Holdem Starting Hands

Introduction

There's no fixed set of rules that guarantees success at Texas Holdem (or any other form of poker, for that matter). Every game is dynamic and fluid, and each scenario is unique. There are, however, several strategies and guidelines that can be applied to many areas of Holdem. The most distinctive example of these is starting-hand strategy, in which following a simple set of rules can greatly improve your game and show immediate results.

Unlike other areas in the game, many strict guidelines can be given for playing the first two cards in Holdem, due to the relatively small number of starting-hand combinations. This doesn’t mean that following these guidelines will always win you the pot. Any two cards have a chance to win in Holdem, so nothing is guaranteed. This also doesn’t mean that you should always play the same hand in the same way. (Remember: All rules were made to be broken, especially in a circumstantial game like poker). Depending on whether the game is loose or tight - whether your opponents are passive or aggressive - you must adjust your game accordingly.

More importantly, though, understanding these guidelines will improve your understanding of the game. Once you master the rules, you’ll get a good feel for the logic behind starting-hand strategy. And, at that point, you can bend and twist the rules, using them as general guidelines, and making them your own.

It’s Written in the Stats: Starting Hand Win Percentages

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." No, that’s not a webmaster’s typo. Believe it or not, George Orwell’s famous words about the inherent corruption of totalitarian Communism also hold true in regards to Holdem starting-hand values. Here is the quote after some poker rephrasing: "Any two cards can win, but some will win more often than others." That's why, just like in Stalin’s Russia, an innocent approach can lead to a player's downfall.

A classic Holdem beginner’s mistake is to play too many hands, simply because any two cards can win. Not recognizing the true statistical value of the first two cards leads beginners to chase draws that they have little chance of hitting. The rare occasions when they do hit their draw only encourage them to keep playing bad hands. Following our guidelines will help you make better decisions about which cards to play and which to fold. These guidelines take into consideration not only the cards themselves, but also your betting position, a key element in starting-hand strategy. To understand why position is important, please see our section on Holdem Positions here. In this section, we’ll only go over the basics of starting-hand values so you can better understand more advanced strategy sections later.

Texas Holdem Best and Worst Starting Hands

The best possible hand to have before the flop is a pair of aces, also known as "pocket rockets," "twin bullets" or simply, "bullets." When you’re holding A, A, you already have the highest ranking pair, so in order to beat someone, you would have to hit a two-pair draw or better. Meanwhile, even if your opponent does make two pair, you always have a chance of hitting two pair, or some better hand altogether.

The worst possible starting hand in Texas Holdem is a 7, 2o (the "o," or "out," indicating that the cards are off-suite). Not only is this hand of low value, but you also must hit four community cards for a straight or a flush. What's more, even if you do hit, there's always a good chance that someone else has a higher straight or flush - while, if you hit a pair, it would necessarily be a low one (sevens or twos) with a low kicker. In short, it’s just bad news all around.

If you take the best and worst starting hands and play them against each other in a continuous heads-up game, an A, A will take the pot 90 percent of the time, while a 7, 2o will win 10 percent of the time. What this means is, if you’re betting on a 7, 2o you’re investing in a bet that pays out 1:1, while your chances to win are only 1:9. As we're sure you can see, that's as poor a bet as anyone can make.

So what do you do if you end up with scratch on the deal? Fold! Other hands will be stronger and put you ahead of weaker opponents who go all-in on 7, 2o's. Meanwhile, you won't be losing your shirt going full-tilt on a hand you can't win.

Ultimately, then, you'll have an edge by playing your opening hands smart, and that edge is what you’re betting on when you play poker. The bigger the edge, the stronger the bet is in your favor. After all, Texas Holdem - and poker in general - isn’t about getting lucky with your bad hands. Though that can happen, it shouldn’t be your long-term strategy. As you play more and more rounds, the luck at the table eventually evens out. And only the good players will have invested their money correctly and made it to heads-up play.

In Summary...

As a final note, sometimes it is good to go in for one bad hand early in the game, if only to make your opponents think you're a worse player than you really are. These kinds of strategies are what inevitably divide the pigs from the donkeys - Sorry, we just had to squeeze in one last Orwell allusion - when it comes down to the final two players at a table. Usually, the player who intentionally went in for a 7, 2o and got caught early on will build up a sizaeble stack when less-savvy players at the table call him on a stronger hand later. In the final few hands, then, he'll have the edge as chip leader, and as long as his luck and strenght as a player hold, will be able to bully the other player out.