Getting a Winning Poker Hand

by Poker Joker

The majority of the talent involved in playing poker is actually simply the luck of the draw. Getting the winning hand not only depends on what cards are dealt but also on how well the player can read the cards. Knowing all the different hands that can be dealt helps in getting that winning hand.

Putting together a winning hand is easier if the player knows the different ranks of a hand of poker. There are only nine hands that can be made out of being dealt five cards. The player has a better chance of winning if their hand is higher on the list.

The ranks of winning hands are as follows; a high card, one pair, two pairs, three of a kind, a flush, a straight, a full house, four of a kind, and a straight flush. Many players believe that a royal straight flush is the highest ranked hand but this is redundant since a royal straight flush is simply a straight flush using all face cards. No matter what cards make your straight flush, it is still the hardest hand to acquire.

Getting a high card, such as an ace, is easy to do, but winning with a high card isn’t easy to accomplish. This is simply because with the odds of getting a pair in a game such as Texas Hold’em where there is a community group of cards is high. In a 52-card deck, there is a 42% chance of getting a pair.

The chances of getting a pair are much higher than those of getting two pair in seven cards. This percentage is just under 2%. The player has to be careful when betting on two pair because the other player might just pull a higher set of pairs.

The chances of getting three of a kind is just about the same as getting two pairs but beats it. It is smart to assume that another player has three of a kind if there is a pair showing in the window. Be careful if the other player beings to bet higher even if you have a good chance of winning.

With a straight, the ace plays a dual role. The ace can be considered either the highest card or the lowest. With a king, queen, jack and ten, the ace plays the higher role, but with a 5, 4, 3, and 2, the ace then becomes like a 1 card.

The odds of getting a straight are less than four tenths of a percent, which makes it a tricky hand to get. In a hand like a 7, 8, 10, and jack, many players have lost the hand because they were expecting a 9 to show up in the window. Waiting for a card is almost always a losing hand.

To get a flush, the player has only a two tenths of a chance. When the player has five cards of the same suit, such as diamonds or clubs, he has a flush. If the window in a community game of poker has three or more of the same suit it is safe to assume that another player has a flush.

One of the highest, and most winning hands achievable is the full house. It is exciting to draw a full house because there is only a .15% chance of drawing it. A set of three of a kind and a pair makes a full house.

There is a less than .08% chance of getting either a four of a kind or a straight flush. Even though these are extremely rare, you must remember that it does happen. Knowing the percentage of getting these hands helps the player in betting and bluffing.

About the Author:

T. j. cloutier is one of the top poker players of all time. Over 9 million in tournaments proves that point. More than a player, mr. cloutier has written strategy books for us also. A win in the wsop main will complete a brilliant career. pokerstars

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