Any other Straight will beat a Five-high Straight in “high” variants like Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud games. But 5-4-3-2-A is a Five-high Straight (the Ace becomes the low end of this Straight). But beginning poker players should keep in mind that it is possible for an Ace (and an Ace only) to convert itself from a “high” card to a “low” card for Straights.Īs shown above, A-K-Q-J-T is an Ace-high broadway Straight. Generally speaking, an Ace is the strongest card in the deck compared to any other numerical or face card holding.

However, there IS an important difference in poker hand strength value when it comes to numerical and face cards.Ī Straight in poker is a 5-card hand in which a numerical sequence is unbroken.įor example: 9-8-7-6-5 is a Nine-high Straight Q-J-T-9-8 is a Queen-high Straight and A-K-Q-J-T is an Ace-high Straight (also known as a “broadway” Straight).

This means that spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs all have the same “hand strength” value in Flop games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha, Stud games like Razz, Draw Poker, etc. 4 cards of each numerical value (A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2)Īs we’ve discussed in other articles here at Cardplayer Lifestyle, there is no distinction in value between suits.13 cards of each suit (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs).In a standard poker deck, players will be competing at a table with 52 cards: In this article, we will look at the distinct difference between a Straight and a Flush in poker, which hand is valued higher, and how to recognize a rare yet powerful Straight Flush hand. And there are few things in poker more frustrating than misreading your own hand! Yet the aesthetic design of face cards mixed with numerical values can sometimes catch a weary poker player “napping” on a made Straight. Flush can require a modicum of focus – even for veteran players.įor beginners, it should seem simple enough to monitor community cards and match them with hole cards in games like Texas Hold’em to create the best possible 5-card hand. In poker, deciphering the difference between a Straight vs.

High card flush explained