What is a Straight Flush in Poker? Definition & Examples

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Last updated: Aug 04, 2026 Published: Jul 30, 2026 11 min read

A straight flush in poker is a hand where all five cards are the same suit and in sequential rank. For example: 6♦7♦8♦9♦10♦. It's an extremely strong hand in poker, and can only be beaten by a royal flush.

It ranks second in the poker hand rankings, but is very uncommon and difficult to make.

On this page we will cover:

• What is a Straight Flush in Poker?
• How a Straight Flush Ranks in Poker Hands
• Straight Flush vs Other Poker Hands
• How Common are Straight Flushes in Poker?
• How to Play Straight Flushes 
• Straight Flush FAQs

What is a Straight Flush in Poker?

 A straight flush is a five-card poker hand composed of five cards of the same suit in sequential order. It is one of the most powerful hands that can be made in poker, only less valuable than a royal flush in the conventional rankings.

A straight flush is pretty simple once you break the name in half.

Think of it as two hands combined into one. You need a straight (five cards in numerical order) and a flush (all five cards of the same suit). If you have both at the same time, then you have a straight flush.

How a Straight Flush Ranks in Poker Hands

As far as poker hands go, a straight flush is the second best hand you can get. The only thing that beats it is a royal flush, which is similar to a straight flush but just specifically consists of suited cards running from an ace to a ten.

Remember, if the numbers aren't in sequential order, then it's just a regular flush. If the suits don't match, it's a regular straight. You need both to call it a straight flush.

The table below shows where a straight flush sits in the rankings for most poker games, including Texas Hold'em and Omaha.

1. Royal Flush: A-K-Q-J-T all of the same suit
   
2. Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit (not A-K-Q-J-T)
3. Four-of-a-Kind: Four cards of the same rank
4. Full House: Three-of-a-kind plus a pair
5. Flush: Five cards of the same suit (not in sequence)
6. Straight: Five consecutive cards, mixed suits
7. Three-of-a-Kind: Three cards of the same rank
8. Two Pair: Two sets of two cards of the same rank
9. Pair: Two cards of the same rank
10. High Card: Five cards where none of the above hands can be made

Straight Flush vs Other Poker Hands

Let's look at how a straight flush performs against the other poker hands. We know it's very strong, so we'll put it up against hands close to it in the rankings and give direct examples and explanations of which hand wins.

Straight Flush vs Straight Flush - Which Hand Wins?

If two or more players make the same straight flush, the hand is tied and you split the pot. If two players have different straight flushes, it's simple to understand who wins the pot once you learn the deciding factor. Whichever player has the highest-ranked card in their straight flush will win. 

Straight Flushes vs Royal Flushes

Straight flushes always lose to royal flushes. It's the only hand that can be a straight flush, but royal flushes are extremely rare. If you hold a straight flush, you shouldn't be too worried about being beaten - but just know that it is a possibility.

Straight Flushes vs Four-of-a-Kind

Straight flushes always beat four-of-a-kind. This is perhaps the most common mistake made with straight flush rankings, as the two hands are both very strong and uncommon. However, if you've played poker for a while, you'll realize straight flushes are hit far less regularly than four-of-a-kind, and as such it sits one place above four-of-a-kind in the hand rankings.

Straight Flushes vs Full House

Straight flushes always beat full houses. Full houses are a premium poker hand, but are way more common and easier to make. They sit two places behind straight flushes in the rankings. 

How Rare is a Straight Flush in Poker?

In a standard 52-card deck, there are only 36 possible straight flush combinations (excluding the four royal flushes). The odds of being dealt one using all seven cards (two hole cards and five community cards) is approximately 0.028% or 1 in 3,571 hands.

How to Play Straight Flushes (and Get Maximum Value)

By now, you should know where straight flushes sit in the hand rankings, and also understand just how strong they are. But if you get one, it's not always just a case of betting aggressively in the hope of getting paid. Here are three quick tips on how to play a straight flush, including how you can extract maximum value from your opponents.

1. Play Straight Flush Draws Aggressively 
2. Bet Based on Opponents' Hands, Not Yours 
3. Understand the Board 

Play Straight Flush Draws Aggressively

A straight flush draw is a unique draw in poker. You can be drawing to a straight flush, miss and still end up with a very strong hand. This is because a straight flush draw is essentially a straight draw combined with a flush draw.

For example, if you hold 10♥9♥ and the board is Q♥J♥2♠, you have two outs to hit a straight flush - the K♥ or the 8♥. It's unlikely you'll hit one of the two outs you need, but consider you could also hit seven other hearts, the three other eights or the three remaining kings to give you either a straight or a flush. These hands may not have the strength of a straight flush, but it means you're drawing to 13 outs (plus the two straight-flush outs) that will still make you a strong hand in poker. 

For this reason, you should be playing straight flush draws aggressively. This not only builds a pot if you do hit (and it's likely you'll make at least a straight), but can also set you up for an effective bluff on the turn or river if the board bricks out. 

Bet Based on Opponents' Hands, Not Yours 

While it's key to weigh up the strength of some hands, you don't need to do this with straight flushes. You already know they're very powerful and are unlikely to be beaten. So assuming you will win the hand at showdown, you should instead be thinking about how to get value from your hand.

This means you should heavily consider what your opponents might hold. For instance, if they've called your big bets or have led out themselves across multiple streets, it implies strength. You can then scale up your bet sizing as if your opponents' ranges are stronger, they're more likely to call and pay you off. 

Alternatively, if opponents imply they're weak, you should bet small. Keep them in the pot by offering them a low price to continue and allow them to see the later cards so they can catch up. It's less risky to do this with a straight flush compared to weaker hands, as they're very unlikely to hit a better straight flush or royal flush that will beat you. But you only need them to improve to what they think is a strong hand, so you can get paid off later on.

Understand the Board 

When you have a straight flush, the board texture becomes even more relevant. If the board plays, for instance, a straight flush is far less valuable than it usually is.

Let's say there's a straight flush on the board - 8♠9♠10♠J♠Q♠. In this scenario, you have a straight flush, but so does everyone else still in the hand. Only a player holding the K♠ would make a higher straight flush than the one on the board. Everyone else would play the board and split the pot. It's important to read board texture and not just play as if you were the only one who had a straight flush.

Straight Flush - FAQs