The weakest suit in poker is determined in alphabetical order. Thus, clubs are considered the weakest suit, and spades are the strongest.
Suits are, however, only considered in very few poker games, and only after card value rankings. This means that a hand with aces of any suit will always be stronger than a hand with 2s of any suit. This would, of course, be different in lowball poker variants where an ace is a low card and in poker variants where an ace can be used as both a high card and a low card.
Suit Rankings in Flush Draws
A flush is generally considered to be a strong poker hand. However, a flush made with hearts is usually considered weaker than a flush made with spades, for example. This is because spades are a higher-ranking suit than hearts, meaning a flush made with spades will typically beat a flush made with hearts.
Poker Games Using Suit Rankings
Although holding what is deemed to be the weakest suit in poker does not always mean much, there are instances when suits are used to advance the game.
Here are poker games that usually consider suits rankings:
Seven Card Stud Poker
Suit rankings apply in Seven Card Stud poker games because the game does make use of blind betting rules. Instead, each player places an ante bet, and the players’ upcards determine the first player to post the bring-in bet. The player with the lowest-ranking face-up street card is the first to bet.
If two or more players have the same lowest-ranking street card, suits are used to determine who will be the first to bet. In this case, the player with the weakest suit posts the bring-in bet.
Razz Poker
Razz poker is a lowball poker game. In Razz poker game, players’ upcards determine the first player to post the bring-in bet. The player with the highest ranking upcard posts the bet. If two players have the same card, suits determine who should post the bet. The player with the strongest suit makes a bet.
High Low Poker Variants
In High-low split games, such as Omaha Hi-Lo, the pot is often shared between two winners. This is because the player with the best high-ranking hand and the best low-ranking hand must share the pot evenly.
Suits are then considered when the pot contains an odd amount of money. Since the chips cannot be evenly distributed between the two winners, the player with a hand containing a high card by suit is offered the odd chip.
Poker Suits – Conclusion
Ultimately, the weakest suit in poker is subjective and can vary depending on the context and the poker variant played. It’s worth noting that poker is a game of skill, and the strength of a suit doesn’t make a lot of difference in the game. However, it is still important to know the suit values when playing poker games that often apply to them.
John Ford has been writing online gambling content for over 18 years. Born and raised in the heart of the Short Pump, Virginia, John’s journey through the casino industry began on the casino floor itself. He started as a dealer in various games, including blackjack, poker, and baccarat, cultivating an understanding that only hands-on experience can provide. John’s passion for writing casino guides stems from his casino experience and his passion for helping fellow punters. His articles are more than reviews; they are narratives that guide both novices and seasoned players through the labyrinth of online casinos.
