One of the first books I ever read about Texas holdem strategy was Phil Hellmuth's Play Poker Like the Pros. And one of the first lessons I learned from that book was the importance of tight play before the flop. Hellmuth presents a list of the top 10 starting hands in Texas holdem, and he suggests that you ONLY play hands from that list.
His list is a little different from the one I present below, though. His list consists of any pocket pair of 7s or better, plus ace king suited and ace queen suited.
On this site you can find all possible combinations of preflop hands that can occur in Texas Hold'em Poker. As a bonus you will also learn the nicknames of the different hands. The hands are ranked from #1 to #169, where #1 is the best. This ranking is applicable when the poker table is full ring (9-10 people). The best starting hands in Texas Holdem are big pairs and big cards. Of course, we all know the power of AA, KK and QQ, but JJ-TT are also premium hands. Some have a hate relationship with JJ and TT, but I love being dealt these. Twin rivers casino lincoln ri. Just don't get enamored with their preflop power and if all signs point to you being beat, just fold.
My list is less bull-ish on pocket pairs, though. I also include some more high hands that have suited and connected value.
Of course, you should consider any guide to Texas holdem starting hands to be like training wheels on a bicycle. They're great at first—maybe even necessary—but eventually, you shouldn't need a starting hands chart at all. You're just able to make good decisions based on the situations you're in.
1- Pocket Aces
Unless you're completely unfamiliar with poker or you've been living under a rock, you already know that pocket aces are the strongest starting hand in Texas holdem. It's also one of the easiest hands to play correctly. Just bet and raise with it.
Since it's impossible for any of the other players in the hand to have a better starting hand, betting and raising with pocket aces is always correct.
I have read that some players like to check with pocket aces if they're in first position at a full table. The idea is that someone behind you will bet and maybe someone will even raise, giving you the opportunity to re-raise and maybe even put them all-in. (This applies mostly to no limit games.)
My friend Wes insists that checking with pocket aces is always a mistake, even in this limited set of circumstances. Sometimes I check with pocket aces just to get on his nerves.
Anyway, pocket aces pretty much play themselves. They often win even if the hand doesn't improve over the course of the flop, turn, and river.
2- Pocket Kings
Playing pocket kings preflop is also dead simple. You just bet and raise with this hand repeatedly. Your goal should be to get all your chips into the pot before the flop. The only way you can possibly be dominated when you have pocket kings is if one of your opponents has pocket aces. And your opponents usually DON'T have pocket aces.
You'll get calls from players with pocket jacks, pocket queens, or ace king or ace queen suited. In all those situations, you're the favorite, so getting your money in the pot in that situation is the right thing to do.
Pocket kings get tricky when an ace shows up on the flop. Now you have to start thinking about what you're going to do next.
You want to avoid making the mistake of overplaying your hand in this situation. Pocket kings aren't the nuts, and once the flop has hit, the strength of your hand has likely changed. It's okay to fold.
Position is important when that ace hits, because if you're in late position, you can get a feel for what your opponent might be holding.
Don't be afraid to fold pocket kings when an ace shows up on the flop, though. You shouldn't automatically give up on the hand, either, but don't play it like it's the nuts.
Lots of players, especially newcomers or beginners, are really bullish on aces preflop—even if their other card is low in value and not of the same suit. Be willing to give your opponent credit for having that ace I the hole.
3- Pocket Queens
It's even more important to avoid getting married to pocket queens than it is to avoid marrying pocket kings. You should bet and raise with pocket queens before the flop, although maybe less aggressively than you would aces or kings. You then need to be cautious if you see a king or an ace on the flop.
I almost never fold pocket queens before the flop, because the odds of my opponent having pocket kings or pocket aces are so low.
But the odds that someone still in the hand on the flop has one king or one ace preflop are good, so if I see one of those cards on the flop, I start getting more cautious. If I'm first to act, I'm usually good for a continuation bet, but if I get raised or re-raised, I'm willing to get away from the hand.
