The novice of poker needs to know how cards and combinations of cards are ranked. This ranking is determined by probabilities and determines who wins the hand. If you are betting, you need to know the odds of your hand being the best.
The 52 cards in a deck of standard playing cards are divide into four suits - hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds, each suit containing 13 cards - ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. The value of each card varies from the two having the least value and the ace having the highest value. In most card games the suits have the same value.
In five card games such as the popular Texas Hold'em, the value of a hand is based on the value of the cards plus the value of the combination of cards. The rank of a combination is based on the probability of being deal the combination. It is much less likely you would be dealt four aces than being dealt three, two, or one. The chances of being dealt an ace is no more likely than being dealt a two, because the probability is the same. That's where the luck in poker come from - the value of combinations and hands is based on the random probabilities. For example three of a kind beats two pairs because it is less likely to happen. If two players have the same type of combination, the one with the higher ranked cards has the best hand.
If no one has any valued combination, the player with the higher ranked cards wins. If they both have an equally valued best card, the hands are ranked by the next highest card. For example, if they both had an ace and a ten, their highest third card would determine the winner. If they had three cards alike, the fourth card would determine the winner. If there is betting, a tied hand results in a "split pot," the players taking an equal amount from the pot. The same holds true for a hand like two pair or three of a kind, a winner is determined by the next card with the highest value, sometimes called the "kicker."
Specifically regarding combinations, the lowest valued combination would be two card of the same value, or "two of a kind," such as two jacks or two sevens. This hand would only beat a hand with no combinations. If there are two players with a pair, the highest pair wins. In a case where both have the same pair, the one with the highest "kicker" wins.
The next best hand is having two pair instead of just one pair, such as two nines and two threes. Again, in cases where two players both have the same combination, such as two pair, the one with the highest valued pair wins.
The next highest valued hand is having three cards of the same value, called a set, or "three of a kind." For example, having thee queens.
A "straight" is a hand in which the cards are sequential, such as 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6. This hand beats three of a kind. The ace can be the highest or lowest card in a straight, i.e., used as an ace or a one. Used as a one it would make an ace, 2, 3, 4, 5 straight.
A flush is a hand with all the cards of the same suit, such as hearts. This combination beats a straight.
The next best hand is a "full house." This is having three of a kind and two of a kind in the same hand. In the case of two players both having a full house, the one with the highest set of three cards or three of a kind, wins the hand.
The second best hand is "four of a kind," such as having every eight in the deck, one of each of the four suits. Again, the highest valued card determines the win in the event of two players having four a kind (not likely of course).
The best hand is a "straight flush" - cards in sequence and the same suit, such as jack, 10, 9, 8, and 7 all in the hearts suit. A "royal flush" is the top hand, which is a straight flush that includes the ace as the highest value card - Ace, king, queen, jack, and 10 of the same suit.
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