As a gaming expert with a deep understanding of poker, I can tell you that the concept of what beats a royal flush is quite intriguing. In traditional poker games, a royal flush is the highest possible hand one can achieve, consisting of the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit. It's a hand that is considered unbeatable within the standard rules of poker.

However, there are variations of poker where a royal flush isn't necessarily the end-all of hands. For instance, in some home games or local variations, players might agree to include wild cards, which can create a scenario where a royal flush can be beaten. Wild cards can be any card that the players designate as being able to represent any other card in the deck, thus potentially allowing for a straight flush that surpasses the traditional royal flush.

Another scenario where a royal flush might not be the top hand is in games that include additional community cards. In these games, the best hand is determined not only by the cards in a player's hand but also by the community cards on the table. If the community cards allow for a higher-ranking hand than a royal flush, then that hand would take precedence.

It's also worth noting that in some poker variants, there are additional hands that are considered to be higher than a royal flush. For example, in games like "Badugi" or "Omaha Hi-Lo," the ranking of hands is different, and a royal flush wouldn't necessarily be the top hand.

In conclusion, while a royal flush is the pinnacle of poker hands in standard games, the landscape changes when you introduce wild cards, community cards, or different game variants. The key takeaway is that the ranking of hands in poker is not static and can be influenced by the specific rules and conditions of the game being played.

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Straight Flush: Five cards in numerical order, all of identical suits. In the event of a tie: Highest rank at the top of the sequence wins. The best possible straight flush is known as a royal flush, which consists of the ace, king, queen, jack and ten of a suit. A royal flush is an unbeatable hand.read more >>