SOLVING POKER HANDS Using the rules provided in the accompanying workbook, you will need to analyze two 5 card poker hands to: Step 1. Sort each of the players’ cards by value, highest to lowest (assume the ace is high); Step 2. Classify each of the players hands into one of the hands shown on Table 3; and Step 3. Identify the winner where the two 5 hard hands have the same classification; Abbreviations Each card is entered into an Excel cell by typing the value followed by the letter of the suit into a cell according to the following tables (eg KD, 9C, 4H). Card values are shown in descending order, except the Ace which can be allocated the value of 1 or 14 depending on the player’s preference. (note that the only time an ace would be used as a low card is when completing a low end straight, eg. A♥ 2♥ 3♠ 4♥ 5♣) Table 1: Suits Table 2: Value Suit Abbreviation Face Value Rank Abbreviation Diamond ♦ D Ace 14 or 1 A Club ♣ C King 13 K Heart ♥ H Queen 12 Q Spade ♠ S Jack 11 J 10 10 10 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 ModelOff 2012 Questions and Answers Evaluating Hands The winner is determined by scoring each of the 5 card hands against table 3 below (organized from highest to lowest) and allocating a score. The player who has the 5 card hand with the highest score is the winner. For instance if Player 1 has A♦ K♦ Q♦ J♦ and 10♦ (Royal Flush) and Player 2 has Q♣ 10♣ 7♣ 6♣ 4♣ (Flush), Player 1 wins as the Royal Flush has a higher score. Where both players cards achieve the same score, for instance if both hands are scored as a Flush, then the winner is selected according to the Tie Breaker rules. Under the Tie Breaker rules for two Flushes, Player 1’s Q♣ 10♣ 7♣ 6♣ 4♣ beats Player 2’s Q♦ 10♦ 7♦ 5♦ 4♦. In some cases the Tie Breaker will not be able to identify a winner and the result will be a draw (also referred to as a dead heat). For instance, under the Two Pair rules Player 1’s 10♦ 10♥ 4♥ 4♣ 3♠ would draw with Player 2’s 10♠ 10♣ 4♠ 4♦ 3♥. Marking In this question there are 25 potential outcomes that need to be tested (See the marking grid on the Mark sheet); candidates will be allocated 1 mark for each correctly identified outcome up to 20 and 2 marks for each correctly identified outcome above 20. The maximum score for the question is 30 marks. To assist you, a marking macro has been integrated into the workbook. You can use the macro to quickly: 1. Identify hands for which your formulae and logic fail; or 2. Provide you with an indicative mark; Marks are allocated for consistently identifying the strongest hand and the winning player for a particular scenario. Step 1 is optional as no marks are allocated to it, however it is recommended that candidates complete this step as the outcome is useful for steps 2 and 3. Table 3: Hand Classification Table Score   Hand   Classification   Requirements   Ranking  two  hands  of  the  same   classification  (Tie  Breaker)   Draw   possible?   10   Royal  Flush   A straight flush is a hand that contains an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit such as A♦ K♦ Q♦ J♦ 10♦. If  there  are  two  royal  flush’s,  the   game  is  draw.   No   9   Straight  Flush   A straight flush is a hand that contains five cards in sequence, all of the same suit such as Q♣ J♣ 10♣ 9♣ 8♣ Two straight  flush are ranked by comparing the highest card of each.   Yes 8   Four  of  a  Kind   Four of a kind is a poker hand such as 9♣ 9♠ 9♦ 9♥ J♥, that contains all four cards of one rank The Four of a kind with higher- ranking cards defeat lower-ranking ones. 9♣ 9♠ 9♦ 9♥ J♥ beats 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ 7♣ A♠   No ModelOff 2012 Questions and Answers 7   Full  House   A full house is a hand such as 3♣ 3♠ 3♦ 6♣ 6♥, that contains three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank. Between two full houses, the one with the higher-ranking three cards wins, so 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ 4♠ 4♣ defeats 6♠ 6♥ 6♦ A♠ A♣.   No 6   Flush   A flush is a poker hand such as Q♣ 10♣ 7♣ 6♣ 4♣, where all five cards are of the same suit. The highest-ranking card of each is compared to determine the winner. If both hands have the same highest card, then the second highest- ranking card is compared, and so on until a difference is found.   Yes 5   Straight   A straight is a poker hand such as Q♣ J♠ 10♠ 9♥ 8♥, that contains five cards of sequential rank. Two straights are ranked by comparing the highest card of each.   Yes 4   Three  of  a   Kind   Three of a kind is a poker hand such as 2♦ 2♠ 2♣ K♠ 6♥ that contains three cards of the same rank. A higher-valued three-of-a-kind defeats a lower-valued three-of- kind, so Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ 7♠ 4♣ defeats J♠ J♣ J ♦ A♦ K♣.   No 3   Two  Pair   A poker hand such as J♥ J♣ 4♣ 4♠ 9♥, that contains two cards of the same rank, plus two cards of another rank. To rank two hands both containing two pair, the higher-ranking pair of each is first compared, and the higher pair wins (so 10♠ 10♣ 8♦ 8♠ 4♥ defeats 8♥ 8♣ 4♠ 4♣ 10♥). If both hands have the same top pair, then the second pair of each is compared, such that 10♠ 10♣ 8♥ 8♣ 4♠ defeats 10♦ 10♥ 4♠ 4♥ Q♥. If both hands have the same two pairs, the sole remaining unpaired card determines the winner. Where no difference is found we have a draw.   Yes 2   Pair   One pair is a poker hand such as 4♥ 4♠ K♠ 10♦ 5♠, that contains two cards of one rank. Higher-ranking pairs defeat lower- ranking pairs; if two hands have the same pair, the non-paired cards are compared in descending order to determine the winner. Where no difference is found we have a draw   Yes 1   High  Card   A high-card is a poker hand such as K♥ J♥ 8♣ 7♦ 4♠ that is made of any five cards not meeting any of the requirements for other hands. Two high-card hands are ranked by comparing the highest-ranking card. If those are equal, then the next highest-ranking card from each hand is compared, and so on until a difference is found. Where no difference is found we have a draw.   Yes