Interesting names of combinations in poker. Card combinations in poker - a list, rules for building and comparing. How to play the highest hand

When studying the rules of such games as Hold'em, Omaha and similar disciplines, it is important to master what combinations of cards in poker are, how they are composed and correlated with each other. Thanks to this knowledge, you will learn to give an objective assessment of the strength of your hand, play promising cards and fold those that can bring losses. This detailed instruction and pictures of poker combinations are intended for beginners who are just learning the rules of the game.

What are combinations in the game of poker

In the training literature, you can come across two terms - combination and hand. In some contexts they may refer to similar concepts, although a distinction must be made between them. All card combinations in poker can act as a hand, but not all hands can be combinations. Therefore, both concepts should be considered so that you do not confuse them and better understand what combinations of cards in poker are, and pictures of various situations will help you.

Hand in poker - These are the best cards the player has in the auction or at the showdown. In all poker modifications, except three-card and Badugi, the showdown hand is always five-card. However, during the deal, it may consist of fewer cards. Since a hand is made up of the best available cards, it may or may not contain combinations.

Combinations in poker - a certain combination of cards by face value, suit or order, corresponding to the rules of the type of poker in which you play. They can be two-card or contain more cards, up to a maximum of five. Each combination has its own name and power. For them, there is a strict hierarchy of seniority, determined by the name and face value of the cards.

Consider illustrated examples:

In this picture in Hold'em poker, the player is holding Ace-King after the cards are dealt. At the moment, this is his hand, but he does not have a combination:

On the flop, he gets three more cards, his hand becomes a five-card hand, but he still cannot make a combination:

On the turn, the sixth card is dealt, the hand remains five-card, although there are six cards. It's just that the Two in this situation is not included in it, since the highest cards are selected. Combinations never made:

On the river, a combination is made - a Pair of Aces. And the other three highest cards are part of the hand, and will play a role in determining seniority if the opponent has a similar pair:

If there is a combination, it is always included in the composition of the hand. But if the combination is not five-card, it is supplemented with cards not included in it - the highest available, so that the hand becomes a five-card!

All major poker hands

Popular types of poker (the vast majority of card games) use Hi and Low combinations:

hai - these are classic poker layouts, made up of cards of the same denomination, the same suit, or in order. They are used in Hold'em, Omaha and Stud poker (including Hi-Lo), five-card poker. A table with names and pictures will allow you to study these poker hands and remember their seniority. For beginners, it is recommended to keep a list of poker combinations in front of your eyes, if you have not memorized them yet:

For Texas Hold'em, which is played with a deck of 36 cards (available at PokerDom), the list of poker combinations by seniority will be significantly different:

Lowe - are always five-card combinations made up of smaller cards at face value. In some games, they are made up using the Ace as a unit, and from cards only up to the eight. In others, the Ace may not be used or the composition may include cards older than the Eight. Such combinations are used in Hi-Lo variants of Omaha and Stud Poker, Lowball and Razz. These pictures clearly describe Low's poker hands:

Some, not so popular types of poker, may have non-standard combinations, for example - Badugi.

What are the rules for making all combinations of cards in the game of poker

The rules of poker govern the formation of combinations. The player cannot choose the combination that he likes best! Making a combination in the Poker game must obey the following rules:

The highest possible combination is always made - if the cards allow you to make two or three combinations in poker, the player receives only the highest of them. For example, if a poker player can have a Pair, Straight and Flush at the same time, then he has a Flush at showdown.

The highest cards are always chosen for the combination. For example, if a player has six cards that are suitable for making a Flush, only five are selected from the available ones - the highest of all at face value.

You cannot make a combination of more than five cards . So, if there are three different pairs on seven cards in Hold'em, only two of them enter the player's hand. For example, if there are two Sixes, a pair of Sevens and two Aces, only two pairs of Sevens and Aces will enter the player's hand.

For Low, the principle of building combinations is similar, but some of the rules are reversed. The low always consists of five cards, made up of the smallest at face value and unpaired. For some games, Low cannot be built in cases where it is impossible to select five unpaired or different suits from the set of available cards.

The seniority of combinations in the game Poker

The power value of combinations in poker plays a decisive role. Assessing the strength of his hand, the poker player chooses the most profitable decisions in the auction or the least unprofitable ones. The strength of different combinations can be easily determined from the table above. However, it happens that combinations with the same name are collected by several players. Moreover, their seniority is determined by the following cards:

Denomination of cards - applicable to Pair, Three, Four of a Kind. A pair of Threes beats a pair of Twos, Four of a Kind on Jacks beats a Four of a Kind on Eights, and so on.

kicker - valid for combinations of equal value, made up of less than five cards - Pair, Two Pair, Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind. The kicker is part of the cards that are not included in the combination itself and is the highest of them at face value. For example, if the players have collected the same Set, they have two cards left, which can be used to determine the seniority of the hands. In the case in the picture, the poker player who has a Ten wins and she acts as a Kicker:

senior card - determines the seniority of five-card combinations and is included in their composition. This is the highest card in the combination, collected by several poker players, which other players do not have. So, the picture shows the case when two players made a Straight, but one player has it higher, thanks to the Queen:

senior couple – valid for the combination Two Pairs. The player who has the highest of two pairs on cards higher in par value than the second player's highest pair wins:

Senior Troika – applicable to Full House. The poker player who has a Three of a Kind as part of a Full House on cards that are higher in par value than the Three of a second player wins (if the Three of a Kind are equal, then the comparison is made in pairs):

stay - in some cases, players make completely identical card layouts, which allows them to divide the pot equally.

