Quick Answer
Yes. A flush beats a straight in standard poker rankings.
If one player holds a flush and another player holds a straight at showdown, the player with the flush wins the pot.
Why: Hand Frequency and Math
Poker rankings follow mathematical rarity. The harder a hand is to make, the higher it stands in the hierarchy.
A standard 5-card deck creates millions of possible combinations. Within those combinations, straights appear far more frequently than flushes:
- A straight accounts for 10,200 combinations. That represents a probability of 0.3925%, or about 1 in 255 hands.
- A flush accounts for 5,108 combinations. That represents a probability of 0.1965%, or about 1 in 509 hands.
Because a flush occurs roughly half as often as a straight, the rules award the winning hand to the flush.
Hand Rankings Comparison Table
| Hand | Combinations | Probability | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | 10,200 | 0.3925% | About 1 in 255 hands |
| Flush | 5,108 | 0.1965% | About 1 in 509 hands |
When It Gets Tricky
While the rule itself is clear, real gameplay introduces spots that require careful attention:
The Straight Flush Exception
A straight flush combines both elements: five sequential ranks of the same suit. Because it is exceedingly rare, a straight flush beats both a standard flush and a standard straight.
Made Straights Facing Flush Draws
Holding a made straight on the flop does not guarantee victory if the board also offers flush possibilities. An opponent holding a flush draw holds 9 outs to complete their hand.
When future betting rounds remain, calculating the exact next card matters:
- On the turn (one card to come before potential action), a 9-out flush draw has a 19.1% chance to hit.
- From the flop to the river (when players are all-in and guaranteed to see both cards), that same draw has a 35.0% chance to complete.
By comparison, an open-ended straight draw working with 8 outs has:
- A 17.0% chance to complete on the turn (one card to come).
- A 31.5% chance from flop to river when all-in.
Because a completed flush outranks your straight, a player on a flush draw can overtake your made hand by the river over a third of the time when all chips go into the middle on the flop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. In all standard 5-card poker games, a flush beats a straight. The flush is mathematically rarer to complete.
What is a straight flush?
A straight flush is a hand that consists of five sequential cards of identical suit. It outranks both an ordinary flush and an ordinary straight.
Which is harder to hit, flush or straight?
A flush is harder to hit. A straight occurs in about 1 in 255 hands (0.3925%), whereas a flush occurs in about 1 in 509 hands (0.1965%).
Does suit matter in a flush?
No, suits have no rank in standard poker rules. If two players have a flush, the winner is determined by the highest card within the flush, not the suit itself. Spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs all share equal value.
Summary
In standard hand rankings, the flush always wins against a straight. Use our interactive matchup tool on pokercalckit.com to test any two hands head-to-head before jumping into tournament action on VG.Poker.
Educational content. 18+ only.
DADOS USADOS:
- In standard 5-card hand rankings, a flush BEATS a straight
- Straight combinations: 10,200 combinations
- Straight probability: 0.3925%
- Straight frequency: about 1 in 255 hands
- Flush combinations: 5,108 combinations
- Flush probability: 0.1965%
- Flush frequency: about 1 in 509 hands
- Flush is rarer, therefore ranks higher
- Straight flush beats both flush and straight
- Flush draw on the flop has 9 outs
- Flush draw has 19.1% to hit on the turn
- Flush draw has 35.0% to hit from flop to river (when all-in / guaranteed to see the river)
- Open-ended straight draw has 8 outs
- Open-ended straight draw has 17.0% to hit on the turn
- Open-ended straight draw has 31.5% to hit from flop to river (when all-in / guaranteed to see the river)
- Suits have no rank in poker
- Educational content. 18+ only.