If I'm in late position with pocket queens, I'm often good for a bet if no one has acted, but I'm probably not going to raise or re-raise aggressive players in early position.
Pocket queens are a great hand, but they're not the same as pocket kings or aces and shouldn't be played as if they were.
4- Ace King Suited
Ace king is often called 'big slick,' and if the 2 cards are suited, some players call the hand 'super slick.' Players fall in love with this hand, as well they should, but it's important to remember that ace king suited is a speculative hand. If you don't catch something that helps on the flop, ace king is one you need to be willing to get away from on the flop.
In David Sklansky's hand groupings, the best possible hands are in 'Group 1.' These hands include pocket jacks, queens, kings, or aces. They also include ace king suited.
But there's a big difference between ace king suited and any of these pocket pairs. In fact, even pocket jacks has a huge difference in strength from pocket aces.
The trick to playing ace king is to avoid overvaluing the hand. Yes, you should bet and probably even raise with this hand preflop. You just need to be ready to get away from the hand on the flop.
It's also important to pay attention to your opponents' tendencies. Ace king suited is easily dominated by pocket queens, kings, or aces.
But you also have lots of possibilities with this hand, including the possible nut flush. My favorite move in Texas holdem is to hit 4 to a flush with ace king suited and then play it really aggressively.
This is a classic semi-bluff. You probably don't have the best hand on the flop, but you still have a roughly 1/3 chance of hitting the nut flush. Combine that with the possibility that your opponents might fold in the face of your aggression, and you have a situation with a lot of expected value.
5- Pocket Jacks
This is the lowest pair in David Sklansky's top tier hand grouping. This might also be the biggest trouble hand in Texas holdem. It's easy to overvalue pocket jacks, especially if you haven't had a lot of playable hand in your time at the table. (I don't know anyone who enjoys folding for an hour straight.)
The most important factor to consider when playing pocket jacks is position. If you're in early position, betting or raising with pocket jacks is a good idea, but be cautious when someone plays back against you. From late position, raising is okay against a single opponent, but against multiple bettors and raisers, you might be in trouble.
When the flop hits, it's time to pay attention. You'll see overcards on the flop 2/3 of the time, and chances are good that someone has at least a queen in the hole if they're still in the pot with you. What you're really hoping for with pocket jacks is to pick up a small pot uncontested preflop, or to hit the flop hard enough that you can play back at someone with big cards.
Pocket jacks are almost always playable, but they're small pot hands that you need to be willing to get away from.
6- Pocket 10s
I still raise preflop with pocket 10s, especially if I'm in late position, but I'm more cautious with them in late position. I'm almost always in trouble when a high card hits on the flop, and if 2 high cards hit on the flop, I gotta get out of there.
The best case scenario with pocket 10s is the same as with any smaller pair. You're really hoping to hit a set, which happens rarely, but when it does… you're going to win a big pot.
Don't be afraid of making a continuation bet on the flop, though. Just be ready to get away from the hand if one of your opponents starts playing back at you.
Don't forget, though, that your opponent doesn't know what you're holding. Even if an overcard hits, it might not be the overcard that your opponent needs. By making a continuation bet, you can sometimes get your opponent to fold and take down a small pot right away on the flop.
The number of players makes a difference, too—especially preflop. If you're playing at a full table, your pocket 10s might or might not be the best hand. But if you're playing at a table with 5 or 6 players, it's often going to be the best preflop hand out there. This means you should play it aggressively before the flop.
7- Ace King (Not Suited)
Ace king offsuit doesn't play much differently than ace skin suited, but the difference is big. If you can run the guys holding smaller pairs off before the flop, you'll be doing well. If you miss the flop, you really have no choice but to slow down. Since you don't have the flush potential or the semi-bluff potential with the unsuited ace king, it's a trickier hand to play.