These rules for building combinations in the game of poker for beginners allow you to understand how a winning hand is made, what strength the player's cards have. In a real game, it is necessary not only to know the options for combinations in the game of poker, but also to be able to determine them in the available cards. Having studied the rules of combinations and types, you should move on to the next stage of learning - learn how to evaluate the probabilities of making them at different stages of trading or during an exchange, depending on the poker discipline you plan to play.

Let's take a look at all the poker hands we've ranked from the weakest to the strongest. Also, below we have detailed examples that will help you deal with typical situations and questions that arise when comparing poker hands.

List of combinations

• Senior card;
• Pair;
• Two pairs (doper);
• Set (thrips);
• Straight;
• Flash;
• Full house;
• Kare;
• Straight flush;
• Royal flush.

Such a seniority of poker combinations was not determined by chance. The more difficult it is to make a given hand, the more powerful it is considered. In other words, the strength of poker combinations is directly related to, so below we will analyze each of the hands in a little more detail, including from the point of view of mathematics and the chances of meeting it at the gaming table.

senior card

The smallest poker hand, which is automatically obtained if none of the players has a better hand. In this case, the hand that has the higher value cards wins, which gives it such a name.

Cards are compared sequentially from the oldest. If both players have their highest cards of equal value, then the next highest cards are compared, and so on.

For example, cards without a combination, but with the highest card Ace, will be stronger than the combination with the highest card of the King (as in the example above), but at the same time they will both lose the next strongest poker hand - a pair, even if it will only be about a pair of twos.

Pair

Two cards of the same rank. In the example, the pair is two Aces. If both players have collected a Pair, then they are compared by seniority. If the opponents have the same Pair, then the winner is determined by the highest additional card (kicker). If they are equal, then the second and third additional cards are compared.

Interesting probabilities associated with the pair

• Chance of getting a premium hand ( AA or QC) pre-flop – 0,9%
• The chance of hitting any pocket pair pre-flop ( 22 to AA) – 5,9%
• Probability of winning with a pocket pair against two high cards ( 22 vs AK) – 54%
• Probability of improving your unpaired hand to a pair or better on the flop - 32,4%

Two pairs

Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. In the example, these are two Aces and two Kings. If both players have collected a combination of Two pairs, then they are compared, and the one whose highest pair is higher wins. If the players have the same Two Pair, then the winner is the one whose fifth card (kicker) is higher.

Interesting probabilities associated with two pairs

• The chance of hitting two pair on the flop with an unpaired hand pre-flop is 2%
• Probability with a pocket pair to improve to two pair on the flop - 16%

Set or Trips

Three cards of the same rank. In our example, these are three Kings and two additional cards, which are considered a kicker and are taken into account if both players have the same Set or Trips.

Usually, when a player, having a pocket pair, receives another card of the same value on the post-flop, this is called a set (for example, with on the flop you improved to a set), and when he has only one of the three cards in his hand (for example, on flop), then such a hand is called trips. Formally, this is the same poker combination, however, the set is a more protected and disguised hand, which will be less likely to fall under domination and it will be more difficult for the opponent to guess it.

Interesting probabilities associated with the set

• Chance of getting three of the same community cards on the flop (shared set) - 0,24%
• Probability with a pocket pair to improve to a set on the flop - 10,8%
• Chance of hitting a set or better by the river with a pocket pair pre-flop - 19%

Straight

Five cards in a row by seniority. The suits of the cards are different. If both players have collected a Straight, then the one in whose combination the last card is higher wins. In this case, the Ace can be considered as the highest card in the combination, and the lowest. The oldest street is . The youngest street is .

Interesting probabilities associated with a straight

• Chance to improve an open-ended straight draw to a straight on the turn - 15%
• The chance to improve an open-ended straight draw to a straight from the flop to the river is - 32%
• Probability with a gutshot (holey straight) to improve to a straight on the turn is - 8,5%
• The probability with a gutshot (holey straight) to improve to a straight from the flop to the river is - 17%

Flash

Five cards of the same suit. The sequence can be any. If both players have a Flush, then the player with the highest card in the combination wins. If the highest Flush card is common, then the next highest card is compared.

Interesting Flush Probabilities

• The probability of seeing 3 cards of the same suit on the flop is 5,2%
• The probability of having two suited cards pre-flop to make a flush on the flop is - 0,84%
• The probability of having two suited cards pre-flop to get a flush draw on the flop is - 10,9%
• The chance to improve a flush draw to a completed flush on the turn is 19%
• The chance to improve a flush draw to a made flush from the flop to the river is 35%

Full house

Three cards of the same rank and a pair of any two cards. If both players have collected a Full House, then the winner is the one whose triples from the combination are the highest. If three cards are equal, a pair is compared, the one who has it higher wins.

Interesting probabilities associated with a full house

• The probability of getting a full house on the flop with two unpaired cards pre-flop is 0,09%
• The probability of getting a full house on the flop with a pocket pair pre-flop is 0,7%
• Probability of improving a set from the flop to the turn to a full house - 15%
• Probability of improving a set from the flop to the river to a full house - 33%

Kare

Four cards of the same rank. If two players have collected the same four of a kind, then the one who has the highest “kicker” (fifth card) wins. For example: on the table - both players have collected four of a kind. One in the arms, the other -. The first player with the combination wins.

