A deck has 52 cards and of course the two jokers. What are high up the order are the four face cards, namely Ace, King, Queen and Jack. Then follow the number cards from the highest number to the lowest, so 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2. The card numbered 2 is also known as Deuce. The suits of Clubs, Hearts, Diamonds, and Spades are considered equals. The Ace of Hearts, for instance, will be an equal of the Ace of Diamonds. We need to remember that a poker hand always has five cards

The highest hand ever possible is the ROYAL FLUSH. This is where all five cards have equal suits. Thus a player having a hand with Ace, Queen, Jack and ten of the same suit are flash is said to be in possession of a ROYAL FLUSH.

The next the hierarchy is STRAIT FLUSH. This is when five cards of an identical suit come together in a progression. Depending on the cards, a STRAIT FLUSH can rank higher than the other depending on the initial card. For instance; 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 would rank higher than 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.

It is important to gain knowledge about the next hand in the order: FOUR OF A KIND. Here the four cards of the same number or face would come together in a hand. The four Aces together would rank highest and all the twos together would take bottom ranking. The fifth card is insignificant.

Now we can learn about what comes next in the chain of command, it is the FULL HOUSE. This is a combination of three cards featuring one face or number and one pair of another. To illustrate, it would mean 3 Aces and 2 Queens or maybe 3 Jacks and 2 tens.

We now expose FLUSH, the next rank in the order of poker hands. It is all about having five cards of one and the same suit. After the comparison, the player with the highest ranked card is declared victorious. In case the highest card of two or more players is the same, go to the second-highest card. And yet if no winner can be found, to the third highest until one card is of a higher rank.

STRAIT comes in as the next ranker and is explained in this step: This hand contains cards of dissimilar suits but in the order of rank. The top STRAIT would be Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten. The one ranking low down would be 5, 4, 3, 2 and Ace. The Ace plays a double role here as high card or would go as 1.

THREE OF A KIND holds next sway in the command structure. This is when a player has three cards of one kind. A good example of this would be Ace, Ace, Ace, 3 and 4. In case there is more than one three of a kind in this dealing, the highest one wins. Thus 6, 6, 6, 2, 4 is superior to 4, 4, 4, Ace and Jack.

Next in line is TWO PAIRS. Here it is the occurrence of two differently ranked pairs of cards. (Note that two pairs of the same number or face would actually mean four cards of the same kind.) When two players put TWO PAIRS on the table, the player with the maximum numbered pair wins. So Ace, Ace, 3 and 3 gets the better of King, King, Queen and Queen.

The next place in the pecking order belongs to A PAIR: Simply put it means two cards that are of equal ranking. If there are more than one PAIRS in a round, the highest number or face wins. In case two have the same face or number pair, Ace and Ace against Ace and Ace, then the trophy goes to the player holding the next highest card, not in the pair.

Right at the bottom of the hierarchy listing is the HIGH CARD. This simply is invoked when none of the above combinations can take effect. Here the player with the topmost individual card is declared winner. Again if there is a tie for the highest card, the next highest is considered.