left after every hand.
Why does the dealer burn a card?
Discarding the top card before the flop, turn and river guards against anyone having seen or marked it.
Betting
What does check mean in poker?
To pass the action without betting. You can only check when nobody has bet in the current round.
What is the minimum raise in no-limit Hold'em?
At least the size of the previous bet or raise. If the bet is $10, the smallest raise is to $20. See how betting works.
What happens when a player goes all-in for less than the bet?
They can win only what they matched from each opponent. Further betting goes into a side pot for the other players.
What is a string bet?
Putting chips in with more than one motion without announcing a raise first. It is not allowed and is ruled a call.
Is a check-raise allowed?
Yes, in standard rules and almost every cardroom. Some home games ban it.
Getting started
How many chips do you need for a home game?
About 50 chips per player. See how to set up a game for a sample stack and blind schedule.
Is poker a game of skill or luck?
Both. Luck decides single hands and sessions, while skill shows over large numbers of hands. See our summary of the Levitt and Miles study.
What is the difference between a cash game and a tournament?
In a cash game chips are worth their face value and you can leave at any time. In a tournament everyone pays the same entry, the blinds rise, and play continues until one player has all the chips.
Is online poker legal?
It depends on where you live. The law differs between countries and between states and provinces, so check your local rules before playing for money.