A "straight" in poker refers to a sequence of five consecutive cards of at least two suits. If all five cards are consecutive and all of one suit, the hand is a straight-flush and ranks much higher.

What is a Straight in Poker?

In poker, a straight is a hand that consists of five cards of consecutive rank in at least two suits. For example, A♣2♦3♠4♥5♣ is a five-high straight, 5♣6♣7♣8♣9♥ is a nine-high straight, and 10♣J♣Q♦K♠A♠ is an ace-high or broadway straight.

In the poker hand rankings, a straight is stronger than three of a kind and two pair but weaker than a flush.

Understanding Straights

A straight is a fairly strong hand in poker. However, its strength depends heavily on the context. on what the highest card of the straight is. Aces play as either high or low so both A♣2♣3♣4♣5♦ and 10♣J♥Q♠K♦A♣ are legitimate straights.

The strength of a straight is dictated by the highest card of the straight. So a ace-high straight beats a king-high straight and so on.

If you have four cards to a straight you have a straight draw. If the four cards are connected your draw is "open-ended." If the four cards have a gap in them, then the draw is "gutshot."

Playing a Straight

When you have a straight, it can be a good opportunity to bet aggressively. However, you should also be aware of the surrounding context of the game community cards. For example, in a flop game, if the board is showing a potential flush or higher straight, you may need to play more cautiously.

Example of "Straight"

If you are sat in a Texas hold'em game with 8♣7♦ in the hole and the flop is 9♠10♥J♥ then you have a jack-high straight. However, you may want to be careful. If your opponent holds QxKx they have a kigh-high straight to beat you.

• "He won the hand with a ten-high straight, beating his opponent's three of a kind."
• "Despite having a straight, she lost the hand to a flush."
• "With four consecutive cards already in his hand, he was hoping to draw a card to complete his straight."

Straight in Poker FAQs

What is a straight in poker?

A straight in poker is a hand that consists of five consecutive cards of any suit.

Is an ace-high straight higher than a king-high straight?

Yes, an ace-high straight, also known as a Broadway straight, is the highest possible straight and would beat a king-high straight.

Can a straight include an ace as the lowest card?

Yes, an ace can be used as the lowest card in a straight Ax2x3x4x5x. This is also known as a wheel or bicycle.

Can a straight be of the same suit?

A straight can be of the same suit, but it would then be called a straight flush, which is a different and much stronger hand.

How does a straight compare to other hands in poker?

In traditional five-card poker (excluding lowball variants), a straight is stronger than three of a kind, two pair, pair, or high-hand. However, it is weaker than a flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, and royal flush.