Seemed straightforward at first and then I started thinking about all the hand rankings and my confidence dropped pretty quick.
First clarify the rules and edge cases, then design a solution that evaluates each hand's rank and tiebreakers. Implement a function that returns a comparable score for each hand, and compare the scores to determine the winner.
Pro tip: Mention that you would write unit tests for all hand rankings and edge cases like ties and kickers, and discuss how to extend the solution to more than two hands or different poker variants.
Ask about the poker variant (e.g., Texas Hold'em), hand rankings, and tie-breaking rules. Confirm input format and expected output.
Create a function that takes a 5-card hand and returns a numerical score or a tuple representing its rank and tiebreakers. Consider using counts of ranks and suits.
Compare the two hands' scores, handling ties by comparing tiebreaker values. Return the winning hand or a tie indicator.
Test cases like straight flushes, royal flushes, and ties with equal ranks but different suits. Ensure the solution correctly identifies the winner in all scenarios.
Discuss time and space complexity, and consider alternative approaches like precomputing all possible hands or using bit manipulation for efficiency.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.