Texas Holdem Starting Hands The first
thing a Holdem player should learn is which cards are worth playing, and
which should be folded. Many beginning players stay in a hand with cards
that have little or no future, and it ends up showing in there chip count.
Remember that no two cards alone can be unbeatable,
and once the flop falls things that once looked good may no longer be
worth pursuing. Still, to give yourself the best chance to succeed, play
only the premium hands.
The best starting hands are:
- Large Pairs - Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks. Even pairs of tens
and nines and eights are high quality starting hands. Play them.
- Aces with suited High Cards - When you get an Ace with a
K,Q,J, or even a ten, many good things can happen. You already have high
card. If a flush comes, you'll have the best possible one because of
your ace. High straights, and even a straight flush is possible with
these cards. Play them.
- Suited Faces Cards and Tens - While it's nicer to have an ace
in the hole, suited face cards are playable hands. They hold a lot of
potential including high pair with a strong kicker, straights, and
flushes.
- Aces with unsuited High Cards - Aces with an unsuited
partner can still give you top pair with a high kicker, or a high
straight. Because other players may also have an ace, the strength of
the second card in your hand is important. If two players tie, that
second card, or 'kicker' will decide the winner. This is why A-10 is a
playable hand, and A-6 is not. (A-10 can also turn into a high
straight). So while aces are highly sought after, do not feel the need
to play every hand in which you are dealt an ace.
- King with Face Card - A King with a Queen, or with a Jack is
a playable hand. But, it is not as strong as you may think. Still, two
face cards rank high enough that seeing the flop is often a good idea.
These are the strongest starting hands in a
Texas Holdem game. Other hands are playable depending on the circumstances
at the table, but beginners may want to stick to playing only these
premium hands until they understand the game more fully. Playing these
hands will not guarantee that you will be a winner. Poker doesn't work
that way. Even pairs of Aces get beaten. But, if you want to win a pot,
finding any of the cards listed on the chart in your hand is a good place
to start.
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