Interesting probabilities associated with four of a kind

• The probability of getting four of a kind on the flop with two unpaired cards pre-flop is 0,01%
• The probability of getting four of a kind on the flop with a pocket pair pre-flop is 0,2%
• Probability of improving a set from the flop to the turn to four of a kind - 2,1%
• Probability of improving a set from the flop to the river to four of a kind - 4,6%

straight flush

Any five cards in a row in order of seniority and the same suit. If two players have collected Straight Flush, then the combination in which the last card is higher wins. A straight flush can either start with an Ace or end with it, but in the second case it will be considered a royal flush, that is, the strongest combination in poker.

Interesting probabilities associated with a straight flush

• The chance of making a straight flush on the flop with suited connectors pre-flop is 0,02%
• The probability of improving a straight flush draw to a made straight flush on the turn is - 4%
• The probability of improving a straight flush draw to a made straight flush from the flop to the river is − 8%

Royal flush

Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit. In fact, it is a suited senior straight. This is the rarest and strongest combination in poker, because in fact there are only 4 possible royal flushes and there will never be two royal flushes in one single hand, so the player who has collected this combination will be the guaranteed winner of the hand. The only possible exception is when the royal flush is completely formed from community cards post-flop, in which case all participants in the distribution will simply split the pot among themselves.

Interesting probabilities associated with a royal flush

All poker combinations in one picture

If you have just started playing online poker, then to make it easier to remember poker combinations, we have prepared for you a picture with all the combinations in the correct order, which you can place as a background on your desktop. You can also just print it out and keep it handy so you don't get confused while playing.

Poker combinations with examples by seniority

Pair

You win because your two Kings are higher than your opponent's two Queens. The older the couple, the stronger it is.

Two pairs

You will win because your two pair or higher than your opponent ( and ). The comparison here takes place on the top pair, i.e. against .

Set or Three of a Kind

You win because your three of a kind is higher than your opponent's three of a kind. Aces are higher than Tens, as well as stronger than .

Straight

Despite the fact that both players have collected a Straight, it is you who wins, because. your top bottom card of the combination is higher (against). In fact, there is a comparison: against.

Flash

You win, because your flush is higher than your opponent's flush. In this case, the combinations are compared according to the highest card, where the Ace is stronger than the King.

Full house

Both players made a Full House combination, having a common three of a kind at the bottom. In such a situation, the pair that you have is older ( > ). But most often these combinations have a different triple at the base, which determines the winner. For example: stronger than .

Straight - from ten to ace - from cards of the same suit. In poker, all suits have the same value, and the pots are distributed evenly between hands of equal value. However, there are no two royal flushes in one hand, except for the option from common cards on the table! This is the highest combination in games like texas hold'em or omaha .

Straight flush | straight flush

Straight from any card, consisting of cards of the same suit. If two players have a straight flush, then the pot goes to the player with the higher hand. But there is also poker games where you want to collect the lowest combination.
PS. Ace maybe like start off order, so end his.

Kare | Four of a kind

Any four cards of the same rank. If two players have the same value square, the bank is taken by the player who has the fifth card (in other words - kicker) higher. Very strong combination, use poker calculator .

Full House | full house

Any three cards of the same rank and a pair of two other cards. In our example, three aces and two kings would be more than three kings and two aces. In case of equal combinations, the player with the higher three cards from the "full house" wins. Then the "pair" is compared by rank and in case of complete equality, the bank is divided between the players.

Flash | Flush

Any five cards of the same suit in any order. The highest card in the combination determines the total value of the flush. Our example is a flush with an ace.
PS. Ace maybe like start off order, so end his.

Street | Straight

Any five consecutive cards of different suits. The Ace can be considered as the highest or the lowest card. Our example shows an ace-to-five straight, the lowest value straight.
PS. Ace maybe like start off order, so end his.

Three of a Kind or Set | Three of a Kind

Any three cards of the same rank. Our example shows a triple of aces with a king ( kicker) and a queen on the side is the best three possible.

Two couples | two-pair

L Any two cards of the same rank together with any two cards of the same rank. Our example is two pair of aces and kings. When two players get this combination, the value of the combination is determined by a pair of the highest cards.

Couple | one-pair

Any two cards of the same rank. Our example shows the best possible pair.

Supreme card | high-card

Any hand that cannot add up the above combinations in poker. In our example, the best possible hand with the highest card.

Poker Combinations: FAQ

Is a straight stronger than a flush?

No. A very common misconception. In fact, a flush (five cards of the same suit) always beats a straight (five consecutive cards). Straight flush, five consecutive suited cards, even higher.

Which is better - two pair or a set?

A set is always stronger than two pair. The only set combination beaten by two pair is one pair.

Do "All Reds" or "All Blacks" Beat a Straight?

"All red" or "all black" beats nothing. A flush consists of five cards of the SAME suit - i.e. five hearts, diamonds, crosses or spades cards.

Does the seniority of the cards in a made flush matter?

It has. In LL Hold'em, an ace flush is always higher than a king flush. To determine the winner of the hand, place both hands on the table. The combination with the highest card wins the pot.

Which suit is stronger?

In poker, suits don't matter. Spades are not stronger than hearts, and clubs are not older than diamonds, etc. Players with two identical combinations but different suits simply split the pot. This misconception comes from other card games where the suits have their own hierarchy.

Two players have royal flushes, who wins?

In BL Hold'em, you can't get two royal flushes on the same board. In other games, there is such an opportunity, the bank is divided in half.

What am I betting with three pair?

Nothing. In this case, two older pairs play. In poker, there is no concept of "three pair" at all.

Is there a difference between a set and trips? What is stronger?

