Poker Starting Hands - Comprehensive guide to which poker hands you should play, including a 2020 Texas Hold'em poker starting hands chart. Aug 13, 2019 There are 10 possible 5 card poker hands: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. There are 1,326 possible 2 card starting hands in Texas Hold'em. The best starting hand is pocket aces, while the worst is seven-two offsuit.
Texas Hold’em poker is everywhere these days — on TV, online, and in clubs and casinos. Before you sit down to a game of Texas Hold ’em, make sure you’re in good shape to be successful — take care of non-poker issues and check your physical, mental, and financial status. During the game, you need to understand basic odds and playable hands, as well as how to bluff successfully and follow proper poker etiquette. Texas Hold ‘Em also has its own abbreviations for online play.
Playable Texas Hold’em Hands
Texas Hold’em is a game of strategy, like any poker game, but where you’re sitting in relation to the action becomes part of your strategy when playing Hold’em. If you bet early, you generally need better cards than you do if you’re one of the blinds. The following table offers sound advice on what hands are playable when you’re sitting in different positions.
Questions to Ask Yourself before You Play Texas Hold’em
Whether you’re playing Texas Hold’em for fun or money — make that whether you’re playing for high stakes or low stakes — make sure you’re in a position mentally, physically, and financially to enjoy the game and make the most of your chances. Ask yourself these questions before you sit down to a game:
What is the purpose of my playing this session? Whether it’s to learn more, win money, or just hang with friends for a good time, make sure you know why you’re there and that you’re doing everything you can to accomplish that goal.
If I were to play an opponent who’s exactly the same as a well-rested, un-stressed version of me, would that person have an advantage? If the answer is “yes,” hold off on playing until you’re in a better psychological and physical state.
Can my bankroll handle this level of play? If not, play a lower level.
Are there any distractions in my life that I need to get rid of before I play? Pay your rent, walk your dog, call your significant other — whatever it is, get it out of your head so you can focus.
Do I know if the house I’m playing in has any bonuses for players such as bad beat jackpots, high hands, free food and/or drinks for players, or freeroll tournaments? If not, ask a floorperson before you start playing and find out about the details of how you can qualify.
Is there an aggressive person at the table I’ll be playing at? If so, try to get yourself seated to his left so you see the raises before your action and not after.
What do I know about the people sitting at the table? Whatever it is, use it to your advantage.
Rough Odds for Texas Hold’em
Playing poker is about playing the odds. The following list gives the odds for outcomes in Texas Hold’em hands. When you realize how heavily the odds are stacked against you, you may want to rethink going all-in before the flop with two suited cards. Use the odds to your advantage:
1 percent (1-in-100): Percentage of time that no player holds an Ace or a King at a table in a 10-handed game
1 percent (1-in-100): Percentage of time that if you hold two suited cards, you’ll flop a flush
6 percent (about 1-in-20): Percentage of time that five community cards will give pocket suited cards a flush
6 percent (about 1-in-20): Percentage of time that you’ll be dealt a pocket pair
8 percent (about 1-in-12): Percentage of time that you’ll hit at least trips after having a pair on the flop
12 percent (about 1-in-8): Percentage of time that you’ll flop trips if holding a pocket pair
12 percent (about 1-in-8): Percentage of time that two more cards will flop in the same suit as a suited pocket pair
19 percent (about 1-in-5): Percentage of time that the five community cards will at least trip your pocket pair
32 percent (about 1-in-3): Percentage of time that you’ll pair one of your cards on the flop (with no pocket pair)
33 percent (about 1-in-3): Percentage of time that you’ll make a full house or better after having trips on the flop
35 percent (about 1-in-3): Percentage of time that you’ll make a flush on the turn or river if you have four cards to a flush after the flop
Texas Hold’em Bluffing Tips
What makes any poker game exciting, and Texas Hold’em is certainly no exception, is that players can bluff at any point. Sometimes half the fun of a game is seeing whether you can successfully bluff an opponent out of some money. But, even as you’re misleading your opponents, make sure you bluff in the right circumstances. Heed these bluffing tips:
Only bluff where it makes a difference to your standing — either in a tournament or to your stack of chips.
Be careful bluffing someone considerably worse than you are. He may call just to see what you have, or on some probabilistically low draw when he already has you beaten anyway.
Bluff in situations where the board hints at the great hand you do not have: straights and flushes being hinted at by the board, the turn of an Ace, and so on.
Don’t try to bluff players who only play the most solid of hands if they’re still in the pot.
Don’t bluff people who are extremely likely to call.
Do bluff the timid or people who are likely to fold.
Remember that it’s easier to bluff in No-Limit than Limit because the bets (both implied and real) are bigger.
Poker Etiquette for Texas Hold’em
The etiquette tips in the following list apply to Texas Hold’em and to any other poker game. Sure, you can have fun while you play poker, but you can have all the fun you want without being impolite to the other players or the dealer. Basic poker etiquette includes these tips:
Always play in turn.
Be aware of when it’s your turn to post the blinds and do so promptly.
Any time there is a discrepancy at the table, talk to the dealer — not the other players — about it. If you’re not able to get satisfaction from the dealer, ask for a floorperson. Talking with other players about the problem you perceive may generate ill will among people who have no authority in the situation in the first place.
Place your bets in front of you. Do not splash them into the pot.
Do not show your hand to other players at the table while a hand is in progress.
Tell the dealer when you intend to raise. In No-Limit, gather the amount that you’re going to raise and either announce the total, or move it all forward with one motion. This prevents being called on a “string raise.”
