What’s the Difference Between a Full House and a Straight Flush?

Full House and a Straight Flush

In a poker game, a dealer may give you five playing cards that form a full house or a straight flush. These are two types of poker hands you should be familiar with. It’s also important to know which hand is higher than the others. So let’s talk about these two types in more detail below.

Full House

Full house is also the same as a full hand. Some also call it as a boat or a full boat. You can get a poker hand when your hand has 3 of a kind plus 1 pair. For example, in a poker hand of 5 playing cards, you got:

  • 3 of Hearts
  • 3 of Diamonds
  • 3 of Clovers
  • 2 of Spades, and
  • 2 of of Hearts

In this example, the player has a “full house, threes over twos.” A full house is a better hand than a flush but a lower hand than a four of a kind. A full house also ranks based on the triplets, then the pair next.

Let’s check these examples below, where the first poker hand is highest, the second is next, and so on.

  • First poker hand:

9 of Hearts, 9 of Clovers, 9 of Diamonds, 10 of Spades, 10 of Hearts

  • Second poker hand:

8 of Clovers, 8 of Hearts, 8 of Diamonds, Jack of Spades, Jack of Hearts

  • Third poker hand:

8 of Clovers, 8 of Hearts, 8 of Diamonds, 10 of Spades, 10 of Hearts

Two hands that have the same figures but different suit are equal in rank. For example:

  • First poker hand:

2 of Hearts, 2of Clovers, 2 of Diamonds, Jack of Spades, Jack of Hearts

  • Second poker hand:

2 of Hearts, 2 of Clovers, 2 of Diamonds, Jack of Clovers, Jack of Diamonds

Straight Flush

You can get a poker hand where all 5 cards are the same value or rank plus the same suit. For example, in a poker hand of 5 playing cards, you got:

  • 6 of Spades
  • 5 of Spades
  • 4 of Spades
  • 3 of Spades, and
  • 2 of Spades

If you’re fortunate, you may get a Royal Flush or Royal Straight Flush:

  • Ace of Spades
  • King of Spades
  • Queen of Spades
  • Jack of Spades, and
  • 10 of Spades

You rank this poker hand based on the highest value or rank. Let’s check these examples below, where the first poker hand ranks higher than the second.

  • First poker hand:

Queen of Hearts, Jack of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, 9 of Hearts, 8 of Hearts

  • Second poker hand:

Jack of Clovers, 10 of Clovers, 9 of Clovers, 8 of Clovers, 7 of Clovers

Two hands that have the same figures but different suit are equal in rank. For example:

  • First poker hand:

8 of Hearts, 7 of Hearts, 6 of Hearts, 5 of Hearts, 4 of Hearts

  • Second poker hand:

8 of Spades, 7 of Spades, 6 of Spades, 5 of Spades, 4 of Spades

Final Thoughts

Now you can tell which one is a full house and which one is a straight flush. Why not have some poker games with your family for practice?

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