← Hand rankings
Poker hand · rank 10 of 10
High Card
By All In Central · Updated
A♠J♥9♦5♣3♠
No pair or better — your highest card plays, then the next one down the line. Suits don't count.
High card is the weakest hand — no pair or better, so your single highest card plays, then the next one down. Suits don't count.
- Odds of being dealt it in five cards
- 1 in 2
- Odds of making it by the river in Texas Hold'em
- 1 in 5.7
What beats a high card?
What does a high card beat?
Nothing — it's the lowest hand in poker.
Common questions
- What is a high card in poker?
- A hand with no pair, straight or flush — nothing that connects. Your best five cards are judged by the highest one (ace-high, king-high, and so on), then down the line to break ties.
- Does ace high beat king high?
- Yes. Ace-high beats king-high. If both players are ace-high, the next-highest card decides, and so on through the five cards.
See all ten hands side by side on the printable hand rankings chart or the one-page poker cheat sheet. Curious how a hand holds up against another? Deal both into the odds & equity calculator and watch the percentages change street by street.
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