Trips and a set represent one combination - three cards of the same rank. The difference is how this combination was put together. When a pocket pair hits the third card on the board, a set is formed.

When there is a pair on the board and the third card in your hand is trips. Sets are much harder to read, so they are preferred.

What happens if there is a straight on the board?

The bank is divided among the players. Naturally, provided that no one has a higher straight or better hands (flush or higher).

Whatis Four-Flush?

Four-Flush - A regular flush made up of four cards on the board and one card from the player's hand. This, by the way, is one of the main differences between BL Hold'em and Pot Limit Omaha. In PLO, the player is required to use two starting cards, so the concept of Four-Flush does not exist in this game.

What if I have the same pair as my opponent?

You split the pot. Pocket aces versus pocket aces is most often a pot split (unless one of the players hits a flush).

Can you make a straight with 4-3-2-A-K?

It is forbidden. With an ace, you can make both a low straight (A-2-3-4-5) and a high straight (A-K-Q-J-10); This rule does not apply to other cards.

Which is older: 3-3-3-A-Aor 8-8-8-K-K?

The seniority of a full house is determined by three cards of the same rank. In the example above, a full house with eights is older than a full house with threes.

Who will win with four of a kind on the board?

The player with the senior kicker. For example, on a board of 8-8-8-8-5 you have A-K, your opponent has K-Q and you win. (Your five-card hand looks like this: 8-8-8-8-A, the opponent below is 8-8-8-8-K.) If the board was 8-8-8-8-A, you would split the pot : five-card combinations in both cases would be equal - 8-8-8-8-A.

Basic beginner mistakes

Unfortunately, most beginners have a hard time learning from their mistakes unless they cost them their entire stack. And it's not just about the correct interpretation of card combinations in poker.

More often than not, you will pay for a mistake by losing the pot.

Your investment in this lost pot may be just a small part of your stack. In this case, many beginners do not take into account the lost pot and refuse to appreciate the size of their mistakes.

But while such errors result in smaller one-time losses, they occur much more frequently, and as a result are more expensive in the long run.

Your decisions at the poker table are like a raft on which you are floating. Any leak, no matter how small, will eventually cause you to drown.

You can spend all your time bailing out water, or you can spend some time right now fixing leaks once and for all.

In other words, it is correct to understand the situation at the table when evaluating poker combinations.

5) Hopeon thecoinflips

This leak is most common among those who watch too much poker on TV and don't spend enough time learning the real game. TV poker is rarely a good way to learn solid game strategy, especially if you want to play cash games.

Coin flips are a common part of tournament poker.

Television broadcasts of poker tournaments constantly show players trying to play coin flips. Players are constantly looming in front of the audience, hunting for coin flips in a desperate attempt to extend their tournament life: to get the best poker hand.

In cash games it is almost always wrong to try to play a coin flip before the flop. Often, when faced with an all-in bet, a beginner with A-K in hand will call based on the following logic:

• I'm ahead against any unpaired hand
• I have about 50% to win (coin flip) against any pair below KK
• I only lose to KK and AA and even have three outs against KK

Based on this reasoning, the beginner concludes that calling is a good decision.

Unfortunately for beginners, cash games are different from poker tournaments. In the later stages of tournaments, especially at the final table (which is what most TV poker is about), players only need to have any hand that can win the pot at showdown in order to put all their chips into the pot.

Such hands can include all aces hands, any two high card hands, and playing all chips with A-K is a very simple solution.

In cash games, the situation is quite different. Except in rare situations where players are on tilt or just want to get home as soon as possible, the hands that players will put all their chips into the pot before the flop will almost always be pocket pairs or A-K.

This means that when calling with A-K, you will very rarely be ahead. More often than not, you will be slightly behind small pocket pairs (55-QQ), and sometimes you will find yourself far behind KK or AA.

Hoping for a coin flip before the flop in a cash game results in a loss of money.

4) replayhands

Another common rookie mistake is overplaying your hands.

Watch people who are just starting to play poker. Many of them will never fold top pair or a better hand. If they have a pair of aces, they won't even consider folding since aces are the strongest pair.

The more you play poker, the less comfortable you will feel with marginal hands. The contrast between a beginner's and a professional's emotion from hitting two bottom pair on the flop is the same as between night and day.

The beginner gets excited when he hits two pair on the flop, while the pro realizes that this hand isn't all that strong.

Here is an example explaining the presence of such a contrast:

Flop: 8♠ 9♦ K♣

Hand: 9♣ 8♣

The beginner sees this hand and knows that he has a very strong hand. There are no straight or flush opportunities on the board, further increasing the likelihood that his hand is the best. Beginners will be ready to put all their chips into the pot on such a board.

The professional sees the same board and realizes that there are only three options: his opponent has nothing and will only take a small pot on the flop; his opponent has one pair and can call one bet; or his opponent has a set or stronger two pair.

The pro knows he's going to win a small pot, or anyone willing to put in a lot of money on a flop like this is likely to have a stronger hand. The only scenario where a pro can make a decent profit is if his opponent is a rookie who goes too far with top pair and a good kicker.

Unfortunately, there is no way for a pro to know if his opponent is overplaying top pair or playing a set adequately.

With rare exceptions, if your hand - in other words, a poker hand - is weaker than a high straight, then it is marginal, and you should not aim to play a big pot.

It's only when you have the nuts or an absolute monster that you should aim to play all your chips.

All of these mistakes can be avoided. Removing them from your game will lead to an immediate increase in your session winnings, and will also significantly increase your income in the long run.

