Poker Jargon: Names of Complete Hands

A poker hand is normally made up of five cards. But not all five-card hands can be called a complete hand under poker jargon. Complete hands, by definition, are made distinct by using all five cards in its entirety. In other words, a pair or a three-of-a-kind (trips) doesn't fall under complete hands though they are examples of poker hands. The five names of complete hands in poker jargon are the straight flush, quads, full house, flush and straight.

The straight flush is a complete hand that has similar-suited cards in successive order. For example, a five-card combination of hearts from three to seven is a straight flush.

Quads, in poker jargon, are also called four-of-kind wherein the five-card combination includes four cards of identical values and a kicker. Let's say you're playing Texas holdem and after the turn, your hand developed trips of queens. Then the river card turned out to be another queen so it's right to say that you developed a complete hand (of quads).

Among complete hands, a full house is very distinct because it's made up of three-of-a-kind and a pair. That's three similar-valued cards and two similar-valued cards to create a five-card poker hand.

A flush is defined in poker jargon as a complete hand composed of same-suited cards. The values of cards making the flush are in no particular order. Hence, an ace, seven, five, three and two -- all of which are diamonds -- is an example of a flush.

The last among complete hands is called a straight. Purposely called so, it's made up of five unsuited (with different suits) cards in consecutive order according to their values. With that said, the lowest value that a straight can have is composed of an ace, two, three, four and five. And the highest value of a straight that's possible has a ten, jack, queen, king and ace.

Names of complete hands encompass a straight flush, quads, full house, flush and a straight. These are coined complete hands in poker jargon because each card in that five-card poker hand is used to denote their overall value or rank. In a straight flush, all five cards are suited as well as connected. Quads have four similar-valued cards and a kicker. A full house is a combination of trips (three-of-a-kind) and a pair. And a flush has all five cards of the same suit without a specific order while a straight is a complete hand where all five cards are unsuited but are in consecutive order.