Showdown - F.A.Q

Some usual misunderstandings and answers to questions regarding who the winner is.

Situation I: Two players with flush.

Board:

Player 1	Player 2

Winner: Player 1

Note: A common mistake beginners do is to believe that the highest card on the board (A) makes both the players a winner in a showdown situation. This might make the player who is not sure of the rules raise many times and then finally, to his astonishment, lose.

The cards on the board do certainly belong to your hand but when it comes to calculating the strength you start from Ac, which both the players have from the table, and go downwards. Nobody has Kc so that card does not matter. Player 1 on the other hand has Qc which makes him a winner. The strongest card on the hand is in other words decisive.

If you are a beginner this explanation will probably save you a few bucks.

Situation II: Two players with full house.

Board:

Player 1	Player 2

Winner: Player 1

Note: Another common mistake is to believe that only the three of a kind is used when it is time for the showdown. If both the players have the same values of their three of a kind the player with highest pair wins. Once again – the player with the five best cards will be the winner.

Situation III: Two players with a straight

Board:

Player 1	Player 2

Winner: Both player 1 and 2.

Note: Both the players have a straight with the same value, 9-K. A straight is made up from five cards and therefore the hand cannot be stronger than that. A higher kicker-card (well in this case it ISNT a kicker), like player number one’s 9 then does not make any difference.

Situation IV: Two players with the same two pairs

Board:

Player 1	Player 2

Winner: Player 1.

Note: Both the players certainly have the same two pairs but as there is room for a fifth card, the kicker-card, player number one with the kicker-card J, is the winner.

All right then. You think it is necessary to get more examples?

The hands you can create are:

Royal Flush - If anybody makes this he will automatically win. Two players can't have a royal flush unless it isn't made of the community cards only. If so - split pot.
Straight Flush - Highest straight flush wins.
Four of a kind - Do you have the same four of a kind on the table? Well, then there is only room for a kicker card to decide who wins. If equal - make a split!
Full house - The player who has the highest three of a kind in the full house wins. If they are the same the highest pair will decide who wins.
Flush - The player with the highest card wins. If this is the same the second highest card is compared etc.
Straight - There is not much to say about it. If they are the same the pot is shared. Otherwise it is the player with the highest straight who wins.
Three of a kind - If they are the same compare the kicker cards. If these also are the same compare the last 5 th card!
Two pairs - If they are the same there is just room for one kicker card which will decide who wins.
One pair - If they are the same the kicker card will decide who wins. If the kicker cards also are the same compare the second highest until you have created a poker hand consisting of five cards.
Highest card - The highest card wins. If these cards are the same the second highest cards are compared etc.

Again: The five best cards win!