Still, ace king is a premium hand, because you have 6 cards that will improve your hand on the flop. If you see an ace on the flop, you have the best possible pair with the best possible kicker. If you see a king on the flop, you have the top visible pair with the best possible kicker. Someone with pocket aces has you beat, but that's unlikely.
A lot of players have trouble with big slick, but you needn't have trouble with it. Play it strong preflop, then slow down on the flop if you miss the flop. If you hit the flop, hit the gas. Most of the time, especially at the lower stakes, all you need to do to play profitable poker is to fold your bad cards and bet and raise with your good cards.
Some advanced players will call this 'ABC poker.'
But ABC poker is the beginning of poker wisdom. If you can't play good ABC poker, you'll have no chance of doing well with more complicated, multi-level strategies.
8- Ace Queen Suited
I've seen poker writers call ace queen suited the worst possible best hand. I'm not sure that's the case, but ace queen suited is much weaker than ace king suited, even though a lot of players don't make a distinction.
At a full table, you're probably going to do just as well by folding ace queen suited from early position as anywhere else. If you're in middle or late position, ace queen suited is a betting and raising hand, but it's a hard hand to play from early position.
If there's a lot of betting and raising preflop, the only sensible move is to fold the ace queen suited and wait for a better hand. Chances are that if a lot of people are betting and raising, someone has a reasonably high pair or at least ace king. In either of those cases, your ace queen suited is thoroughly dominated. Don't put money in the pot if you're sure you're dominated.
The best time and way to play ace queen suited is when you have position and everyone else has demonstrated weakness. You're hoping to hit an ace or a queen on the flop. You also have a shot at the nut flush, but that gap between ace and queen represents a king which can be a lot of trouble.
It's easy to miss the flop entirely with ace queen suited, too. If that's the case with you, it might be your best bet to not bet at all, but just check and fold.
Ace queen suited is considered a trouble hand, but it doesn't have to be. You just need to be willing to fold it in the face of aggression or in the face of a flop that doesn't fit your cards. Slot diffusers vs linear diffusers.
9- Ace Jack Suited
I don't play ace jack unsuited at all, and ace jack suited is only barely playable. I'd really rather have a pair of 8s or 9s than ace jack suited. In fact, ace jack suited has all the same problems as ace queen suited, only more so.
Ace jack suited is really best suited for play from late position when you see weakness from your opponents. It might also be more playable at a short-handed table.
You need to hit the flop hard with this hand if you're going to get into a confrontation with another player. Even if the highest card on the flop is a jack, you're still very vulnerable to other higher cards on the turn and the river.
Of course, your best case scenario is to hit a big flush, but that's unusual. But that possibility warrants mentioning, because without the flush possibility, ace jack isn't even playable most of the time.
I've seen ace queen suited called the worst best starting hand, but I think that's because more people realize just how weak ace jack suited really is. If they weren't sure about that, ace jack suited would certainly be at least as bad.
10- King Queen Suited
I like king queen suited. I think it's an easy hand to play.
If you're in early position, limp in with king queen suited, but only if you're at a passive table. If you're at an aggressive table, you're probably better off folding king queen suited from early position.
You can also limp with king queen suited from middle or later position, and if everyone seems weak, you can even raise with king queen suited from late position.
One of the beauties of king queen suited is that it's pretty easy to tell where you're at after the flop. You either have a flush or a strong flush draw, or you don't. You either have a straight or a strong straight draw, or you don't. You've either hit a high pair or not. Either way, you have an okay kicker.
You should never play king queen suited as aggressively as pocket aces or pocket kings, but this shouldn't be a trouble hand, either. Pay attention to your position, and pay attention to how well the flop fits your hand. Then play accordingly.
Conclusion
You can safely ignore any of this advice about the top 10 Texas holdem starting hands and still win at poker. This is a card game, not chess. So many factors, including random chance, affect your outcome that even if you make mistakes, you can come out ahead.
