Hi!
Just started learning poker. I understand all the hands in poker except one. It is the straight hand.
https://www.cardschat.com/poker-hands/
It's got "but the ace cannot rank both high and low in the same hand (e.g. Q♠ K♠ A♣ 2♥ 3♦ is an ace-high high-card hand, not a straight)"

What does that part mean and why is it saying it is not a straight? Thanks for any info! Archie

Ace can only be high or low. So you could have 10, J, Q, K, A or A, 2, 3, 4, 5.

While such beginners come, poker is not hopeless. Good luck!

Aces has two value 1 and 14 ( if you think about all cards with a corresponding value number).

When you have a straight it means that you have a sequence of 5 cards that don't have all the same suit. the possibilities are:

1 2 3 4 5 (A 2 3 4 5)
2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8
5 6 7 8 9
...
...
9 10 11 12 13 ( 9 T J Q K)
10 11 12 13 14 ( T J Q K A)

is not possible to combine the beginning cards with the lasts ones such how

Q K A 2 3 ( this is not allowed)

you can find a lot of articles with beginnings help here

https://www.cardschat.com/poker-strategy.php

This combination is simply not in the listed combinations for hold'em poker and other types of poker. If it was taken into account, both of them would have a hope for life. Then there would have been those; KA234, JQKA2.

A straight can be a powerful hand, when you become more confident look into 1 or 2 gap starting hands, I.e. 5 and 7 or 4 and 7 as they can be very well disguised straights it you get lucky with the flop.

Probably better as a learner to play connectors and not gappers. Once conversant with the former them move on up.

Originally Posted by Thenightrain

A straight can be a powerful hand, when you become more confident look into 1 or 2 gap starting hands, I.e. 5 and 7 or 4 and 7 as they can be very well disguised straights it you get lucky with the flop.

This is good advice, but try not to get into anything complicated before you have learnt the basics such as hand rankings. Then work with suited connectors (consecutive suited cards).

There are a lot of freerolls about so this is the best thing to play for a start so you aren't risking any money but can gain a lot of experience.

Thanks for all the information so far. Is my understanding correct for the straight hand? Thanks, Archie.


Straight
All five cards in sequential order.
When using an Ace, it must be positioned before a "2" to start a straight or after a King to end a straight. An Ace cannot exist within a straight, such as Q K A 2 3. This is not a valid Straight poker hand



2♥ 3♦ J♣ Q♠ K♠　 Not a straight. Not in sequential order.
9♥ 10♦ J♣ Q♠ K♠ A straight.
A♠ 2♠ 3♣ 4♥ 5♦ A straight if the rule is an Ace can be used before a 2.

10♦ J♣ Q♠ K♠ A♠ A straight with the rule being that an Ace can be the highest value.


“An Ace cannot exist within a straight, such as Q K A 2 3. This is not a valid Straight poker hand”

I am struggling to understand the above highlighted in bold. If you had the cards “Q K A 2 3.” you could only place at the start or at the end depending on the rules of the game. Why would someone claim it is a straight?

Originally Posted by Archie Dos Santos

Thanks for all the information so far. Is my understanding correct for the straight hand? Thanks, Archie.


Straight
All five cards in sequential order.
When using an Ace, it must be positioned before a "2" to start a straight or after a King to end a straight. An Ace cannot exist within a straight, such as Q K A 2 3. This is not a valid Straight poker hand



2♥ 3♦ J♣ Q♠ K♠　 Not a straight. Not in sequential order.
9♥ 10♦ J♣ Q♠ K♠ A straight.
A♠ 2♠ 3♣ 4♥ 5♦ A straight if the rule is an Ace can be used before a 2.

10♦ J♣ Q♠ K♠ A♠ A straight with the rule being that an Ace can be the highest value.


“An Ace cannot exist within a straight, such as Q K A 2 3. This is not a valid Straight poker hand”

I am struggling to understand the above highlighted in bold. If you had the cards “Q K A 2 3.” you could only place at the start or at the end depending on the rules of the game. Why would someone claim it is a straight?

Yes. You have all of that correct.

Also, if the straight is all the same suit, it is a straight flush. If it is 10, J, Q, K, A all of the same suit then it is called a royal flush.

Good luck!

Just 1 more! The below is not a straight. Am I right? Thanks

7,8,9,10,A

Originally Posted by Archie Dos Santos

Just 1 more! The below is not a straight. Am I right? Thanks

7,8,9,10,A

Correct, you would have to replace the A with a J or 6.

10, J, Q, K, A or A, 2, 3, 4, 5 its the only way for a straight

Originally Posted by Archie Dos Santos

“An Ace cannot exist within a straight, such as Q K A 2 3. This is not a valid Straight poker hand”

I am struggling to understand the above highlighted in bold. If you had the cards “Q K A 2 3.” you could only place at the start or at the end depending on the rules of the game. Why would someone claim it is a straight?

That is why it says it is not a valid straight (so it does not count as one) ^^