3) Building a draw on a dangerous board

When you're playing with a draw, you tend to build it up and bet if you manage to get a strong hand. You don't play with draws in order to get a strong hand and check.

Therefore, as soon as you complete your draw (flush draw or straight draw), you must put money in the pot. The amount of these investments can vary from small amounts to the entire stack.

When you're trying to complete a draw on a dangerous board, sometimes getting a made hand is the worst possible outcome. The simplest example of this is the desire to complete a flush on a paired board.

Once you complete your flush, any player who is willing to put significant amounts into the pot is likely to have a full house.

There is nothing worse than trying to build a poker hand that will still lose, and losing a large amount when you think you got a good card. When there's a real chance that you'll hit your second best hand by hitting your draw, you want to keep the pot as small as possible.

If you can't somehow be certain that you have the best hand, never rely or rely on it.

A man who needs no introduction.

2) Fearlosemoney

Doyle Brunson says, "The key to no-limit poker... is getting your opponents to make decisions with all their chips." In other words, you need to be prepared to make your opponents decide whether or not to go all-in and call with all your chips each time.

Many beginners play poker with little or no bankroll. For this reason, these players are under pressure to realize that they simply cannot afford to lose their stack.

Such a game is called a game of frightened money. If you are unable or unwilling to risk your entire stack, then your opponents will use that fear against you.

To play poker successfully, you need to separate the money in the game from the money you spend on daily needs. Losing your full buy-in in no-limit poker should be no harder than buying a hamburger.

Obviously, you'd rather not lose money, but you have to do what you have to do - collect poker hands.

Until you can completely get rid of the amounts you put into the pots, you can't play no-limit poker properly. Play only the games that your bankroll allows you to play, and sit at the table with the right mindset to make smart decisions.

Remember that winning money is a by-product of winning the game - it's a profitable poker hand.

You don't sit down at the poker table with the intention of making money; you sit down at the table with the intention of showing a high quality game. Money is just a medium that players use to record results.

1) Illogical (or obvious) bet sizing

If your bet size gives your opponents a clear idea of ​​your hand, then they will never make mistakes. If your opponents never make mistakes, then you will never win.

Many beginners will only think about one aspect of betting while ignoring the others. As a result, the size of their bets will harm them, not benefit them.

Imagine that you have a good hand, like two pair on the flop. You act first and must decide how much to bet. Many beginners will only think about the first aspect of bet size.

"I want my opponents to call my bet and I'm profitable on this play, so I have to bet quite small for them to call for sure."

Isaac Haxton plays as a predator.

You bet $10 into a $60 pot. You have achieved your only goal, but now your opponents have 7 to 1 pot odds (or better odds if someone has already called your bet) to try to complete their draws.

In fact, your bet size should be small enough to get called, but big enough to not give opponents with better draws good pot odds.

Another example of bad bet sizing by a beginner is to bet too big to protect his poker hand. Such bets will protect the hand, but they are so large that they do not allow you to make a profit from a made hand. Usual scenario:

Game $1/$2; the beginner gets pocket aces in the big blind. One player limps, the second raises to $10, and all other players before the newbie fold; the beginner goes all-in, betting $145.

There is $15 in the pot and he raises to $145. It is almost always wrong to raise 9.5 times the size of the pot. Yes, he defended his hand and won the pot, but he made absolutely minimal profit from his hand.

Every time you make less than possible profit from your hand, you make a mistake and lose money. With pocket aces, you are way ahead of your opponent. It is possible that your odds of winning are 8 to 1.

This means you want to get called on your re-raise. You want to reraise small enough to get called, but big enough to maximize your opponent's error.

If everything goes well, then your opponent will think you are bluffing and go all-in. This will most likely never happen if you go all-in first.

You need to choose your bet size to maximize the mistakes of your opponents.

Poker is a multifaceted game, but this makes it even more interesting. There are dozens of variations of this card entertainment, each with different rules. But only one thing always remains the same - combinations. The principle is the same in all directions: you need to collect a certain combination of cards, if it turns out to be better than that of your opponents, you can count on winning. Obviously, the highest hand in poker is the most desired gift for all the players at the table. It is called Flush Royale, there is no stronger set of cards than this set of cards, this rule is valid in almost all disciplines of the game. The only exceptions are Low poker variants, where the lowest combinations bring victory, and the older ones defeat.

Royal Flush is the strongest hand in poker, but also the most stubborn and rarely drawn.. The player who became the owner of this set of cards can safely claim victory in the round. Even an experienced poker player, in his entire career, can only remember a few cases when he managed to collect this combination. The chance that the opponent will collect the highest combination is negligible, and such a case occurs one in a million. We will talk about the nuances of Royal Flash, about the probability of it falling out, about some of the intricacies of the draw in the article.

All combinations in poker

Before the best combination in poker, there are nine other combinations, it is necessary for every poker player to know them by heart, otherwise it is impossible to build a competent game strategy. The arrangement of combinations in ascending order, that is, from the weakest to the strongest.

