Poker is one of the most interesting and exciting games out there, especially when it comes to showdowns. The ranking of hands makes it incredibly easy to determine who has the better cards and who will take the pot. If you’re new to poker, don’t worry - we’re here to help you understand the hand rankings with a printable cheat sheet. Before we dive into the rankings themselves, it’s worth noting that in poker, the highest card is an ace, followed by king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2. Also, note that aces can be used either as a high card (above a king) or a low card (below a 2) depending on the variant of poker you’re playing. Now let’s get into the hand rankings. At the top of the list is a royal flush. This is a straight flush - five cards of the same suit in sequence - that starts with a 10 and ends with an ace. It’s the highest possible hand you can get, and if you’re lucky enough to have one, you’re almost certain to win. Next up is the straight flush - again, five cards of the same suit in sequence. This time, however, the starting card can be anything. If two players have straight flushes, the one with the highest card wins. A four of a kind comes next. As the name suggests, this is four cards of the same rank (i.e., four aces, four kings, etc.), plus any other card. If two players both have four of a kind, the hand with the higher rank wins. The full house is next on the list. This is where you have three cards of one rank and two of another rank. For example, three Queens and two Kings. If two players both have a full house, the one with the higher ranking set of three cards wins. After the full house comes the flush, which is any five cards of the same suit. If two players both have a flush, the one with the highest card wins. A straight follows the flush. This is five cards of any suit in sequence, but not necessarily of the same suit. If two players both have a straight, the one with the highest card wins. Three of a kind comes after the straight. As the name suggests, this is three cards of the same rank, plus any other two cards. If two players both have three of a kind, the one with the higher set of three cards wins. The next lowest ranking hand is two pairs. This is where you have two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and one other card. For example, two Jacks and two Kings. If two players both have two pairs, the one with the highest-ranking pair wins. Finally, the lowest-ranking hand is a pair. This is two cards of the same rank, plus three other cards. If two players both have a pair, then the highest-ranking pair wins. Now that you know the hand rankings, it’s time to start playing. But wait! You’ll want to keep this printable cheat sheet with you so you can reference it while you’re playing. 
Remember, it’s essential to understand the highest ranking hands to improve your chances of winning. We hope you find this cheat sheet useful in your games. Good luck at the tables!
