What Is a Straight Flush in Poker? (Odds and Strategy)

A straight flush is five cards in a row, all of the same suit, like 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠. It’s a straight and a flush at the same time, and it’s the second-best hand in poker. Only a royal flush beats it.

In Texas Hold’em you’ll make a straight flush about once every 3,591 times you see all seven cards. That’s rare enough that most players go months between them.

When I coach players on this hand, I tell them to stop worrying about being beaten. The real skill is building a pot big enough to make the moment count, and knowing the one board where you should slow down.

Straight Flush Examples (What It Looks Like)

Any five consecutive cards of one suit make a straight flush. Here are a few examples, from strongest to weakest.

• K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥ 9♥ is a king-high straight flush, the best one below a royal
• 10♦ 9♦ 8♦ 7♦ 6♦ is a ten-high straight flush
• 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ is a nine-high straight flush
• 5♣ 4♣ 3♣ 2♣ A♣ is a five-high straight flush, the lowest one possible

There are 36 straight flushes in a deck, nine in each suit, plus the four royal flushes at the top. That makes 40 if you count the royals.

Is 6 7 8 9 10 a Straight Flush?

Only if all five cards share the same suit. 6♥ 7♥ 8♥ 9♥ 10♥ is a ten-high straight flush. 6♥ 7♣ 8♥ 9♦ 10♥ is just a straight.

Is Ace 2 3 4 5 a Straight Flush?

Yes, as long as it’s suited. A♣ 2♣ 3♣ 4♣ 5♣ is called a steel wheel, and the ace plays low here, so it’s the weakest straight flush in the game.

What you can’t do is wrap around the corner. Q♠ K♠ A♠ 2♠ 3♠ isn’t a straight flush or even a straight. It’s just an ace-high flush.

Which Straight Flush Wins?

When two players both have a straight flush, the one with the higher top card wins. Suits never matter.

Here’s how that plays out in a few common spots.

In Texas Hold’em, two different straight flushes usually show up together when four suited connectors are on the board. On 5♦ 6♦ 7♦ 8♦ K♣, a player with 4♦ has an eight-high straight flush, while a player with 9♦ has a nine-high one and wins the pot.

That’s what players call the dummy end. If your straight flush only uses the bottom card, someone holding the top card beats you.

Straight Flush Odds (How Often You’ll Make It)

A straight flush is the second-rarest hand in poker. How rare depends on how many cards you get to use and what you start with.

Those draw numbers only count the straight flush itself. An open-ended straight flush draw also has the flush and an open-ended straight draw, which is usually 15 outs to a strong hand and about 54% to get there by the river.

Suited connectors flop more straight flushes than gapped hands because more flops connect with them. That’s also part of why players love them, though their real value comes from flushes and straights, not this.

How to Play a Straight Flush

Most of the time a straight flush is the nuts, and your only job is to get paid. Think about which worse hands your opponent can have and size your bets so those hands call.

Let Them Catch Up on Scary Boards

If the board already shows four suited connected cards, everyone can see a straight flush is possible. Leading out big usually folds out every hand you beat.

On those boards I’d rather check or bet small and let my opponent bet a flush, a set or a full house into me. Players who make a strong hand on the river will often do the betting for you.

Bet When the Board Looks Harmless

When your straight flush is disguised, like 8♠ 7♠ on a 9♠ 6♠ 5♠ board, opponents with a flush or a straight will pay off a lot. Bet for value on every street.

Full houses and quads are your best customers here. A player who pairs the board on the turn will often call off a big river bet, and they have no idea they’re drawing dead.

Watch Out for the Dummy End

The one spot to slow down is when you only hold the bottom card of a straight flush that’s sitting on the board. With 4♦ on 5♦ 6♦ 7♦ 8♦, anyone holding 9♦ beats you.

You’ll still win most of these pots, but don’t stack off against heavy action without thinking. Use your read on blockers and your opponent’s range before going all in.

Avoid These Straight Flush Mistakes

Overrating the Straight Flush Draw

A straight flush draw is one of the strongest draws in poker, but it’s still a draw. If you miss, you might have nothing at all.

The good news is that the straight flush part is a bonus. Price the hand on its flush and straight outs, and it’ll usually justify aggressive play anyway. If you need a refresher, my guide on how to play a flush draw covers those spots.

Forgetting the Implied Odds of Suited Connectors

Players often fold small suited connectors preflop because they “never hit.” That’s true, they miss most flops.

But when they do connect with a flush, a straight or occasionally a straight flush, they can win a huge pot from an overpair or top pair. That’s implied odds at work, and it’s why these hands are playable in position with deep stacks.

Slow-Playing When the Opponent Already Has a Hand

If the board is paired and your opponent is raising, they might already have a full house. That’s the dream spot. Don’t just call and hope for a river bet.

I’ve seen players check a straight flush all the way down against someone who’d have happily put their stack in on the turn. When your opponent clearly has something strong, raise and let them pay.

Jonathan Little

Jonathan Little is a two-time WPT champion and WSOP bracelet winner with $9M+ in tournament earnings, and the founder of PokerCoaching.com. He helps players identify leaks and turn strategy into consistent results through a structured system.

See Full Bio