Straight flush in poker. How to play the strongest combination

25.07.2024
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Updated 28.10.2024
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Стрит-флеш в покере

What are we talking about here? A straight flush in poker is the strongest combination, which is a sequence of five cards of the same suit.

What should you pay attention to? There are few ways of making a straight flush: full 5-card combination on the board, using both hole cards, or with one card in the middle of the five.

Rank of straight flush among poker hands

Beginning poker players should know all possible combinations, not just the strongest ones, which include a straight flush (they appear quite rarely). During your first games, you can use a printed list of combos, but it is better to memorize them as quickly as possible.

Стрит-флеш в покере

The ranking of hands in poker from lowest to highest:

  • High card – in Texas Hold’em or Omaha, it rarely happens that none of the participants in the game made a hand, but it still happens.
  • Pair – two cards of the same rank.
  • Two pairs are two matches of the same rank.
  • Set (trips) – three cards of the same rank.
  • Straight – five cards of consecutive rank. In such a combination, the suit does not matter.
  • Flush – five cards of the same suit and the ranks do not play a role here at all, unlike with a straight.
  • Full house – a combination of a set and a pair, that is, three cards of one rank and two of another.
  • Four of a kind – four cards of the same rank.
  • Straight flush – five cards of consecutive rank and of the same suit.
  • A Royal Flush is a variation of a straight flush in which the cards go from ten to ace.

In Texas Hold’em (the most popular type of poker), players usually showdown a pair, two pairs, set, straight or a flush. Other combinations, although stronger, are made infrequently.

Straight flush in poker

So, a straight flush in poker is a combination of five cards of the same suit with sequential ranks. This combo is the second strongest in the game, losing only to the royal flush. This combination is because it combines both flush and straight in it and its main advantage is that all five cards are required to make it, so kicker does not play here.

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For a straight flush Ace is the key card, which can both open the card order A♠2♠3♠4♠5♠ and finish it T♠J♠Q♠K♠A♠. The second option refers to a royal flush. Theoretically, this combination is considered a special case of Straight Flush in both live and online poker. However, in practice, people separate straight flush and royal flush.

A straight flush occurs quite rarely in Texas Hold’em and other types of poker. But sometimes it happens that two players make straight flush simultaneously. The winner will be the one whose card is higher. For example, if player one has Q♦6♣, player two has 7♦7♠, and the common cards are 4♥8♦9♦T♦J♦, then both poker players will have a straight flush, but the pot will go to the first player, because his flush ends with a Q (higher card).

In some cases, on the contrary, the player who has the highest card will lose the hand. Let’s say the hole cards of the first player are A♥4♦, and the second one are 6♠8♣, then with the cards on the board 2♥3♥4♥5♥6♦, the second player will be the winner, since he makes a higher straight flush 2♥3♥4♥5♥ 6♥. The ace here works as the lowest card. The players split the pot with straight flushes only when all five cards of the combo are on the board.

A straight flush in Hold’em is a very successful combination; the player who makes it wins 99% of the time. Only Royal Flush beats Straight Flush, but the probability of making it is even lower. You should be cautious and not too aggressive when playing straight flush. Mostly slowplay it, give your opponents an opportunity to put money into the pot.

Chances of making a straight flush in poker

It is quite difficult to make a combination as powerful as a straight flush. In Texas Hold’em, the probability of making it is 1 in 5000. This is if it turns out that the player has two cards of the same suit, and he expects to find three more on the table. There is a greater chance of getting a straight flush draw, that is, when there are four of the five required cards in the deck.

With this combination of cards on the flop, there is a 4% chance of hitting a straight flush on the turn. The chances of making the required combination by the last round are 9%. If a straight flush draw is formed on the turn, then the probability of getting the desired card on the river is 4.5%.

Софт для покера

Mathematical calculations show that straight flushes appear quite rarely, but there are always chances. It happens that a poker player gets a straight flush only once in his entire gaming career, so at such a moment it is important to maintain composure and play the hand in the most profitable way. According to statistics, the possibility of forming a straight flush is no more than 0.0015%.

In some cases, a straight flush draw may eventually turn into either a straight or a flush. These combinations are also quite strong.

Options for making a straight flush in poker

There are different ways of making a straight flush:

  • Board combo – the entire sequence of cards is on the board, and there is a possibility that one of the participants will make a stronger hand (especially if there are multiple players in the pot).
  • With a gapped connector – this option is practically invincible. The chances that your opponent will be able to get a straight flush stronger than yours are very low, only way is when there are 4 straight flush cards on the board.
  • Using one or two hands that complete the higher part of the combo – in such a situation you will definitely win, since your opponent does not have the opportunity to make a higher hand.
  • Using one or two hands that complete the lower part of the combo – in this case, you can lose if your opponent’s hole cards complete the higher part of the sequence.