This is a classic semi-bluff. You probably don't have the best hand on the flop, but you still have a roughly 1/3 chance of hitting the nut flush. Combine that with the possibility that your opponents might fold in the face of your aggression, and you have a situation with a lot of expected value.
5- Pocket Jacks
This is the lowest pair in David Sklansky's top tier hand grouping. This might also be the biggest trouble hand in Texas holdem. It's easy to overvalue pocket jacks, especially if you haven't had a lot of playable hand in your time at the table. (I don't know anyone who enjoys folding for an hour straight.)
The most important factor to consider when playing pocket jacks is position. If you're in early position, betting or raising with pocket jacks is a good idea, but be cautious when someone plays back against you. From late position, raising is okay against a single opponent, but against multiple bettors and raisers, you might be in trouble.
When the flop hits, it's time to pay attention. You'll see overcards on the flop 2/3 of the time, and chances are good that someone has at least a queen in the hole if they're still in the pot with you. What you're really hoping for with pocket jacks is to pick up a small pot uncontested preflop, or to hit the flop hard enough that you can play back at someone with big cards.
Pocket jacks are almost always playable, but they're small pot hands that you need to be willing to get away from.
6- Pocket 10s
I still raise preflop with pocket 10s, especially if I'm in late position, but I'm more cautious with them in late position. I'm almost always in trouble when a high card hits on the flop, and if 2 high cards hit on the flop, I gotta get out of there.
The best case scenario with pocket 10s is the same as with any smaller pair. You're really hoping to hit a set, which happens rarely, but when it does… you're going to win a big pot.
Don't be afraid of making a continuation bet on the flop, though. Just be ready to get away from the hand if one of your opponents starts playing back at you.
Don't forget, though, that your opponent doesn't know what you're holding. Even if an overcard hits, it might not be the overcard that your opponent needs. By making a continuation bet, you can sometimes get your opponent to fold and take down a small pot right away on the flop.
The number of players makes a difference, too—especially preflop. If you're playing at a full table, your pocket 10s might or might not be the best hand. But if you're playing at a table with 5 or 6 players, it's often going to be the best preflop hand out there. This means you should play it aggressively before the flop.
7- Ace King (Not Suited)
Ace king offsuit doesn't play much differently than ace skin suited, but the difference is big. If you can run the guys holding smaller pairs off before the flop, you'll be doing well. If you miss the flop, you really have no choice but to slow down. Since you don't have the flush potential or the semi-bluff potential with the unsuited ace king, it's a trickier hand to play.
Still, ace king is a premium hand, because you have 6 cards that will improve your hand on the flop. If you see an ace on the flop, you have the best possible pair with the best possible kicker. If you see a king on the flop, you have the top visible pair with the best possible kicker. Someone with pocket aces has you beat, but that's unlikely.
A lot of players have trouble with big slick, but you needn't have trouble with it. Play it strong preflop, then slow down on the flop if you miss the flop. If you hit the flop, hit the gas. Most of the time, especially at the lower stakes, all you need to do to play profitable poker is to fold your bad cards and bet and raise with your good cards.
Some advanced players will call this 'ABC poker.'
But ABC poker is the beginning of poker wisdom. If you can't play good ABC poker, you'll have no chance of doing well with more complicated, multi-level strategies.
8- Ace Queen Suited
I've seen poker writers call ace queen suited the worst possible best hand. I'm not sure that's the case, but ace queen suited is much weaker than ace king suited, even though a lot of players don't make a distinction.
At a full table, you're probably going to do just as well by folding ace queen suited from early position as anywhere else. If you're in middle or late position, ace queen suited is a betting and raising hand, but it's a hard hand to play from early position.
If there's a lot of betting and raising preflop, the only sensible move is to fold the ace queen suited and wait for a better hand. Chances are that if a lot of people are betting and raising, someone has a reasonably high pair or at least ace king. In either of those cases, your ace queen suited is thoroughly dominated. Don't put money in the pot if you're sure you're dominated.