1. senior card. In principle, this is not a combination, but the absence of any regular combinations of cards. That is a completely random set. But the Senior card is considered to be the first combination. Example: 2 clubs, 5 spades, jack of clubs, 7 spades, 9 diamonds.
2. Pair. Opens combinations with a certain pattern. The combination consists of two cards with the same face value. Example: 3 clubs, 3 spades. The remaining three cards act as a kicker and only count if two or more players have made a Pair.
3. Two pairs. The third combination consists of two pairs of cards with the same value, the fifth one acts as a kicker. Example: jack of clubs, jack of diamonds + 6 of clubs, 6 of spades and king of hearts.
4. Set. Also called Triplet, Three. The combination includes three cards of the same value plus 2 side cards. Example: Queen of Diamonds, Queen of Spades, Queen of Hearts + King of Clubs and Ace of Diamonds. Kickers are needed only to resolve disputes.
5. Straight. The combination opens combinations in which there is no kicker. Consists of five cards following in nominal order, but of different suits. Example: 7 of diamonds, 8 of spades, 9 of diamonds, 10 of clubs, jack of spades. Ace can act in its rank (highest straight) and as a unit in a combination of ace, 2,3,4,5 (lowest straight).
6. Flash. These are five cards of the same suit, but of different denominations. Everything seems to be simple, but it is quite difficult to put together a combination. Example: 2 diamonds, 6 diamonds, 10 diamonds, ace of diamonds, jack of diamonds.
7. Full house. A combination that combines the other two: Three of a Kind and a Pair. That is, it consists of three and two pairs of cards of the same denomination. Example: 4 clubs, 4 spades + 7 diamonds, 7 spades, 7 hearts.
8. Kare. The combination consists of only 4 cards, but is considered very strong, second only to Straight Flush and Royal Flush. All four cards must be of the same denomination, the fifth acts as a kicker, necessary in controversial situations. Example: king of diamonds, king of hearts, king of clubs, king of spades + ace of diamonds.
9. Stree Flash. The derivative combination of Straight consists of five cards in nominal order and one suit. Example: 6 tambourine, 7 tambourine, 8 tambourine, 9 tambourine, 10 tambourine.
10. Royal Flush. In fact, this is a senior Straight Flush, consisting of five cards of the same suit, starting with 10 and ending with an ace. Example: 10 of hearts, jack of hearts, queen of hearts, king of hearts, ace of hearts.

Thus, the biggest hand in poker is Royal Flush. Gathering it is incredible luck even for world-class professionals.

The probability of making the best combination

All players almost immediately learn that the best combination in poker is called Royal Flush, but not everyone understands how likely it can be at the table. Not hard to guess, that putting together a combination is quite difficult even for experienced players. Many in their entire poker career have never seen the coveted set of cards.

If you believe the theory of probability, then the percentage of the possibility of obtaining a Royal Flush at the beginning of the round does not exceed 0.0002 percent, the figure is very small. The more valuable the combination of the players.

If, after the first hand, there are two cards in hand that can be part of the Royal Flush, then the probability of getting a combination increases to 0.0008%. With a shortage of only one card on the flop, the opportunity to acquire it on the turn increases to 2 percent, and in the final round of betting to 4%. If only one card is missing to complete the combination on the turn, then the probability of a Royal Flush is 2%. Obviously, the highest hand in poker and the most difficult to collect, the probability of getting it is very low.

All calculations are correct for No Limit Texas Hold'em. In Omaha, things are much better, since there are no more than 2 unknown cards left in the deck.

How to play the highest combination?

There is no such player who would not dream of seeing a Royal Flush in his hands, but the highest hand in poker rarely favors a poker player. But if luck still smiles, you must not forget the three basic rules that seasoned card game lovers advise:

• Do not get confused and do not lose your head from sudden happiness. You need to take the situation calmly.
• Show no emotion. Opponents should not guess that the highest combination has appeared.
• Soberly assess the situation at the table. Try to get the most out of the round, Royal Flush is impossible to beat.

The most important thing is to act calmly and not rush to extremes. When a Royal Flush is found, take it easy, opponents should not guess about it. You should not suddenly increase the pot, as experienced poker players in such cases will simply fold their cards and leave no chance to take a big win. It is necessary to systematically and slowly increase the bet, forcing opponents to do the same. Ideally, if other players have Four of a Kind, Straight and other relatively strong combinations, they usually go all the way with them. This means that there is an opportunity to break the big jackpot and the best combination in poker will be well spent.

Summary

Royal Flush is in some way a symbol of poker, regardless of its directions. No wonder the combination is often used in the logos of gambling establishments, rooms, casinos. Even in films, the combination has a special status. The player who manages to collect Royal Flash is considered incredibly lucky. The main thing is to be able to properly dispose of an unexpected gift of fate and possibly win a large amount of money.

In simple terms, Royal Flush is the coolest combination in poker, desired by absolutely all poker players, regardless of the length of service and experience of the game.

Every novice player first of all asks what game combinations there are in poker and how they are ranked among themselves. And this is the right approach, because the essence of all poker games is based on combinations and seniority of cards. And today we will look at all the card combinations of Texas Hold'em poker - in the most popular version of this wonderful game. In other types of poker games, card combinations may differ slightly, we will also talk about this in our article, where you will also find pictures of poker combinations.

We will consider the combinations of cards in poker in order, starting with the lowest and ending with the highest. The winner in the distribution is the player who has collected a combination of cards better than opponents. In disputable situations, when two or more players have collected the same combinations, the kicker is taken into account.

The lowest hand in poker is the highest card (high card), sometimes it is also called “Empty”. The highest card can play only if neither you nor your opponents have collected even one pair. Then the one with one of the pocket cards that is higher than the others will win at the showdown. For example, you have an ace and a nine, and your opponent has a 2 and a queen. Ace over 2 and queens, so you'll take the pot. If there is an ace on the table, and you have a king and 2, the opponent has 7 and a queen, then you will win, because you will have a king - the second most senior card after the ace.

