Showdown Winner Determination Flowchart

What this flowchart helps you solve

Showdown happens when two or more players remain after the final betting round. At that point, players reveal their cards and the winning hand must be determined.

This flowchart helps beginners compare hands step by step: identify each player's best five-card hand, compare hand rankings, check kickers when needed, and recognize when the pot is split.

Showdown decision flow

1. Confirm who is still in the hand

Only players who did not fold can win at showdown. If every other player folded before showdown, the last remaining player wins without revealing cards.

If two or more players remain after river betting, the hand goes to showdown.

2. Build the best five-card hand for each player

Each player can use any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards to make the best five-card hand.

A player may use:

• Both hole cards
• One hole card
• No hole cards, playing the board

The goal is always the best five-card hand, not the best six or seven cards.

3. Identify the hand category

For each remaining player, identify the strongest hand category:

• Royal flush
• Straight flush
• Four of a kind
• Full house
• Flush
• Straight
• Three of a kind
• Two pair
• One pair
• High card

The higher category wins.

4. Compare players by hand ranking

If one player has a higher hand category, that player wins.

For example, a flush beats a straight, a full house beats a flush, and three of a kind beats two pair.

5. If the category is the same, compare the important cards

When two players have the same category, compare the cards that define the hand.

Examples:

• Higher pair beats lower pair.
• Higher two pair beats lower two pair.
• Higher three of a kind beats lower three of a kind.
• Higher straight beats lower straight.
• Higher flush card sequence wins.

6. Use kickers when needed

A kicker is an extra card used to break a tie when players have the same made hand.

For example, if both players have one pair of queens, the highest side card can decide the winner. If that card is also tied, compare the next kicker.

7. Check if the board creates a tie

Sometimes the best five-card hand is entirely on the board, or both players use the same five-card combination.

If no player can make a better five-card hand than the shared board, the pot is split.

Common showdown examples

1. Pair versus high card

A pair beats any high-card hand. If one player has one pair and the other player only has high card, the pair wins.

2. Same pair, different kicker

If both players have the same pair, compare the highest kicker. If the highest kicker is tied, compare the next kicker.

3. Two pair versus two pair

Compare the higher pair first. If that is tied, compare the second pair. If both pairs are tied, compare the kicker.

4. Flush versus flush

If two players both have a flush, compare the highest card in each flush. If tied, compare the second highest, then the third, fourth, and fifth.

5. Straight versus straight

The straight with the highest top card wins. A ten-high straight beats a nine-high straight.

6. Full house versus full house

Compare the three-of-a-kind part first. If both players have the same three of a kind, compare the pair.

Playing the board

Playing the board means a player's best five-card hand uses only the five community cards.

This can happen when the board itself makes a strong hand, such as a straight or flush, and a player's hole cards do not improve it.

If all remaining players have the same best five-card hand from the board, the pot is split.

Beginner checkpoints

At showdown, ask these questions in order:

• Who is still in the hand?
• What is each player's best five-card hand?
• What hand category does each player have?
• Does one category clearly beat the others?
• If the category is tied, which player has the higher important card?
• Are kickers needed?
• Is everyone playing the same board?
• Should the pot be awarded to one player or split?

Following this order prevents most beginner confusion.

Common beginner mistakes

A common mistake is trying to use all seven available cards. In Texas Hold'em, only the best five-card hand matters.

Another mistake is forgetting that the board can create shared hands. If the best five cards are all on the board, hole cards may not matter.

Beginners also often miss kickers. When two players have the same pair or same three of a kind, the side cards can decide the winner.

What to read next

After learning showdown winner determination, review the hand rankings quick guide, the full Texas Hold'em hand flowchart, and the four-round betting flow guide. These pages help connect hand strength, board texture, and the full path from pre-flop to showdown.