Your Secret Weapon to Crushing Tables: Knowing Every Card Type!

Poker Cards Kings

When playing all forms of poker, it helps to know about poker card types.

Whether you’re playing Texas Hold ‘Em, Mississippi Stud, or five-card poker, knowing which cards are the best is crucial to making some cash at the tables.

Types of Poker Cards

There are 52 cards in a standard deck of cards, and they are each assigned different values. The number cards are self-explanatory, with the number of the card signifying the strength of the playing card.

For example, if you’re playing Hold ‘Em, a hand of 2-3 doesn’t rank very highly because it’s highly likely the board will play, and your high card is one of the lowest possible. However, if you hold ace-king, you already have a big advantage by holding the top two-ranked playing cards.

Poker guide hands are packed with different rankings, but the best starting hands for poker are AA, KK, AK, QQ, and JJ. These are ideal starting hands when playing Hold ‘Em, and they are also good to have when playing Mississippi Stud.

Mississippi Stud strategy is similar to Hold ‘Em, except you’re playing against a dealer and not other players. Having a pair in your hand is always advantageous, but having a high pair, or even ace-king, is a good hand.

If you have trips (three-of-a-kind), two-pair, or anything better, then it’s an automatic call when you play Mississippi Stud. They are the best cards for poker, so pray for them when you’re dealt the cards.

Do Suits Matter?

There is a common misconception that suits are ranked when playing any form of poker. This isn’t true, and although there are some card games where suits are ranked, all forms of poker don’t include that rule.

What does matter is the strength of your hand, which is determined by your best five-card hand. Poker card types are all that matter, and having a picture card in your hand with another high-ranking card is ideal.

Despite suits not mattering against each other, they do matter in general poker. If you have five cards all in the same suit, it’s a flush. Flushes are great to have, as they are one of the top five-card hands in all forms of poker.

They are some of the best cards for poker, so if you are lucky to have a flush, think twice before folding.

Is Five-Card Poker Still Played?

One of the oldest and most fun games is five-card poker, and a variant of it is still played at the World Series of Poker.

The original game sees players receive five cards, of which they can keep discarding cards after every round of betting. Strong hands are needed to win five-card poker due to the likelihood of getting better cards when you discard the ones you don’t want.

Five-card draw is played at the World Series of Poker, and it’s growing in popularity. It’s one of the more fun games, and although you discard some of your hand, it still requires bluffing.

Poker card types are important when playing five-card draw, as straights, flushes, and full houses are common. Pairs and high cards have no chance of winning in this game, so players need to make big hands. Otherwise, a bluff needs to be pulled out of the bag of tricks.

Best Poker Starting Hands

The best cards for poker depend on which poker game you’re playing. If you play Hold ‘Em, starting with two aces (AA) is the best starting hand because you already have the highest-ranked pair.

This is followed by pocket kings (KK), pocket queens (QQ), and ace-king (AK). When players have those holding cards, they often raise to make the best of their situation.

When playing games like stud and five-card poker, it’s a little different. It’s always nice to have a pair in Mississippi Stud, and it should win you the hand, but you won’t get a big bonus with a flush or straight. That’s where the big money is won when playing stud.

Five-card poker hands need to be flushes, straights, and full houses, so having a starting pair is a good start. However, sometimes you’re better off having a gut-shot straight or flush draw to maximize your potential.

FAQs

Is Five-Card Poker Still Popular Today?

Five-card poker is making a comeback, and five-card draw is played throughout the World Series of Poker.

How Do You Play Five-Card Poker?

Players receive five cards before discounting any cards they don’t want for every round of betting.

How Many Players Can Join a Game of Five-Card Poker?

Up to nine players typically can join a five-card poker game.