Ranking
Of Hands
(a listing of "what beats what"
for the
5-Card Poker and Joker Poker
rounds only)
In order to score those extra 25 points in the 5-Card
Poker or Joker Poker round, you've got to know what beats what.
What follows is a storyboard of a short instructional film, listing all
possible poker hands and tie-breakers in ordered from lowest to
highest, to be directed by Woody Allen.
High Card: If neither player has a pair, we look at the highest card in each hand to determine the high hand winner of 25 points. If both players have, say, an Ace, we turn to the next highest card in each hand. If there's a tie there, we'll look at the third highest card in each hand (and 4th and 5th if we need to go that far).
If, in the following example, each player has an Ace, King, Queen, 10 and 9, that's considered a tie for high hand and no one gets 25.
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One Pair: The higher pair between the players is the basis for high hand (i.e. a pair of Kings beats a pair of 9s). But, let's say both players have a pair of Kings. We'll then check the highest card outside of the pair to determine the high hand winner of 25 points (and next highest and lowest card outside of the pair in the hand if necessary). In this hypothetical example below, should both players have a pair of Kings, an Ace, a Jack and a 10, that's considered a tie for high hand and we won't award 25 points.
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Two Pair: Should both players have two pair, we compare the higher pair in each hand. If there's a tie for higher pair, we then check the lower pairs in each hand to see who'll win 25 points. Third and final tier in a necessary tie-breaker for two pair is checking the "fifth card" (card not involved in either pair of the hand). A hand with two Aces, two Jacks and a 10 will lose to a pair of Aces, a pair of Jacks and a Queen.
Three Of A Kind (a.k.a. "trips" or a "set"): The only way one player could have, say, three Aces and another three Aces is during Joker Poker. Should something like this happen, we check the higher card in each hand outside of the trips and then, if necessary, the lower card outside of the set. Three Aces, a Queen and a 9 in each hand means a tie and no one wins 25 points.
Straight: No way to break this tie in the event both players have Ace through 10 or King through 9. Otherwise, Ace through 10 beats King through 9.
Flush: If one player has all spades and the other all diamonds, we break any and all ties as if they're hands without a pair. (Some "house rules" may dictate spades would be the best flush, then hearts, clubs and diamonds. But, we won't break ties like that.)
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Full House: In the event a three of
a kind in one full house is the same as the three of a kind in the
other full house (only possible in Joker Poker), the player with the
higher pair in the full house wins (i.e. AAA99 loses to AAAQQ).
Four Of A Kind: No way one player could have four Kings and another four Kings. We have just two wild cards in the deck for Joker Poker. So, if both players have four of a kind, the higher-ranking set of four wins 25 points (i.e., four Queens beat four 10s).
Straight Flush/Royal Flush: No way we could award 25 points in the event one player has a straight flush in spades (King through 9) and the other a straight flush in diamonds. Likewise, if one player has a royal flush and the other a royal flush, no one gets 25 points -- yet each player involved in this tie gets CY$100,000 and a new car if both royal flushes are naturals (which will certainly put a major hurting on our virtual budget). Otherwise, a royal flush beats a straight flush.
Five Of A Kind: Only possible in Joker Poker. A five of a kind does beat a royal flush. No way we can have a tie with five of a kind since there are only two wild cards in the Joker Poker round.
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