Does a flush beat a straight?

A flush is rarer than a straight, so it ranks above it. Five cards of one suit come along less often than five in a row, and in poker the harder hand to make always wins. The flush wins here regardless of the straight’s high card.

Picture a board of 9♥ 8♥ 7♣ 2♥ K♠. One player holds A♥ 5♥ for the ace-high flush, the other holds T♠ 6♦ for a ten-high straight. The straight was the best hand on the flop, but the third heart on the turn means any two hearts now beat it, and the flush takes the pot.

This clash is common because straight draws and flush draws so often live on the same board. When a third suited card lands, a made straight should slow down against heavy action, since the flush sits one rung higher and has just become possible. From the flush’s point of view only a full house or better is a threat.

Quick tip: Flushes are scarcer than straights, and scarcer hands beat more common ones.