Flush: Poker Hand Ranking

Home Home Games Games Tournaments Tournaments Promotions Promotions
  1. 888poker
  2. How to Play Poker
  3. Poker Hand Rankings
  4. Flush Poker
Flush Hand in Poker Font Size A A A Flush poker Flush poker Example of Flush Hand in Poker Example of Flush Hand in Poker DOWNLOAD POKER

Definition: A Flush is a poker hand made up of five cards of the same suit that are not in consecutive order.

A Flush ranks fourth in the standard poker hand rankings, below a Full House. For example, A♥ J♥ 7♥ 5♥ 2♥ is an ace-high flush in hearts.

A flush is generally easy to recognise and is considered a strong hand in Texas Hold’em. The strongest possible flush is an ace-high flush, where all five cards share the same suit.

The best Flush possible is an ace-high Flush:

A♠ J♠ 10♠ 3♠ 2♠

When comparing flushes, the suit itself does not matter. Instead, flushes are ranked by their highest card, followed by the second-highest card, and so on. This means that not all ace-high flushes are equal.

Note: A straight to the Ace in the same suit is classified as a Royal Flush, which is ranked separately and higher than a standard flush.

How Does a Flush Hand Rank?

In a 52-card deck, there are 5,108 possible flush combinations and 1,277 distinct flush ranks. A flush is ranked by its highest card first, then by the next highest card, and so on until a difference is found.

Here are some examples of flush hands:

A♠ J♠ 10♠ 3♠ 2♠

K♥ 10♥ 7♥ 5♥ 2♥

A♣ K♣ Q♣ 8♣ 2♣

Q♦ J♦ 10♦ 9♦ 3♦

Among these examples, the ace-high flush ranks the highest.

If two players both hold a flush, the winner is determined by comparing the highest card in each hand. If those cards are equal, the next highest card is compared, and so on. For example, a King-high flush beats a Queen-high flush, regardless of suit.

As another example, a K-J-10-5-3 flush ranks higher than a K-J-9-8-3 flush because the third card (10) is higher than 9.

How Does a Flush Hand Match Up?

A Flush is the fourth strongest hand in the poker hand ranking system. A Full House ranks directly above it, while a Straight ranks directly below.

Despite ranking fourth overall, a flush remains a powerful hand in Hold’em and is often strong enough to win at showdown.

The strongest possible straight is the ace-high straight, also known as “Broadway”.

Flush Poker Probabilities

Quick comparison: Flushes occur more often in Pot Limit Omaha than in Texas Hold’em, mainly due to double-suited hands and the extra hole cards.

Below, you can see the pre-flop, flop, turn, and river probabilities of making a Flush in both Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha.

Quick comparison: Flushes occur more often in Pot Limit Omaha than in Texas Hold’em, mainly due to double-suited hands and the extra hole cards.

Stage Texas Hold’em Pot Limit Omaha Notes
Pre-flop 0.1965% 0.1965% Based on 5 cards randomly drawn from a full 52-card deck (Hold’em excludes straight & royal flushes)
Flop 0.84% 1.90% Hold’em: holding 2 suited cards · Omaha: double-suited hand
Turn 19.15% 20% From a flop with 2 suited cards
River 19.56% 20.40% On a board with 2 suited cards

Key takeaway: Flushes appear at similar frequencies pre-flop, but become noticeably more common in Pot Limit Omaha due to double-suited hands and extra hole cards.

Flush – Poker FAQs

What is a flush in poker?

A flush is a poker hand made up of five cards of the same suit. If the cards are also in consecutive order, the hand is classified as a Straight Flush instead.

Which flush wins in poker?

If two players both have a flush, the winner is determined by the highest card in each hand. If those cards are equal, the second-highest card is compared, and so on until a difference is found.

Is a flush a strong hand in poker?

A flush is a strong hand, especially in Texas Hold’em. In Omaha, flushes are more common due to extra hole cards, which reduces their relative strength. In all variants, higher-card flushes are significantly stronger than low-card flushes.

Does a flush beat a straight?

Yes. In most poker variants, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven Card Stud, a flush always beats a straight.

Does a flush beat a full house?

No. A flush always loses to a Full House in standard poker hand rankings.

How often does a flush occur in Texas Hold’em?

In Texas Hold’em, the probability of being dealt a Flush is approximately 0.20%, excluding straight and royal flushes.

PREV HAND NEXT HAND How to Play Poker
  • Poker Hand Rankings
  • Poker Rules
  • Strategy
  • Related Articles

    Four-of-a-Kind Find out about 4-of-a-Kind hands in poker. Flush Find out about Flush hands in poker. 888poker XL Blizzard XL Blizzard Day 11 - recap multi-table-tournament The biggest MTT tourneys live at 888poker! Two Pair Find out all about Two Pair hands in poker. Three-of-a-Kind Find out about 3-of-a-Kind hands in poker. Low Stakes Poker Find out about Straight Flush hands in poker One Pair Find out all about One Pair hands in poker. No Pair Find out all about High Card hands in poker. Back to top

    Tag » What Is A Flush In Poker