Don’t forget to tip your dealer. Dealers work for minimum wage and rely on tips for their livelihood.
Online Poker Abbreviations for Texas Hold’em
Playing online poker in general, and Texas Hold’em in particular, is a very popular pastime. When you’re online, you may encounter abbreviations specific to the world of poker. To understand what other players are saying, get familiar with these online abbreviations:
| Abbreviation | What It Means | Abbreviation | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | To remove or ban | ne1 | Anyone |
| brb | Be right back | nh | Nice hand |
| gc/nc | Slightly sarcastic phrase meaning good catch/nice catch | gg | Good game |
| lol | Laughing out loud | gl | Good luck |
| nl | No-Limit | ty | Thank you |
| n1 | Nice one | 🙂 | Smiley face (view sideways) |
Betting Rounds:Before The Flop : Flop : Flop Hands : Turn : River
As much as you might like them, there are no hard or fast rules for when it comes to playing hands on the flop like there are when you are playing preflop.
However, you can use this (super) guide to help you classify the strength of your hand on the flop and form the appropriate plan of action to help you make all the right moves at the table.
Playing a weak hand on the flop.
If your hand matches the following criteria...
- No pair.
- No draw.
Then your plan of action is going to be pretty straightforward...
- Do not bet or raise.
- Do not call bets or raises.
- Forget about trying to make any fancy plays.
- Fold unless you manage to see the turn card for free.
If you have a weak hand with no potential, there is no reason for you to continue with the hand. You may well be tempted to try and throw a bluff out there and hope for the best, but I can guarantee that this is going to be a losing play in the long run. You may get lucky once or twice, but you will be leaking money away by trying to fight with cards that are going to be as effective as spoons in battle.
You can't win every hand in poker, and if you try to do so you will be losing money. Letting hands go and saving your money is key to adding that little extra to your overall winnings at the end of the day.
Best Poker Hands In Order
It can be really tedious when you had a great hand before the flop like AK or AQ, but you should realise that the hand is going no where and prepare to throw it away when the flop doesn't fall your way, and the “outside of the box” factors (see playing the flop) aren't looking good. Save that money for when you hit a better hand on another flop.
Playing a mediocre hand on the flop.
Mediocre hands are always the hardest to play. They're even worse than useless hands, because at least with awful hands you know where you stand and what to do with them. But with a half decent hand that is right in the middle of everything, you can feel pretty lost and confused. A few examples of mediocre hands are:
Low end.
- Middle pair.
- Low flush draw.
- Low straight draw.
- Top pair, weak kicker. e.g. A4.
High end.
- Top pair, good kicker. e.g. AK.
- Strong flush draw.
- Strong straight draw.
- Bottom two pair.
- Low three of a kind.
Low-end mediocre hand strategy.
With a low end mediocre hand, you will really need to err on the side of caution and play the hand as you would if it were a weak hand (as if you haven't hit anything). It's nice that you managed to get some piece of the flop, but it doesn't tie you to the hand. If you are able to see a free turn card then fantastic, but other than that, be happy to fold the hand to any action.
High-end mediocre hand strategy.
If you have a high end mediocre hand, you will need to really start considering “outside” factors in the hand, such as; your table position, how the flop might have helped your opponent and the stack sizes. This is because the actual strength of your hand is going to do very little to help you make the best decision, so you will need to rely on other important factors to determine whether it is best to play on with the hand. Also, don't forget about pot odds when you have a flush or straight draw.
If your position is good and you feel that you have a good opportunity to win money from the hand, then by all means play on. However, if it all seems pretty hazy and your position isn't great, then folding may well be the most sensible play. Practice makes perfect when it comes to deciding whether or not a hand is going to be profitable; it's not something that can be easily taught in one article!
Mediocre hands don't win big pots, so don't get too involved if there is a lot of action and the pot is getting bloated.
Playing a strong hand on the flop.
- Top two pair.
- A set. (3 of a kind whilst holding a pocket pair).
- High 3 of a kind
- Straight
- Flush
- Full House
...and so on.
Hitting a big hand on the flop in Hold'em is always going to be great fun (especially on the flop), and you probably think that you don't need any advice on how to play a big hand. However, whilst it going to be difficult to end up losing money, it is good to know how to make the most of the situation to try and extract as much money from your opponent as possible.
A fundamental rule to remember is that you do not build a big pot by checking and calling. The best way to build a pot is to bet and raise to help your opponents place as much money in the pot as possible. This means that more often than not, slowplaying and trying to be tricky with your betting just prevents you from creating a sizeable pot for you to win.
Don't fear the possibility that your opponent will fold if you bet. It's better to win big pots occasionally than tiny ones more often.
It is tempting to slowplay because of the fear of chasing your opponents out of the hand, but the majority of the time you have to remember that if your opponents are not prepared to put money in the middle on the flop, it is unlikely that they will do so on future betting rounds. You don't want to go over the top with your betting, but simply play strong poker and put money in the middle with well-sized bets.
The only time you should think about slowing down is when it is clear that you have the deck crippled, and it is impossible for any of the other players at the table to have a hand that is worth playing with.
Playing flop hands overview.
Not much of an overview here, this article is long enough. Just remember that practice makes perfect, so don't be afraid to learn when you are playing poker, it's all part of the game. Refer to the flop strategy article for more help on playing the flop in Texas Hold'em.
Playing a hand.
Go back to the sublime Texas Hold'em guide.
Best Starting Hands Texas Holdem
How Much More Money Could
You Be Winning?
10 Best Poker Hands
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