The next most important poker hand is considered to be couple. For this combination, it is enough to have 2 cards of the same rank and any suit, for example, two aces or two deuces. One card may be your pocket card and one card may be on the board, or both cards may be pocket cards. If both cards of this combination are on the table, then your kicker will play the role here.

A kicker is a pocket card that does not contribute to poker hand combinations, but can play a role in determining the winner in disputable situations.

Two pairs (two pairs)- 2 cards of the same rank and 2 more cards of the same rank, the suits can be any. If two or more players make combinations of “2 pair” cards, then the one whose pair is higher will win (the combination of cards two aces and two deuces is higher than two kings and two queens). If both pairs match for two players, then the player with the highest kicker will be the winner. For example, one player has an ace and a king, another has an ace and a three, and on the table there is an ace, two deuces, nine and a jack. In this case, the first player will win in the distribution, having collected a combination of 2 aces, two warriors and a king, which in this case will be the senior kicker.

Set (set, triple, three, trips, tripple, three of a kind)- this combination of poker means 3 cards of the same value, for example, three kings or three deuces. It is most commonly referred to as a set or trips, and the differences between the two names lie in the way the combination of cards is collected: a set is 2 pocket + 1 card on the board, and trips is 1 pocket + 2 cards on the board. If two players hit trips, the player with the highest kicker wins.

Straight (straight, straight)- to collect this combination of poker you need to collect 5 cards that go sequentially according to their value, the suit of the cards can be any. For example, 6-7-8-9-10 or 3-4-5-6-7. In Texas Hold'em you can use 1 or both of your hole cards to make a hand. Also, a combination of “Street” cards can be on the board, in which case the pot will be divided equally between all participants in the distribution. In this case, an ace can form two combinations at once: 10-jack-queen-king-ace and ace-2-3-4-5 (the second sequence of cards is also called the “wheel”).

Flush- this is a combination of cards of the same suit, the value does not matter. For example, ace of hearts, deuce, four, jack and eight. The order of the cards is also not important and can be anything. A flush is considered higher than a straight, pair, set, but is inferior in seniority to a full house, four of a kind, straight flush, etc. If two or more players have a flush, then the winner is the one with the higher flush. For example, on the table 2-5-9-jack of hearts, player number 1 has an ace of hearts, and player number 2 has a king of hearts. Player number 1 will win the hand, since the ace is higher than the king.

Full House- to get this combination of cards in poker, you need 3 cards of the same value and 2 more cards of the same value, for example, three threes and two jacks. The suit of the cards can be any. If two players collect a full house of different denominations, the winner will be determined by the seniority of three identical cards. For example, three deuces and 2 aces are inferior to three kings and two deuces.

Kare (Four of a kind)- all four cards of the same value, for example, four kings or four deuces. If two players hit four of a kind (which is extremely rare), then the poker player whose four of a kind is higher wins (for example, quads of aces are higher than quads of kings). If all 4 four of a kind cards lie on a common board, then the winner is determined by the kicker.

Straight Flush- a very rare layout of cards in poker, a combination consists of five cards of the same suit, going sequentially in their rank. For example, 6-7-8-9-10 of spades or Ace-2-3-4-5 of hearts. Royal Flush is one of the varieties of Straight Flush, but it is considered older than it.

Royal Flush- the oldest, and at the same time the rarest combination of cards. To compile it, you need to “catch” 5 cards of the same suit of a specific value, namely 10-queen-jack-king-ace.

Card combinations in other types of poker

In this section, we will consider all card combinations in poker in other disciplines of the game.

Omaha (Omaha)

In this type of poker, the rules are very similar to Hold'em, but players receive 4 cards face down, not two cards. Combinations are played similar to Texas Hold'em, but there are also differences in card composition. If in Hold'em you can use 1, 2 or even none of your cards to make combinations, then in Omaha you must use two hole cards and 3 community board cards to make combinations.

There are also 2 types of Omaha: Hi and Hi-Lo. The first type plays according to the standard rules, that is, the pot is taken by the highest combination. In Omaha Hi-Lo, the best and worst hand. The worst hand is usually called 5 cards of different denominations under nine and different suits. For example, 7-6-5-4-2 offsuit. The lower the cards used to make a combination, the better, so 6-5-4-2-ace will beat the hand in the example, and the “wheel” (5-4-3-2-ace) will be considered the strongest combination, which also has a chance to take both parts of the pot (as the strongest combination, and at the same time as the weakest).

Lowball

This is a type of draw poker that is fundamentally different from classic poker varieties such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha. It differs primarily in winning combinations of cards:

Seven low (perfect seven, seven low)- this combination is the highest in the game Lowball, and consists of 5 cards of different rank and suit, the highest card must be a seven. Example: two, three, four, five and seven. Instead of any of these cards (except for the seven), there may be a six. If two players collect the “Seven Low” combination, then the poker player with cards of lower value will win. For example, a two, three, four, five, and seven combination is stronger than a two, three, four, six, and seven. In the event that all cards of the combination are of the same suit, then this will no longer be a low seven, but a flush, which is considered one of the weakest layouts.

Eight low- any five unpaired cards of different suits under nine. For example, 2-3-4-6-8.

Nine low- any five unpaired cards of different suits under ten. For example, 2-3-4-6-9.

The Ace is the lowest card in poker games such as Lowball, Stud, Razz and Badugi and counts as one.

Razz (Razz)

As in the game of Lowball, here the “wheel”, or from ace to five, is considered the strongest card combination. But unlike the above game, any other combination of cards can also act as a low combination, if it is lower than that of your opponents. For example, you can win even with cards that include a queen (will be called a low queen) or even a couple of cards.

