At this point, it may be convenient to state wherein the strength of a poker hand lies, and what, therefore, is the object of the players. A poker hand is valuable in so far as it contains certain cards, or combinations of cards, ranking as under. We begin with the highest.
1. A Straight Flush, i.e. a sequence of five cards, all of the same suit.
N.B.—As between two sequences, that beginning with the highest card has the preference. The ace may be treated at pleasure either as the highest card or the lowest, and will, therefore, form a sequence either with king, queen, &c., or with two, three, &c. Ace, king, queen, knave, ten is the highest possible sequence. Ace, two, three, four, five, the lowest.
2. Fours, i.e. four cards of the same denomination, with one indifferent card, the higher four having priority.
[Aces in this case count as highest, so that a four of aces is the best possible.]
3. A Full, i.e. three cards of the same denomination, and a pair.
[As between two fulls, the comparative value of the three cards in each case decides priority.]
4. A Flush, i.e. five cards of the same suit.
5. A Straight, i.e. five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit.