What is a Royal Flush?
A Royal Flush is the highest possible hand in poker, consisting of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit. It's the ultimate combination that every poker player dreams of holding, representing the pinnacle of poker hands.
There are only four possible Royal Flush combinations in a standard 52-card deck – one for each suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades). The rarity of this hand makes it a legendary achievement at the poker table.
A Royal Flush in hearts – the most powerful hand in poker
In poker games that use community cards like Texas Hold'em and Omaha, a Royal Flush can be made using a combination of your hole cards and the community cards. In draw poker variants, you might discard and draw new cards to try and complete this premium hand.
Royal Flush Odds and Probability
The rarity of a Royal Flush is what makes it so special. The odds of being dealt a Royal Flush in 5-card poker are incredibly slim:
| Poker Hand | Combinations | Probability | Odds Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 4 | 0.000154% | 649,739 : 1 |
| Straight Flush | 36 | 0.00139% | 72,192 : 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 624 | 0.0240% | 4,164 : 1 |
| Full House | 3,744 | 0.1441% | 693 : 1 |
In Texas Hold'em, the probability improves slightly since you're effectively drawing from 7 cards (your 2 hole cards plus 5 community cards), but it's still an exceedingly rare hand:
- The odds of flopping a Royal Flush (seeing it in the first 5 cards) are approximately 1 in 30,940.
- The odds of making a Royal Flush by the river (using all 7 cards) are approximately 1 in 30,940.
Why are Royal Flushes so Rare?
A Royal Flush is rare because it requires five specific cards (A-K-Q-J-10) all in the same suit. There's no flexibility – you need exactly those five cards, not higher or lower, and they must all match in suit.
The four possible Royal Flush combinations – one in each suit
Strategy: Playing a Royal Flush
When you're fortunate enough to have a Royal Flush, the key strategic consideration is how to extract maximum value from your opponents. Since you have the absolute nuts (the best possible hand), you want to encourage your opponents to put as many chips into the pot as possible.
Tips for Playing a Royal Flush
Royal Flush Strategy Tips
- Slow play early: Consider checking or making small bets in early betting rounds to disguise your hand strength and encourage opponents to improve their hands or bluff.
- Raise gradually: Incrementally increase your bets to build the pot without scaring away opponents.
- Read your opponents: If an opponent is showing strength, they may have a very strong hand themselves (like a straight flush or four of a kind). These are the perfect scenarios to extract maximum value.
- Consider pot size: In tournaments, consider your stack size and the current pot. Sometimes preserving your tournament life is more important than maximizing value from a single hand.
- Don't overplay: While rare, be aware that in community card games, your Royal Flush might be tied if multiple players make the same Royal Flush using the community cards.
It's important to note that while a Royal Flush is the dream hand, you shouldn't actively chase it at the expense of solid poker strategy. Many novice players make the mistake of overvaluing suited connectors like A-K suited, hoping for a Royal Flush, when the odds are astronomically against it.
Did You Know?
In the World Series of Poker Main Event history, there have been very few documented Royal Flushes. One of the most famous occurred in 2010 when a player hit a Royal Flush to win a pot worth over $500,000!
Royal Flush in Different Poker Variants
The Royal Flush remains the highest hand across most poker variants, but how you might encounter it differs:
Texas Hold'em
In Texas Hold'em, you'll need to use your two hole cards in combination with the five community cards to make a Royal Flush. The best scenario is when you hold two cards that can be part of a Royal Flush (such as A-K suited) and the remaining three cards appear on the board.
Omaha
In Omaha, you must use exactly two of your four hole cards and three community cards. This can actually make Royal Flushes slightly more likely, as you have more potential starting combinations.
Seven-Card Stud
In Seven-Card Stud, you'll be dealt seven cards throughout the hand and need to make your best five-card hand. This gives you more opportunities to complete a Royal Flush compared to five-card draw.
Wild Card Games
In games with wild cards (like Jokers or "deuces wild"), Royal Flushes become more common. In these variants, a "Natural Royal Flush" (one without wild cards) typically ranks higher than a "Wild Royal Flush."