public int CompareHands(IHand firstHand, IHand secondHand)
        {
            // "null is smaller than a non-null object by definition"
            if (firstHand == null)
            {
                if (secondHand == null)
                    return 0;
                return -1;
            }
            if (secondHand == null)
            {
                return 1;
            }
            if (!IsValidHand(firstHand))
            {
                if (!IsValidHand(secondHand))
                    return 0;
                return -1;
            }
            if (!IsValidHand(secondHand))
            {
                return 1;
            }

            // we could also map each hand type to an integer
            foreach (var predicate in this.PredicatesList)
            {
                var isFirst = predicate(firstHand);
                var isSecond = predicate(secondHand);
                if (isFirst && isSecond)
                {
                    if (predicate == this.IsStraightFlush ||
                       predicate == this.IsStraight ||
                        predicate == this.IsFlush ||
                        predicate == this.IsHighCard)
                    {
                        return firstHand.HighestCard().Face.CompareTo(
                               secondHand.HighestCard().Face);
                    }

                        // x of kind
                    var x = 0;
                    if (predicate == this.IsFourOfAKind)
                        x = 4;

                    if (predicate == this.IsThreeOfAKind)
                        x = 3;

                    if (predicate == this.IsTwoPair ||
                        predicate == this.IsOnePair)
                        x = 2;

                    var seq1 = firstHand.GetXOfKind(x).OrderByDescending(g => g.Key).SelectMany(g => g);
                    var seq2 = secondHand.GetXOfKind(x).OrderByDescending(g => g.Key).SelectMany(g => g);

                    return Utils.CompareSequences(seq1, seq2, c => (int)c.Suit);
                }
                if (isFirst)
                {
                    return 1;
                }
                if (isSecond)
                {
                    return -1;
                }
            }

            Debug.Assert(false, "should not happen");
            throw new ApplicationException("assertion failed");
        }