Straight Flush

Poker is a game of strategy and skill. If you’re a new player, the first thing to do is know the poker rankings by heart. Once you know the rankings, playing the game becomes much simpler.

A straight flush is one of the higher ranking hands in poker. It is a combination of two poker hands, a straight and a flush. A straight is five cards in a row of different suits and a flush is five cards of the same suit irrespective of their order. By combining the two, a straight flush is five cards in order belonging to the same suit.

This poker hand is considered to be the best in most poker variants of a 52-card deck. The only hand that can beat a straight flush is a royal flush, A-K-Q-J-10 in order belonging to the same suit.

Straight Flush examples:
9♠8♠7♠6♠5♠
3♥4♥ 5♥6♥7♥

Royal Flush examples:
A♠K♠Q♠J♠10♠
A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥
A♣K♣Q♣J♣10♣

How does a Straight Flush Hand Rank?

A straight flush and royal flush are closely related and the probability of getting a straight flush is much more than a royal flush. Note:- A straight flush beats all hands in poker but a royal flush can beat a straight flush. In a usual game of poker, a player can create a straight flush using any of the 40 combinations.

This poker hand is considered to be the top ranking hand in most popular variants of poker and can beat Four of a kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a kind, Two Pair, One Pair and a High Card.

How does a Straight Flush Hand Match Up?

The straight flush is the highest ranking hand a player can have in most variants of poker. The next best hand is four of a kind, also known as Quads amongst more experienced players, this implies having four cards of the same value but belonging to different suits. The best four of a kind combination in poker games is Quad Aces, A♠A♦A♣A♥.

Straight Flush Poker Probabilities

After you’ve memorized the hand rankings and familiarize yourself with what a straight flush is, it is important to know what the probabilities are of getting a straight flush in popular poker variants like Texas Hold’Em and Pot Limit Omaha.

Texas Hold’em Probabilities

Preflop
Straight Flush	0.00139%
Royal Flush	0.000154%
By the Flop	0.0012%
By the Turn	4.25%
By the River	4.35%

Pot Limit Omaha Probabilities

Preflop
Straight Flush	0.00139%
Royal Flush	0.000154%
By the Flop (when the player has two suited connectors)	0.04625%
By the Flop (when the players has 2 suited cards)	0.00578%
By the Turn	4.44%
By the River	4.54%

How to play a Straight Flush?

One of the most common and popular poker variants is Texas Hold’em and if you want to play a straight flush, these are the pointers to keep in mind.

• There will be two hole cards dealt by the dealer along with a set of five community cards to play the game.
• The basic goal is to ensure you have the best poker hand by making a combination of five cards from the total seven.
• If you want to play a straight flush, you have to ensure that you have five cards in a sequence that belong to the same suit.
• This can be diamonds, hearts, spades or even clubs.
• If two players attempt to play a straight flush, then at the time of showdown, the player whose straight flush has a higher ranking card wins.
• For example, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 will beat a straight flush of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 irrespective of the suit. 

What are the rules related to Straight Flush in different Poker Variants?

The rules of playing a straight flush change according to the poker variant being played. There are some poker variants that have their own set of rules. 

• Texas Hold’em and Omaha – A straight flush in these two popular poker variants is considered to be the top ranking hand that is only beaten by a royal flush. If you have a straight flush, chances of winning the game are extremely high.
• Seven-Card Stud – In this poker variant, a straight flush will help you add more points than other combinations. By playing a straight flush, you can change the entire direction of the game.
• Five-Card Draw – A player can gain a huge advantage by playing a straight flush in this variant of poker. Though there are slight variations, in most games a straight flush is considered to be a winning hand.

What is The Difference Between Straight And Straight Flush?

The difference between straight and a straight flush in poker is easy to understand. A straight is a set of consecutive cards belonging to different suits while a straight flush is a set of consecutive cards belonging to the same suit. 

For example:

Straight K♠Q♣J♦10♠9♦

Straight Flush 3♥4♥ 5♥6♥7♥

Conclusion

Now that you’ve learnt the basics of what a Straight Flush is and the various rules related to it in popular poker variants, download Pocket52 Poker app and start becoming the star you always dreamt of being!

FAQ

1. What is straight flush poker hand rank?

A straight flush in popular poker variants is considered the strongest hand that is only beaten by a royal flush.

2. What are the two main aspects of a straight flush?

The two main aspects of a straight flush are

• Consecutive Cards – The cards must be in a consecutive sequence
• Same Suit – The cards must belong to the same suit

3. What are the odds of making a straight flush?

The odds of making a straight flush usually depends on the variant of poker being played. But in general, the odds of getting a straight flush are very low.

4. How does Straight Flush hand ranking work?

When playing a straight flush, the sequence of cards that holds the higher ranking card will be considered the better hand. For example, K, Q, J, 10, 9 will beat 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. The suit does not matter.

5. Is the straight Flush an unbeatable hand?

The straight flush is generally considered the secondary top ranking hand. The only hand ranking that can beat a straight flush is a royal flush.