Playing a straight flush in poker

A straight flush can only lose to a royal flush or a higher straight flush. However, such situations practically never happen in reality. Typically, one straight flush overlaps another if four cards of the combo are on the board, or even five of them.

If two poker players were able to get a straight flush at the same time, then the winner will be the one whose combination ends on a higher card. For example, a 9 to K straight flush wins over 7 to J straight flush.

If several players were able to collect the required combination of five common cards, then players split the pot (the pot is divided equally among all players). If you know for sure that none of the participants was able to make a straight flush higher than yours, then you can play all-in or bet big. This way can make much more money.

Considering that straight flushes are very rare in poker, not many players know how to play it correctly.

If luck is on your side, here are some recommendations to make your game even more profitable:

  • Don’t force the issue. Hiding your emotions when getting a straight flush can be difficult. Try to behave as usual, as if you had any other good hand. People will notice if you start showing emotions.
  • Increase the pot. It is clear that as soon as you have made a strong combination, you should not go all-in. Give your opponents the feeling that they can win too, but at the same time, knowing your advantage, gradually increase the pot.
  • Try to understand your opponents and estimate what combinations they may have on their hands.

There is no point in bluffing if other players also have strong combinations; it would be more correct to follow the path of increasing bet sizes.

Лучшие руки в покере и чарты

Many things in poker are dictated by the way opponents are playing. They can be:

  • tight – play as carefully as possible;
  • aggressive;
  • loose.
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When playing with opponents of the first type, you should be passive, as it is easy to scare them away. You should give tight player an opportunity to make a hand – let him see the next card for free or as cheaply as possible.

The second and third types play less cautiously, and you can be more active with them. When interacting with such players, use the check-call line before the river.

No matter what opponents you have to play against, the main thing for you is to make as large of a pot as possible. To maintain balance, notice how often your opponents fold and how they react to different sizings. Too small of a bet does not allow you to make the biggest pot possible, but too big of a bet could scare away opponents.

Often times people will make a high flush against your straight flush. In this case, if you have a straight flush, give your opponents opportunity to increase the pot. There is a very high probability that a person who makes a flush with a high kicker will play for stacks.

Keep pot control. The straight flush is, of course, a very powerful combination, but still it is not unbeatable. You should not go all-in right away as soon as you feel that you are ahead. Don’t bet too big and watch your opponents closely. Maybe one of them will have a stronger combination yet.

Play carefully; watch other poker players, so you may notice something important. One of the players may accidentally give a hint about the cards he has in his hands.

Of course, playing poker is impossible without strategy, tactics and analysis, but luck also plays an important role. Even with such a serious combination as a straight flush in poker, the possibility of losing is still there. Remember all your theoretical knowledge, apply it in practice and be careful.

If you telegraph your strong hand to opponents, you will not be able to make a big pot.

Frequently asked questions about straight flushes in poker

What is the probability of making a straight flush in draw poker?

When exchanging 5 cards, the probability of getting a full combo is 0.001%. Two connectors of the same suit give a 0.02% chance of receiving the desired cards after an exchange. Having three connectors of the same suit, the chance of getting a straight flush with an exchange of two cards is 0.1%. The probability of collecting a full combo when exchanging one card is 4%.

Which combination is stronger: straight or flush?

According to the rules of the game, a flush is stronger than a straight.

Why shouldn’t you telegraph strong hands?

There are several reasons not to immediately show the strength of your hand:

  • Bluffing and increasing the pot. If you immediately reveal your straight flush to your opponents, they will not bet and raise anymore. Players will most likely fold against such a powerful combination, and you will not get a big pot. Give other players the feeling that they can beat your strong hand.
  • Deception. Don’t show your real intentions. In this way, you will mislead the opponents, and they will begin to act, as you want them to, giving you a chance to get a big pot.
  • Reading opponents. While no one knows your hand, you can find out as much information as possible about the cards of other players. Watch their bets and the decisions they make to direct the game the way you want.

If you have a straight flush in your hand, in poker this means almost one hundred percent victory, since this combination is one of the most powerful.

Usually, other players simply have a straight or a flush, so they can be provoked into raising and betting, and then stacking off. Still, be careful and watch your opponents, bluff if the situation allows. Having a straight flush allows you to play your game quite calmly and confidently.

Nik Maslov Professional poker coach since 2021
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