All games based on Poker use this hierarchy to determine what the winning hand is. Below is a description of each hand, from lowest to highest.
In the case of a tie for high hand by this hierarchy, the tie breaker is the highest Rank card among the Player's REMAINING cards (those that were not used so far in determining the high hand), up to a total of 5 cards. If Players are still tied at that point, then the hand is declared a tie, and the Pot is split among those players (subject to the game's rules). For instance, if two players both have a Pair of Kings, then the highest card other than the Kings is looked at - if they both have an Ace, then the next highest card is looked at, etc.
Within any level of the Hierarchy, the highest Rank of the cards that make up that level is used - for instance, if three players have Three of a Kind, one with 4s, one with Jacks, and one with 10s, the Jacks win. If two players have Straights or Flushes, the highest Rank card of the Straight or Flush is compared.In all cases (except for possibly in a Straight, listed below), card ranks follow their values: 2 is the lowest, then 3, etc. on up to 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace.
This is the lowest possible hand, where the player's highest Rank card gives the value of the hand. The lowest possible hand would be a 2,3,4,5,7 of different suits.
This is two cards of the same Rank, such as 2 Aces.
Simple enough, this is having two different Pairs, such as two Aces and two 5s.
This is three cards of the same Rank, such as 3 Aces.
This is 5 cards of consecutive Rank, such as 5,6,7,8,9 or 10,Jack,Queen,King,Ace. If the "Wheel is Good" (see General Definitions), then Ace may be used as a low card in a Straight, allowing Ace,2,3,4,5, and this would count as a "5-high" Straight.
This is 5 cards of any Rank, but the same Suit, such as 5 Hearts.
This is the combination of a Three of a Kind and a Pair, such as 3 Jacks and 2 7s. In a tie break, the Three of a Kind is compared first, then the Pair.
This is four cards of the same Rank, such as 4 10s.
This is a combination of a Straight and a Flush - five cards of consecutive Rank with the same Suit, such as 3,4,5,6,7 of Clubs. The highest Straight Flush, 10,Jack,Queen,King,Ace of any Suit is called a Royal Straight Flush.
This is five cards of the same Rank, such as 5 Queens. This is ONLY possible with Wild cards, or cheating... :^)