Is 12345 Bigger Than 23456 in Poker?

No. In almost every major form of poker, 23456 is a superior hand to 12345 when it comes to standard poker hand rankings. The only exception is in lowball poker variants like Razz where the lowest hand wins.

Why 23456 Beats 12345 in Poker

In most poker games, hands are ranked based on the value of the individual cards. Cards are valued from deuce (2) up to ace (A), with ace being highest. When you have five cards that connect in sequence, it‘s called a straight.

So in a hand like 23456, the individual cards are higher than the individual cards in 12345. Even though both are straights, 23456 is superior. The best possible straight is 10-J-Q-K-A, while the worst straight is A-2-3-4-5.

Let‘s analyze the probability of being dealt these different hands:

Hand Odds

• 23456: 0.039%
• 12345: 0.024%

As you can see, 23456 is actually rarer to be dealt, but it still ranks higher than 12345.

When 12345 Can Beat 23456

The only poker variant where 12345 beats 23456 is in lowball games like Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, Badugi. In lowball poker, the lowest hand wins rather than the highest.

So A-2-3-4-5, known as "the wheel" or "the bicycle", is the nut low in lowball poker beating anything else including straights and flushes. It‘s the best possible hand you can make.

This means if you were playing Razz specifically and held A-2-3-4-5 against an opponent with 2-3-4-5-6, your wheel (12345) would win. But Razz is an outlier format – in most poker 12345 falls short of 23456.

Poker Hand Rankings

Here is a comparison of standard poker hand rankings from strongest to weakest, alongside lowball hand rankings:

In lowball games, straights actually rank quite low since you want the lowest cards rather than consecutive cards. As you can see, A-2-3-4-5 is the best lowball hand.

So in summary, 23456 ranks higher than 12345 in conventional poker games. But things flip in lowball variants where poor hands become strong.

Game Updates and News

When it comes to recent poker news, gaming operator Playtech just launched two new casino poker variants called Showhand Poker and Double Showhand Poker. These put a fresh spin on poker hand rankings and gameplay to engage players.

Additionally, PokerStars NJ recently introduced a new poker variant called Flipped Pineapple where hand rankings get turned upside down across three rounds of betting. This is another example of gambling sites experimenting with creative gameplay twists and variable hand strengths to drive engagement.

While the ranking of 23456 vs 12345 doesn‘t change in classic poker, it‘s interesting to see new variants continuing to emerge and put unusual spins on traditional hand values and hierarchies! These new formats help breathed life into the game.

The Verdict: 23456 Beats 12345 But Expect Unexpected Twists!

I hope this guide has clearly outlined why 23456 is stronger than 12345 in the vast majority of poker. When comparing individual cards, 23456 has higher rank than 12345 based on the standard order of cards in poker.

However, things can always get flipped on their head when it comes to emerging poker variants! As we‘ve seen with games like Razz and Badugi, sometimes hand rankings get turned completely upside down with lowball mechanics.

So while 23456 is undoubtedly superior to 12345 in games like Texas Hold‘em – be prepared for the unexpected if you dive into some of the exciting new poker formats launching nowadays! Those creative gameplay twists keep poker fun and fresh.