{"id":383971,"date":"2025-02-21T13:53:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T13:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/?post_type=definition&p=383971"},"modified":"2025-02-21T13:53:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T13:53:42","slug":"royal-flush-poker","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/royal-flush-poker","title":{"rendered":"Royal Flush in Poker"},"content":{"rendered":"

Based on the fact that you’ll only hit one less than once in every 649,000 hands, it’s important to know what a royal flush is. Plus, what to do when you get one.<\/p>\n

What is a Royal Flush?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A royal flush is the best hand you can make in poker. It’s made up of five cards, and it’s a combination of a flush and a straight. We’ll break down the nuances of this regal hand as we progress through this guide.<\/p>\n

It’s an extremely rare poker hand. Is a royal flush better than a\u00a0<\/span>full house<\/a>? Yes! Is it better than quads? Yes! There isn’t a single hand that bets a royal flush unless you’re playing specific variants.<\/p>\n

Let’s take a look at what the top-ranking straight flush in poker looks like.<\/p>\n

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Examples<\/h3>\n

What is a royal flush in poker when you lay out all the cards? Just so you don\u2019t mistake this hand for a standard flush, here are the four possible royal flushes you can make in poker:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • 10\"\u2666\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2666\"\u00a0<\/span>Q\"\u2666\"\u00a0<\/span>K\"\u2666\"\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2666\"<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
  • 10\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>Q\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>K\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2660\"<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • 10\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>Q\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>K\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2663\"<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • 10\"\u2665\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2665\"\u00a0<\/span>Q\"\u2665\"\u00a0<\/span>K\"\u2665\"\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2665\"<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

    Where Does a Royal Flush Hand Rank?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    A royal flush ranks top of the poker tree in terms of five-card hands. There are exceptions to this rule when it comes to split-pot and lowball games.<\/p>\n

    However, the majority of poker variants use high-hand rankings, and royal flushes sit at the top of the pile. The table below shows the hand rankings in poker and what they mean.<\/p>\n

    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Poker Hand<\/strong><\/td>\nDescription<\/strong><\/td>\nExample<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Royal Flush<\/td>\nA straight from 10 to ace with all cards of a matching suit<\/td>\n10\"\u2666\"\u00a0J\"\u2666\"\u00a0Q\"\u2666\"\u00a0K\"\u2666\"\u00a0A\"\u2666\"<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Straight Flush<\/td>\nA straight with cards of a matching suit<\/td>\n5\"\u2665\"\u00a06\"\u2665\"\u00a07\"\u2665\"\u00a08\"\u2665\"\u00a09\"\u2665\"<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Four of a Kind<\/td>\nFour cards of the same value<\/td>\nA\"\u2666\"\u00a0A\"\u2665\"<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>X<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Full House<\/td>\nOne pair and one set<\/td>\nK\"\u2666\"\u00a0K\"\u2665\"\u00a04\"\u2666\"<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>4\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>4\"\u2663\"<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Flush<\/td>\nAny five cards of the same suit<\/td>\n5\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>9\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>10\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>K\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2663\"<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Straight<\/td>\nFive cards in sequential order, but without matching suits<\/td>\n2\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>3\"\u2666\"\u00a04\"\u2665\"\u00a05\"\u2665\"<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>6\"\u2660\"<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Three of a Kind (or a Set of Trips)<\/td>\nThree cards of the same value<\/td>\nA\"\u2666\"\u00a0A\"\u2665\"<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>X X<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Two Pair<\/td>\nA pair plus another different pair<\/td>\nA\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>A\"\u2665\"<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>6\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>6\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>X<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Pair (or Two of a Kind)<\/td>\nTwo cards of the same value<\/td>\nJ\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>X X X<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    High Card<\/td>\nA hand with no other value than that of its highest card<\/td>\nK\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>2\"\u2663\"\u00a0<\/span>8\"\u2665\"<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>6\"\u2660\"<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

    Difference between a Royal Flush and a Flush in Poker<\/span><\/h2>\n

    A\u00a0<\/span>flush in poker<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>consists of five cards that share the same suit. For example,\u00a0<\/span>A<\/strong>\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>3\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>7\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>9\"\u2660\"\u00a0<\/span>J\"\u2660\"<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>is classed as a flush because your hand contains five spades. So what is a royal flush? A royal flush is a type of flush.<\/p>\n

    Technically, it’s a straight flush, which is the best type of flush you can make. What\u2019s a straight flush? A straight flush is five cards of the same suit in sequential order.<\/p>\n