Flush

Quick Facts by PokerStrategy

• A flush is a poker hand that contains five cards of the same suit.
• Flushes rank above straights, three of a kind, two pair, and one pair.
• You have around a 6.5% chance of making a flush by the river with two suited cards.
• Lower flushes can lose big pots to higher flushes; watch out for relative hand strength.

What is a Flush in Poker?

A flush in poker is a hand that contains five cards of the same suit, not in consecutive order. For example, K♥ T♥ 8♥ 7♥ 2♥ is a king-high flush. A flush is a strong hand in poker, especially if you have a high version.

Flush in Poker Rules: What Qualifies as a Flush?

For a poker hand to qualify as a flush, all five cards must be of the same suit, such as five spades, five hearts, five diamonds, or five clubs. In community card games like Texas Hold’em, players can use any combination of hole cards and community cards to make a flush.

Where Does a Flush Rank in Poker Hands?

A flush ranks fifth in the poker hand rankings.

It beats high card, one pair, two pair, three of a kind, and a straight, while losing to a full house, four of a kind, straight flush, and royal flush. Although it sits around the halfway mark in the rankings, the hands that beat a flush are quite rare and difficult to make.

Depending on the board texture, a decent flush is very often a winning hand that can be played strongly for value.

Flush vs. Straight Flush: What’s the Difference?

A flush in poker contains five cards of the same suit, but they are not in a running sequence. A straight flush, on the other hand, contains five cards of the same suit in running order, such as 4♣ 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ 8♣. A straight flush is an even stronger hand. The highest straight flush, T-J-K-Q-A suited, known as the royal flush, is the best hand in poker.

How to Identify a Flush: Examples

Here are two examples of a flush in Texas Hold’em. The first shows a flush made using two hole cards, and the second a flush using one hole card.

Flush Example 1: Using Two Hole Cards

Hole Cards: A♠ K♠
Board: 10♠ 7♠ 5♠ 3♦ 2♦
Five Card Hand: Ace-high flush using both hole cards, A♠ K♠ 10♠ 7♠ 5♠

Flush Example 2: Using One Hole Card

Hole Cards: Q♥ 8♣
Board: A♥ 10♥ 7♥ 5♥ 2♠
Result: Ace-high flush using only the Q♥ from your hand, A♥ Q♥ 10♥ 7♥ 5♥

Who Wins When Multiple Players Have a Flush?

When multiple players have a flush in poker, whoever has the highest flush wins the pot. For example, an ace-high flush beats a king-high flush, which beats a queen-high flush, and so on. The only situation in which a split pot is possible is when there is a flush on the board.

The Nut Flush: Understanding the Best Possible Flush

The ace-high flush is the highest possible flush you can make. It is known as the nut flush. Having the nut flush is very valuable because it allows you to stack off in big pots against players with weaker flushes who won’t be able to fold. This is especially true on soft online poker sites, where recreational players are more likely to overcommit with weaker flushes.

Flush Odds & Probabilities in Texas Hold’em

You’ll be dealt a suited hand an average of 23.5% of the time, around one in four hands, but not every suited combination will be playable. You might be surprised to hear that even with two suited cards, you’ll only actually flop a flush 0.84% of the time, around 1 in 118 hands.

Those odds are incredibly slim.

However, you’ll flop a flush draw 10.9% of the time with two suited hole cards. Then, you have a 19% chance of hitting on the turn and a 19% chance of hitting on the river. Around one in every three times, your flush will complete by the river.

How to Play a Flush: Basic Strategy Tips

When you have a completed flush using two hole cards, you’ll nearly always want to bet or raise for value unless your opponent shows signs of extreme strength.

When it comes to hands that beat you, watch out for full houses if the board is paired.

When the board shows four of the same suit, it’s more likely that someone else has a flush, so you’ll need to be aware of who has the higher hand. With a decent flush, especially the nut flush, you’re looking to stack off against weaker hands.

Common Flush Mistakes to Avoid

Here are the most common mistakes to avoid when it comes to playing a flush in poker:

• Overvaluing lower flushes: Low flushes can lose big pots to higher flushes.
• Chasing flushes without odds: Don’t call big bets when pot odds or implied odds don’t justify it.
• Ignoring board texture: Four suited cards on the board makes it more likely your opponent has a flush, while a paired or double-paired board makes it possible someone has a full house.
• Playing too passively: Slowplaying a weak flush can let opponents catch up if another suited card comes or the board pairs.

The biggest leak most players have is overvaluing non-nut flushes — if you can’t beat a higher flush, proceed with caution when facing heavy action.

Frequently Asked Questions