Home Starting hand

Starting hand

Any good strategy begins at the BEGINNING of the event. In the case of poker, this applies as well. Below, we've listed and broken downstarting hands according to their strengths.

The starting hands (the two cards dealt face down in a Texas Hold'em game) are listed in groups according to their relevant strength. The key to understanding this listing is:

  • Ace - A
  • King - K
  • Queen - Q
  • Jack - J
Note: In Poker shorthand, AKs means Ace and King of the same suit.

The Strongest Starting Hands:

  • Pair of high cards - AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010
  • Ace and high card suited - AK, AQ, AJ, A10
  • Faces suited - KQ, KJ, QJ
  • Ace King - AK

Medium Strength Starting Hands:

  • Face ten suited - K10, Q10, J10
  • Medium pairs - 99, 88, 77
  • Two high cards - AQ, AJ, A10, KQ down to J10
  • Ace and medium suited - A9, A8, A7
  • Medium suited connectors - 109, 98, 87

Other Conditional Starting Hands:

  • Low pairs - 66, 55, 44, 33, 22
  • Ace and low suited - A6, A5, A4, A3, A2
  • Low suited connectors - 76, 65, 54

In other words, if you are dealt the King and Queen of Clubs, this is a much stronger hand than if you would have received a pair of nines.