What’s the Difference Between Straight and Flush in Poker?

In the game of poker, a dealer gives out 5 playing cards to every player for each game. You call the set a poker hand. Sometimes you get a Straight. Other times, you get a Flush. What’s the difference between the two? Which poker hand ranks higher? Let’s answer these questions below.

Straight

You can get a straight poker hand. In this set, you have 5 cards that run in sequence. But they’re not all the same suit.  For example, in a poker hand of 5 playing cards, you got:

• 5 of Hearts
• 4 of Clovers
• 3 of Spades
• 2 of Spades and
• 1 of Diamonds

You call this hand a 5-high straight. A straight hand ranks under a flush.

In these examples, the first poker hand ranks higher than the second one.

• First poker hand:

Jack of Spades, 10 of Hearts, 9 of Clovers, 8 of Hearts, and 7 of Spades

• Second poker hand:

10 of Hearts, 9 of Clovers, 8 of Spades, 7 of Hearts, and 6 of Spades

Aces can rank in two ways, either as a high ace or a low ace. Check out these examples:

• First poker hand (ace-high straight or Broadway straight):

Ace of Hearts, King of Clovers, Queen of Spades, Jack of Hearts, and 10 of Spades

• Second poker hand (five-high straight or baby straight):

5 of Hearts, 4 of Clovers, 3 of Spades, 2 of Hearts, and Ace of Spades

Flush

You can get a flush poker hand. In this set, you have 5 cards that all have the same suit. But they don’t run in sequence.  For example, in a poker hand of 5 playing cards, you got:

• King of Hearts
• 10 of Hearts
• 3 of Hearts
• 5 of Hearts, and
• 7 of Hearts

You call this hand a King-high flush or a King-ten-high flush. A flush hand ranks higher than a straight.

Flushes rank according to the value of each playing card. In these examples, the first hand ranks highest among all others. And rankings go down from there.

• First poker hand:

King of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds, 9 of Diamonds, 6 of Diamonds, 4 of Diamonds,

• Second poker hand:

Queen of Clovers, Jack of Clovers, 7 of Clovers, 6 of Clovers, 5 of Clovers,

• Third poker hand:

Jack of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, 9 of Hearts, 4 of Hearts, 2 of Hearts,

• Fourth poker hand:

Jack of Spades, 10 of Spades, 8 of Spades, 6 of Spades, 3 of Spades,

• Fifth poker hand:

Jack of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, 8 of Hearts, 4 of Hearts, 3 of Hearts

• Sixth poker hand:

Jack of clovers, 10 of Clovers, 8 of Clovers, 4 of Clovers, 2 of Clovers,

Flush poker hands that have exactly the same figures except for the suit are equal in rank. For example:

• First Poker hand:

Queen of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, 7 of Hearts, 3 of Hearts, 1 of Hearts,

• Second Poker hand:

Queen of Diamonds, 10 of Diamonds, 7 of Diamonds, 3 of Diamonds, 1 of Diamonds,

Final Thoughts

So that covers the important differences between a straight hand and a flush hand in poker. Now go and have a game or two with your buddies.