What is a High Card in Poker?

The High Card is a combination in which none of the five cards contributes to the formation of any special poker hand rankings. In fact, this is the simplest combination in poker, consisting of five cards of different ranks and suits that are not sequential. The value of the High Card combination is determined solely by the highest hand card in the hand on the poker table. Although this is the lowest-ranking combination in poker, understanding its significance is crucial, as it often plays a role in determining the winner in cases where other players on the board do not have a stronger combination.

What Does a High Card Look Like?

The High Card combination in poker consists of five playing cards in which there are no two cards of the same rank or suit, and this combination does not form any other recognized rating, such as a Pair, a Straight, and others. Visually, the High Card looks like a random set of cards without any sequence. Each card in the hand has its own value, and the highest card determines the strength of the combination. Here’s what it might look like:

• A♠ K♥ 10♦ 5♣ 2♠;
• D♣ J♠ 10♠ 7♥ 5♦;
• 10♣ 9♥ 6♦ 4♠ 3♦;
• J♦ 8♣ 7♥ 3♣ 2♠.

How Does High Card Rank?

High Card hands in poker are ranked based on the value of the highest card in the hand. The higher the rank of this card, the stronger the hand. If several players get a High Card drawing, the one with the highest-ranking card is determined wins. If the first highest-ranking card does not make a difference, the next one is evaluated, and so on until a winner is determined. If all five cards are of the same rank, the pot is split evenly among the tied players.

What Beats a High Card? 

The High Card is the weakest of all possible combinations, since any other combination is superior to it. Here is the distribution of their positions:

High Card Probabilities

The chances of getting a High Card is quite high because this is not a rare combination. Here’s how the percentages are distributed depending on the stage of the Texas Hold’em game: