AT THE RIVERFORGE TABLE
Poker hand rankings, strongest to weakest
A straight beats three of a kind. A flush beats a straight. A full house beats a flush. Use this reference when learning the best five-card poker hands.
Riverforge uses the same high-hand order as Texas Hold’em. The river pool changes how the last community card is chosen; it does not change the hand rankings.
| Rank | Hand | Example | What makes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ | The ace-high straight flush. |
| 2 | Straight flush | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ | Five consecutive cards of one suit. |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ 3♠ | Four cards of the same rank. |
| 4 | Full house | J♠ J♥ J♦ 6♣ 6♥ | Three of one rank and two of another. |
| 5 | Flush | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦ | Five cards of one suit, not consecutive. |
| 6 | Straight | 8♠ 7♥ 6♦ 5♣ 4♠ | Five consecutive ranks, with mixed suits. |
| 7 | Three of a kind | 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ K♣ 4♥ | Three cards of the same rank. |
| 8 | Two pair | K♠ K♥ 5♦ 5♣ A♥ | Two different pairs. |
| 9 | One pair | 10♠ 10♥ A♦ 8♣ 3♥ | Two cards of the same rank. |
| 10 | High card | A♠ J♥ 8♦ 6♣ 3♥ | No pair, straight, or flush. |
How ties are decided
First compare the type of hand. If the types match, compare the ranks that make the hand. A pair of queens beats a pair of jacks. For two pair, compare the higher pair first, then the lower pair, then the remaining card. For a full house, compare the three matching cards before the pair.
Unused cards within the best five-card hand are called kickers. A player with A-A-K-8-4 beats a player with A-A-Q-J-9 because the king is the first differing kicker. If both players have exactly the same best five ranks, they tie and split the pot. A sixth or seventh card never breaks that tie, and one suit does not outrank another.
Can an ace be low?
Yes. A-2-3-4-5 is a five-high straight, often called a wheel. It loses to 2-3-4-5-6. An ace can also sit at the top of 10-J-Q-K-A, but cannot wrap around: Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
Which five cards count?
At a Riverforge showdown, choose the strongest five from your two retained private cards and the five community cards. You may use both private cards, one, or neither. If the board itself makes the best hand for every remaining player, those players tie unless someone can improve it with a private card.
Common beginner mix-ups
- A flush beats a straight even when the straight contains higher individual cards.
- Three of a kind beats two pair.
- A full house beats a flush; four of a kind beats a full house.
- Only the best five cards count. Holding three pairs across seven cards still produces a two-pair hand.
- A royal flush is the highest straight flush, rather than a separate way to form five cards.
Try the guided first hand in Riverforge, then use free practice to recognize hands as the board develops. The game evaluates showdown hands for you.