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Want to Know More About Poker Hands? Zynga Poker Has You Covered

If you’re a beginner Poker player wanting to learn how to play Poker, you’ve come to the right place. Zynga Poker will not only explain how to play Poker and what the different poker hand rankings are, but we will also give you a few tips to help you on your journey:

What are Poker Hands?

Poker hands are an important part of playing poker, whether you play the game online or in person. In poker, players form sets of five cards known as hands. These hands are ranked based on their strength and determine the winner of each round. Understanding the hierarchy of poker hands is essential for strategizing and making informed decisions during gameplay. Below, we look at the top poker hand rankings, so you can start your next game of poker with the knowledge you need to win. 

The Poker Hand Rankings

Now that you know the basics, the next thing you need to learn is poker hand rankings. Here’s a quick guide to poker hands:

  • Royal Flush – In a game of Poker, the Royal Flush is the best hand you can have. In order to get a Royal Flush, players must have an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and ten all of the same suit. However, don’t expect to get this hand often. Most players will only receive this hand a few times in their lifetime. 

  • Straight Flush – Getting a straight flush is much easier than a Royal Flush. Players must have five cards in a sequence to get a Straight Flush—for example, a ten, nine, eight, seven and six. Like in a Royal Flush, these cards must all be the same suit. The higher the top card in the sequence, the better your Straight Flush is considered, and the more chance you have of winning the pot. 

  • Four of a Kind (also known as Quads) – Another strong hand in a game of Poker is a Four of a Kind. This hand type is self-explanatory; you have all four cards of the same value. The higher the cards, the better your chances of beating your opponents. For example, you will win the hand if you have four Jacks, and your opponent has four eights. 

  • Full House – Getting a full house in Poker is quite common. A full house is compromised of three of a kind and a pair. And, just like the hands listed above, the strength of your cards determines how good your hand is. Your three-of-a-kind are the most important cards in determining your hand strength. The higher they are, the better the hand.

  • Flush – A player who manages to get any five cards of the same suit is said to have a Flush. Yet again, the strength of your Flush depends on how high your cards are, particularly your highest card in the set. Aces are the highest card you can have in a game of Poker, so an ace-high flush is the strongest flush you can hold.

  • Straight – After the Flush comes the Straight. Players get a Straight when they collect five cards in a sequence. These cards do not have to be of the same suit. In fact, you can include all the suits in this type of hand if you wish. And, like before, the higher the straight, the better your chances of winning. 

  • Three of a Kind – Getting Three of a Kind is pretty straightforward in a game of Poker. As the name suggests, players must get three cards of the same value, such as three Kings or three fives. 

  • Two Pair – By now, you may be getting the hang of Poker lingo. It’s pretty simple, isn’t it? Two Pair is two sets of cards of the same value or rank. Cards with higher values are ranked higher, with the highest possible Pair being two aces. 

  • One Pair – One pair is easily defined as any two cards of the same value. The higher the pair, the better your hand. For example, a pair of nices is better than a pair of fours.

  • High Card – If you and your opponent are unable to create a hand from the cards you were dealt, then it comes down to which of you has the highest card, otherwise known High Card. Aces are the highest card, with each successive card ranking following suit. If both you and your opponent have Aces, it comes down to who has the second-highest card, and so on. 

Other Poker Tips from Zynga Poker

Ok, you now know how to play Poker and what each poker hand means, but this isn’t all you need to know to become a Poker expert. If you want to win big, here are a few other Poker tips for beginners from Zynga Poker:

  • Be patient – It can be extremely difficult to be patient, particularly during a game of Poker, but it’s essential if you want to do well. The key to winning big in Poker is understanding poker hand rankings, knowing when to play and when to withdraw. 

  • Stay in the loop – As well as learning how to play Poker, it’s essential that all beginners stay in the loop. This means that they should follow Zynga Poker on social media. Players who do this are often rewarded with free chips. Not only that, but they are also given access to free and exclusive content that is designed to improve their game. 

Once you know the basics, including the poker hand rankings, playing Poker is easy. Hopefully, the information above has helped you with this. If it has, why not try out your luck online? Playing against others is the best way to gain experience. Why not play online now at https://games.zynga.com/zynga-poker or download the Zynga Poker app to your mobile device?