When you play poker online it is very necessary to understand that each game has its own rules. While it is fine to bend the rules and play how you want at home, the poker player won't get away with this in any real money games online or in a casino poker room.

These rules are consistent from site to site and hand rankings also remain the same. Often the name of the game gives away to some small degree the rules which are pertinent to that particular game. Poker is generally played with a 52 card deck from which the Jokers are removed. However certain games of poker also call for the Jokers.
  
The card ranking dictates that the Ace is the highest or lowest card, depending again on the rules and King, Queen, Jack, Ten, and the number cards down, is the order of highest to lowest rank. The two is called a Deuce and this card features in quite a few poker variations as a wild card. You will know this if you see the word "Deuce" or "Deuces" in the name of the game. The Ace ranks below the deuce in low-ball games.
  
All poker hands are made up of five cards, even if you have been dealt 7, except Pai Gow where both a five card hand and a two card hand is required. If community cards are used then these need to make up a poker hand with the players hole cards. Suits and sixth cards are not used as tie breakers and when the betting rounds are completed all the players still in the game are required to show their hand.
   
In the case of a wild card or a Joker being used in a game a "Five of a kind" is the best possible hand, if not, this is a "Straight Flush". The best straight flush hand is a "Royal Flush" and this hand contains A, K, Q, J and 10 of the same suit. "Four of a Kind" comes next and is self explanatory - the higher the cards rank, the better. A "Full House" is three of the same cards of different suits and a pair of another kind, the higher they rank the better. A "Flush" is five cards of the same suit, a "Straight" is sequential cards, not of the same suit and "Three of a Kind" comes next. The next lowest rankings are "Two Pair", "One Pair" and believe it or not "No Pairs"; with a hand like this, the player should not even still be in the game.
  
Lowball online poker dictates that the lowest hand of similar rankings count toward winning, so a five card hand of Aces low plus wild card should be the winner. It always helps to check out low card ranking first and become familiar with the game before playing for money or you may become confused and play the wrong game. The concept is that the lowest best hand wins, not the No Pair hand! Lowball poker is not about the lousiest hand, simply the lowest.