The best time and way to play ace queen suited is when you have position and everyone else has demonstrated weakness. You're hoping to hit an ace or a queen on the flop. You also have a shot at the nut flush, but that gap between ace and queen represents a king which can be a lot of trouble.
It's easy to miss the flop entirely with ace queen suited, too. If that's the case with you, it might be your best bet to not bet at all, but just check and fold.
Ace queen suited is considered a trouble hand, but it doesn't have to be. You just need to be willing to fold it in the face of aggression or in the face of a flop that doesn't fit your cards. Slot diffusers vs linear diffusers.
9- Ace Jack Suited
I don't play ace jack unsuited at all, and ace jack suited is only barely playable. I'd really rather have a pair of 8s or 9s than ace jack suited. In fact, ace jack suited has all the same problems as ace queen suited, only more so.
Ace jack suited is really best suited for play from late position when you see weakness from your opponents. It might also be more playable at a short-handed table.
You need to hit the flop hard with this hand if you're going to get into a confrontation with another player. Even if the highest card on the flop is a jack, you're still very vulnerable to other higher cards on the turn and the river.
Of course, your best case scenario is to hit a big flush, but that's unusual. But that possibility warrants mentioning, because without the flush possibility, ace jack isn't even playable most of the time.
I've seen ace queen suited called the worst best starting hand, but I think that's because more people realize just how weak ace jack suited really is. If they weren't sure about that, ace jack suited would certainly be at least as bad.
10- King Queen Suited
I like king queen suited. I think it's an easy hand to play.
If you're in early position, limp in with king queen suited, but only if you're at a passive table. If you're at an aggressive table, you're probably better off folding king queen suited from early position.
You can also limp with king queen suited from middle or later position, and if everyone seems weak, you can even raise with king queen suited from late position.
One of the beauties of king queen suited is that it's pretty easy to tell where you're at after the flop. You either have a flush or a strong flush draw, or you don't. You either have a straight or a strong straight draw, or you don't. You've either hit a high pair or not. Either way, you have an okay kicker.
You should never play king queen suited as aggressively as pocket aces or pocket kings, but this shouldn't be a trouble hand, either. Pay attention to your position, and pay attention to how well the flop fits your hand. Then play accordingly.
Conclusion
You can safely ignore any of this advice about the top 10 Texas holdem starting hands and still win at poker. This is a card game, not chess. So many factors, including random chance, affect your outcome that even if you make mistakes, you can come out ahead.
In fact, with only a little bit of searching, you'll find other lists of the top 10 starting hands in Texas holdem that include different hands from what I've included here. I think most people will agree that between this list and 1 or 2 of those other lists, almost all the playable opening hands will be covered.
If you're playing for lower stakes, ABC poker should be enough to make you profitable. Bet and raise when you think you have the best hand, and fold or check when you think someone else does.
Which hands would you include on your list of the top 10 Texas holdem starting hands and why?
Pre flop hand ranges in Texas Hold'em are the framework for any hand that is played. Without a proper understanding of which hands should be played pre flop, no player will be able to effectively play post flop. Imagine players who were blindly calling raises, or even making raises, without even knowing which cards they were holding.
Needless to say, this is far from an optimal strategy. Actual pre flop hand ranges are very situational and are always changing. The hands that you play at a loose table will be quite different than the hands you would play at a super tight table. This is an example of some very basic table dynamics that should be considered whenever you are trying to identify a solid pre flop hand range. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and hand ranges are much more intricate than this.
Table Dynamics
There are a handful of primary variables that should be analyzed whenever determining which hands should and should not be played. Some of these dynamics are completely obvious, while others will be much tougher to notice. Great poker players will tweak their ranges down to the smallest detail, be it position, history, or someone's mood.
A lot of poker players like to try and set up pre flop hand ranges as if they are doing math, but it is much more of a science. Adjustments to any number of table dynamics will play a large role in whether or not you are playing with solid hand ranges.
