Learning the ranks of poker hands is the first step in understanding this card game. Although the rules change for many different games, the ranks remain constant throughout. There are eight different categories of hands, and if you can memorize them, you are ready to start learning specific variants of this game.

The lowest thing you can have is five cards that have no matches in them, which is known simply as "high card." The next two hands are a "pair" or "two pair" respectively. These are both considered rather weak hands, but they are better than nothing. Following those are "three of a kind", and then a "straight" which is five cards in consecutive numerical order.

A straight is followed by a "flush" which is five cards of the same suit, or symbol. Then comes a "full house" which is a pair matched up with three of a kind. This is followed by four of the same number or "four of a kind." And the highest possible hand is a straight flush, which is five cards in consecutive numerical order of the same suit.

There are also ranks within each category. In case of a tie within a category, you would then look at the highest card in each hand. For example, a flush containing an Ace would beat a flush whose highest card is a nine.