Badugi

It is rightfully considered the most unusual type of poker. Here, poker combinations are made up of four cards, which are dealt face down to each player at the beginning of the game, then these cards can be exchanged for others from the deck. There are no common cards, unlike other varieties of poker disciplines. The goal of the game is to make a combination of the lowest ranked cards of different suits.

The best combination in Badugi it counts as two-three-four-ace offsuit (the picture of the poker combination is shown on the left). This nut gives the player a 100% chance of winning the hand. It is customary to name combinations according to the highest card: for example, 4-5-6-7 offsuit will be called “Badugi seven”, and 2-3-4-5 “Badugi five”. If two players have collected very similar combinations with the same highest card, then the second highest card different from the opponent's hand (or 3, 4 cards) will also appear in the name. So, if player number 1 collected 4-5-6-7 (seven-six badugi) and the other 3-4-5-7 (seven-five badugi), then player number 2 will be the winner.

In combinations in Badugi, it is unacceptable to use pairs and cards of the same suit. Thus, if you get 10 spades, 9 hearts, 3 hearts, 7 clubs, then your combination will look like this: 10p-5h-7k-x (you have two hearts, only the lowest of them is taken into account). Such a combination will be called “three card five”, that is, 3 cards (we don’t take into account the fourth in this case) and five (the lowest card of three). If you have jack of spades, 4, 5 and 6 hearts in your hands, then the combination will be called “two card four” (only jack of spades and the lowest of hearts - four are taken into account).

The seniority of card combinations in Badugi poker is determined as follows: first 4 cards of different suits of different denominations, then 3 cards, then 2, and the worst combination will be 1 card.

Slang names for card combinations in poker

Above, we talked about all the main poker combinations and their most popular names. You can also often find them on the Internet, or hear from other players their slang names. Let's figure out what they mean.

Gutshot (gutshot)- this is an incomplete combination of a straight, in which one card is missing. Gutshot can be called, for example, such a combination: 3-4-6-7 (there is not enough five here).

Mariage (from French mariage)- literally translated as "wedding", and in poker they call a queen and a king of the same suit.

Hooks (or fishhooks, hooks)- such a nickname was acquired by the jacks for the similarity of their designation (J or Jacks) with fishing gear.

Cowboys- a pair of kings.

Lady- ladies are sometimes called ladies, as well as cowgirls, by analogy with kings.

TNT- dozens have such a name.

Backdoor, runner-runner (backdoor, runner-runner)- a situation where a player needs two cards to come out on the turn and river. For example, you have 7, 8, and there is a jack on the table. Your backdoor will be nine and ten.

snowmen- such a nickname received eights for their shape.

Maverick- sometimes they call the jack and the lady.

Boat or full boat- one of the names of the Full House combination.

Wheel- you can often hear this name in the address of a straight from ace to five (ace-two-three-four-five).

Dead man's hand– pocket ace and eight.

Phil Hellmuth– pocket 9 of spades and 9 of clubs.

Kojak- this is the name of the king and jack cards in the player's hand.

Big Slick (big slick)- pocket ace and king.

rockets- 2 aces in hand.

Doyle Brunson- pocket tens and deuces.

Double sided street is a straight, to complete which it is necessary to deliver a card at the beginning or end. For example, you have 5 and 6 on hand, and 7 and 4 on the board. Eight or three of a kind will help you complete this open-ended straight.

controversial issues

All card combinations in poker are quite simple to understand, but players, especially beginners, have a lot of questions about this. Let's look at the most common of them.

• • Can an ace be used in a combination of straight 5-6-7-8 and the like? After all, it is put to 2-3-4-5.

No. The ace appears in only two straight combinations: from ace to five and from 10 to ace.

• • I made A-A-8-8-8 and my opponent 8-8-J-J-J. Why did he win the hand when I have a full house with aces?

In a full house, seniority is determined by three cards, that is, in this case, eights lost to jacks.

• • I collected 3 pairs. What combos can I win?

None of the poker disciplines has a “3 pair” combination of cards. Only two, the older ones, will be taken into account.

• • There are 2 kings, 2 jacks and a three of a kind on the table. I have a three and a seven, my opponent has an ace and a deuce. Who won?

The winner in the hand will be the player who has an ace, since in this case the winner is determined by the kicker, and the ace kicker is higher than three.

• • What is the difference between a set and thrips? Are these different combinations?

These two names have the same meaning - 3 cards of the same value. The difference is only in the way this combination is formed: if 2 pocket cards + one on the board are used, then this is a set, and if 1 pocket and 2 cards from the general table, then thrips.

• • Who will win the hand if there is a straight on the table?

In this case, the pot will be divided equally among all players who have not left the game until this moment, provided that one of the players does not have a card with which to get a stronger straight. For example, on the table 3-4-5-6-7. If one of the players has 8, he will take the pot.

• • Who will win the hand if four of a kind is on the table?

In this situation, the winner will be determined by the kicker (wipe card in hand). If the table is 8-8-8-8-10, and the players have K-2 and 7-6 in their hands, then the one with the king wins.

• • What does the combination “Four Flush” mean?

This is a regular flush, which is formed using one player's pocket card and four cards from the community table.

So, we have examined in detail all the card combinations in poker, and also answered the questions of novice players about card combinations. As you can see, there are a lot of them, but they are all quite simple. To better understand how certain combinations of cards are formed, pictures of poker combinations presented in the article in abundance will help you.

We wish you a successful game!