Article 1How to use the calculator
1.1Choose the game. Texas Hold'em uses the best five of seven cards (two hole cards plus five on the board). Omaha must use exactly two of the four hole cards and exactly three board cards. Five-card hands compare two complete hands with no board, as in Five Card Draw or Five Card Stud.
1.2Select Player 1, Player 2 or the board, then tap cards in the deck below. The calculator moves to the next space automatically when one is full. Undo removes the last card from a space.
1.3Hands are named as soon as there are enough cards. In Hold'em and Omaha you can compare hands on the flop (three board cards), the turn (four) or the river (five).
1.4Random deal fills every space with cards from a shuffled deck, which is a quick way to test your reading of hands.
Article 2How the winner is decided
2.1The higher category always wins: a flush beats a straight, a full house beats a flush, and so on. The full order is on the hand rankings page.
2.2When both hands are the same category, they are compared on the cards that make the hand first (the pair, the trips, the higher of two pairs), then on the remaining cards, highest first. These remaining cards are the kickers.
2.3Only five cards count. A sixth or seventh card never breaks a tie, which is why two players can split a pot even when their hole cards differ.
2.4Suits never break a tie at showdown. Two hands of identical rank split the pot.
Example: on a board of K♠9♦7♣4♥2♠, K♥Q♣ beats K♦J♥. Both hold a pair of kings, and the queen kicker beats the jack.
Article 3The Omaha two-card rule
3.1In Omaha, a hand must use exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards. The calculator applies this rule when the game is set to Omaha.
3.2This is why four hearts on the board do not give a player with one heart a flush: they would need two hearts in their hand.
- Hold'em: any five of the seven cards.
- Omaha: two of the four hole cards plus three of the five board cards.
- Five-card games: the five cards the player holds.
Article 4Frequently asked questions
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush ranks above a straight. Try it in the calculator: give one player a flush and the other a straight, and it will show the flush winning.
What happens if both players have the same hand?
The calculator compares the five cards of each hand, highest first. If all five match in rank, the result is a split pot. Suits are never used to break the tie.
Can I check hands before the river?
Yes. With at least three board cards the calculator names each player's best current hand, so you can see who is ahead on the flop or the turn.
Does it work for lowball games?