Poker Cheat Sheet for Beginners
Everything a new player needs on one page: the hands, the tiebreak rules and a few tips. Print this page or grab the printable poker hand chart.
Hand rankings at a glance
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
Kickers and ties explained
When two players have the same type of hand, you compare the cards that make the hand first, then the leftover cards (the kickers), highest first. Only five cards ever count.
Pair vs pair
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Both have kings. Next highest card: 9 vs 9, tie. Next: 6 beats 5, so the first hand wins.
Two pair vs two pair
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Compare the top pair first (queens, tie), then the second pair. Sevens beat fours, so the second hand wins even with a worse kicker.
Flush vs flush
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Flushes are compared card by card from the top. The ace beats the king, so the first hand wins.
Full house vs full house
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The three of a kind decides it. Eights beat sevens.
Straights
Only the top card counts. A 9-high straight beats an 8-high straight. The lowest straight is 5-4-3-2-A, which loses to 6-5-4-3-2.
Playing the board
In Hold'em, if the five board cards are your best hand, everyone still in can play them and the pot is split.
Beginner tips
- Learn the hand rankings first. Everything else builds on them.
- Play fewer hands. Strong starting hands like big pairs and high suited cards win more often.
- Position matters. Acting last gives you more information, so you can play a few more hands from late position.
- In Hold'em you can use any five of your seven cards, including all five on the board.
- Suits never break a tie. Identical hands split the pot.
- Watch the board for straights and flushes your opponents could have.
- Set a budget before you play and stick to it.
Think you've got it? Try the which hand wins quiz.