The looseness or tightness of a table should be the first factor that you look at whenever trying to figure out which hands to play pre flop. For the most part, determining whether a table is tight or loose is quite easy. You don't need hours of experience or past history to tell just how a game tends to be playing. It is worth noting that sometimes a table will be neither tight or loose, in which case you should still be adjusting your hand ranges accordingly.
If a table is playing very loose, your goal as a winning player should be to tighten up a little bit. This might seem like odd advice since your opponents will be playing many more hands than they should be. If you really think about it, though, playing tight at a loose table only makes sense. Pretend that you are driving a car on a road with all kinds of reckless drivers. You wouldn't start driving like a maniac just because everyone else is doing it.
In fact, anyone with common sense would instead drive more controlled and with a higher level of awareness and concentration. It works the exact same way when you are at a poker table with a number of reckless players. If you start to loosen up you will be playing right into their hands. Loose tables are the easiest way to win a lot of fast money in poker. Don't waste your time trying to exploit players who couldn't find the fold button on the screen if they had a gun to their hand. Let them donate their money by waiting around for a strong hand.
Tight tables work in the exact opposite way of loose tables. Instead of tightening up, you should be widening your pre flop ranges. Start to play some hands that you would otherwise be throwing away. You should be doing this because tight players will generally allow you to walk all over them. Most of the money to be made in a tight game comes from solid pre flop play.
Pick apart the players who fold everything but aces and kings by raising and re raising and forcing folds. If you do get some resistance, though, be prepared to let go of your hand. When a tight player starts to fight back, it usually means they have something very strong.
Position
Position is one of the most important factors in almost any regard when it comes to poker strategy. As a general rule of thumb for pre flop hand ranges, early position players should play tight, middle position players should be a bit looser, and late position players should be the loosest.
Now, this doesn't mean that you should be 5 betting all in pre flop with 8-6 when you are the last to act, but it does mean that you should be going after easy pots. A lot of players are afraid of playing pots out of position, even when they have a decent hand. To exploit this weakness you should be making the occasional re raise pre flop with random pocket pairs or hands that you would usually flat call or make an open raise with.
Just as late position gives you an opportunity to pick up uncontested pots with relative ease, early position will make your life difficult. When you have a weaker hand in early or even middle position, don't even waste your time. Players who play wide ranges of hands from earlier positions often find themselves looking for the re buy button.
Never underestimate the value of winning a number of small pots by opening up in later position - you might just find that it serves as a large portion of your total earnings. Small-ball poker may not be fun but it sure is profitable.
Examples of Preflop Play
Now I'll explain some real-life examples of how I would play certain hands from certain positions:
Early Position
Early position will require that you are focusing on a stronger range of hands. In a 6-Max or full ring game, plan on raising with any pocket pair and big face cards. This is not a time to limp in (ever) or to raise with random suited connectors. Minimize the risk involved with playing out of position by sticking to solid hands.
Middle Position
Middle position allows for some more flexibility than early position, but you should still be extremely wary of suited connectors and other more speculative hands. In MP you can open with marginal aces like A9, AT, and AJ, but don't make a habit of raising with any ace. Pocket pairs are still always worthy of a raise.
Poker Hands Texas Hold Em
If someone has made an open raise in front of you, consider making a flat call with pairs and bigger hands like KQ, AJ, and AQ. Your three betting range should be along the lines of TT or JJ+ and AK.
Late Position
Texas Holdem Best Hands Chart
Late position is the time where you can do a little bit of free lancing. Take chances and try to experiment with hands that you wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to play. Best sports gambling apps for iphone. If you think someone is being a little too aggressive pre flop, go ahead and make a light three bet and see what happens.
Good Hands In Texas Holdem
Always aim for max value in late position when you have a big hand and look to force out the stragglers who are hoping to outdraw you with little risk. Late position is always be the most profitable position on the table.
