Straight Flush in Poker: Hand Ranking
Poker is a game of strategy and skill. If you’re a new player, the first thing to do is know the poker rankings by heart. Once you know the rankings, playing the game becomes much simpler. A straight flush is one of the higher ranking hands in poker game. It is a combination of two poker hands, a straight and a flush. A straight is five cards in a row of different suits and a flush is five cards of the same suit irrespective of their order. By combining the two, a straight flush is five cards in order belonging to the same suit. This poker hand is considered to be the best in most poker variants of a 52-card deck. The only hand that can beat a straight flush is a royal flush, A-K-Q-J-10 in order belonging to the same suit.
Straight Flush examples:9♠8♠7♠6♠5♠
3♥4♥ 5♥6♥7♥
A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠
A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥
A♣K♣Q♣J♣10♣
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
How does a Straight Flush Hand Rank?
A straight flush and royal flush are closely related and the probability of getting a straight flush is much more than a royal flush. Note:- A straight flush beats all hands in poker but a royal flush can beat a straight flush. In a usual game of poker, a player can create a straight flush using any of the 40 combinations. This poker hand is considered to be the top ranking hand in most popular variants of poker and can beat Four of a kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a kind, Two Pair, One Pair and a High Card.
How does a Straight Flush Hand Match Up?
The straight flush is the highest ranking hand a player can have in most variants of poker. The next best hand is four of a kind, also known as Quads amongst more experienced players, this implies having four cards of the same value but belonging to different suits. The best four of a kind combination in poker games is Quad Aces, A♠A♦A♣A♥.
Straight Flush Poker Probabilities
After you’ve memorized the hand rankings and familiarize yourself with what a straight flush is, it is important to know what the probabilities are of getting a straight flush in popular poker variants like Texas Hold’Em and Pot Limit Omaha.
Texas Hold’em Probabilities
Preflop | |
Straight Flush | 0.00139% |
Royal Flush | 0.000154% |
By the Flop | 0.0012% |
By the Turn | 4.25% |
By the River | 4.35% |
Pot Limit Omaha Probabilities
Preflop | |
Straight Flush | 0.00139% |
Royal Flush | 0.000154% |
By the Flop (when the player has two suited connectors) | 0.04625% |
By the Flop (when the player has 2 suited cards) | 0.00578% |
By the Turn | 4.44% |
By the River | 4.54% |
How to play a Straight Flush?
One of the most common and popular poker variation is Texas Hold’em and if you want to play a straight flush, these are the pointers to keep in mind.- There will be two hole cards dealt by the dealer along with a set of five community cards to play the game.
- The basic goal is to ensure you have the best poker hand by making a combination of five cards from the total seven.
- If you want to play a straight flush, you have to ensure that you have five cards in a sequence that belong to the same suit.
- This can be diamonds, hearts, spades or even clubs.
- If two players attempt to play a straight flush, then at the time of showdown, the player whose straight flush has a higher ranking card wins.
- For example, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 will beat a straight flush of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 irrespective of the suit.
What are the Straight Flush rules in different Poker Variants?
The rules of playing a straight flush change according to the poker variant being played. There are some poker variants that have their own set of rules.- Texas Hold’em and Omaha - A straight flush in these two popular poker variants is considered to be the top ranking hand that is only beaten by a royal flush. If you have a straight flush, chances of winning the game are extremely high.
- Seven-Card Stud - In this poker variant, a straight flush will help you add more points than other combinations. By playing a straight flush, you can change the entire direction of the game.
- Five-Card Draw - A player can gain a huge advantage by playing a straight flush in this variant of poker. Though there are slight variations, in most games a straight flush is considered to be a winning hand.
What is The Difference Between Straight And Straight Flush?
Here’s the main difference between a Straight and a Straight Flush:
Category | Straight | Straight Flush |
Definition | Five consecutive cards of any suit. | Five consecutive cards of the same suit. |
Suits | Can include multiple suits. | All cards have to be of the same suit. |
Rank | Lower than a straight flush, is sixth highest in poker. | Is the 2nd highest hand ranking in poker. |
Example | 5♦, 6♣, 7♠, 8♥, 9♦ | 5♦, 6♦, 7♦, 8♦, 9♦ |
How Ties Are Determined for a Straight Flush
In poker, a tie occurs when two or more players have similar hands, making it necessary to use a tiebreaker. This is how ties are broken if players have a straight flush:
- Comparing the highest card: In a straight flush tie, the player with the highest ranking card in the hand wins. Example: Player 1 with a straight flush to the King (K-Q-J-10-9) beats Player 2 with a straight flush to the Jack (J-10-9-8-7).
- Suit is not considered: Suits do not affect tiebreakers in poker. If two players have straight flushes to the exact same high card, the pot amount will be split.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learnt the basics of what a Straight Flush is and the various rules related to it in popular poker variants, download Pocket52 Poker app and start becoming the star you always dreamt of being!
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FAQs on Straight Flush in Poker
1. What is straight flush poker hand rank?
A straight flush in popular poker variants is considered the strongest hand that is only beaten by a royal flush.
2. What are the two main aspects of a straight flush?
The two main aspects of a straight flush are
- Consecutive Cards – The cards must be in a consecutive sequence
- Same Suit – The cards must belong to the same suit
3. What are the odds of getting a straight flush in poker?
The odds of making a straight flush usually depends on the variant of poker being played. But in general, the odds of getting a straight flush are very low.
4. How does Straight Flush hand ranking work?
When playing a straight flush, the sequence of cards that holds the higher ranking card will be considered the better hand. For example, K, Q, J, 10, 9 will beat 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. The suit does not matter.
5. Is the straight Flush an unbeatable hand?
The straight flush is generally considered the secondary top ranking hand. The only hand ranking that can beat a straight flush is a royal flush.
6. What beats a straight flush?
‘Straight Flush’ in itself is the 2nd strongest hand combination in poker, and very difficult to get. The best hand which beats the ‘Straight Flush’ is the ‘Royal Flush’ - this is made with the highest cards of any suit in consecutive order (10♥, J♥, Q♥, K♥, A♥).
7. Is it possible for a Straight Flush to lose in a poker showdown?
Yes, a ‘Straight Flush’ can be beaten only in two scenarios in a poker showdown. The first is when it comes up against a Royal Flush - highest cards of any suit in consecutive order. Second, when it is up against a higher Straight Flush.
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