In a poker hand, a straight occurs when a player’s five cards are in sequential rank, regardless of suit. The ranking of the straight is based on the highest card in the sequence. For example, a straight consisting of 5-6-7-8-9 will be outranked by a straight of 10-J-Q-K-A. Straights are valuable because they beat hands like three-of-a-kind and two pair, but lose to a flush or full house.
Straight in Poker Example
Example: A player is dealt 3♥, 4♦, 5♠, 6♣, and 7♥. This is a straight because the cards are in consecutive order.