Top 10 Starting Poker Hands

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Mark Poker Articles, Poker Top 10 Lists

Submitted by Franck, this article belongs to the Poker Top 10 lists series.

Franck wanted some links on my blog, and I asked him to write a piece on the top 10 starting poker hands in Texas Hold’em. Let me know what you think of his article.

Texas Holdem is the most popular poker game in the world. Each day, millions play this card game on the Internet. Holdem is a simple game but that doesn’t make it easy to master. If you find yourself tilting more times than you should, then you need to consider your playing strategy.

One thing that can help you improve your chances of winning at Texas Holdem is to understand what the best starting hands are. In this article, we’re going to consider the ten top hands.

Top 10 Starting Poker Hands

Basic Texas Holdem strategy dictates that you play around 25% of the hands you’re dealt. Here are the top ten hands and the percentage of hands that are won by players who hold these powerful hole cards.

A, A: A pair of Aces is otherwise known as American Airlines, Pocket Rockets or Bullets


  • These win 85,1% of the time against a random hand
  • Aces occur 0.45% of the time.
  • This is the best starting hand you can get.
  • Some play it aggressively from the start.
  • You’ll see a tie occasionally (0.49%)


K, K: A pair of King is otherwise known as Cowboy Wolford, Cowboys, King Kong, Kangaroos or Ace Magnets


  • These win 82,4% of the time against a random hand
  • You’ll also see this hand 0.45% of the time.
  • Although very strong, it wins about 2% less than aces.


Q, Q: A pair of Queens is otherwise known as Ladies, Jailhouse Rock, Siegfried and Roy, 4 tits, Flower girls, Hilton Sisters


  • These win 79,8% of the time against a random hand
  • Queens also happen 0.45% of the time.
  • These are strong hole cards.
  • However, they are susceptible to being beaten by suited hole cards.


J, J: A pair of Jacks is otherwise known as Jay Birds, Hooks, One-eyed Jacks or Disabled Veterans


  • These win 77,5% of the time against a random hand
  • You’ll see this pair at the same rate as the other pairs—0.45%.
  • They can easily fall prey to any suited high combination.
  • Play these carefully.



10, 10/9,9/8,8/7,7: The medium pocket pairs


  • These win 74,8-66,2% of the time against a random hands
  • These pairs will come up as often as other pairs (0.45%).
  • Stay in the hand for as long as you can while risking little, they could be winners if betting is conservative.


A, K suited: Ace King suited is otherwise known as Walking back to Houston, Big slick in a suit, Big slick, Anna Kournikova or Santa Barbara


  • These win 66,9% of the time against a random hand
  • You’ll see these less often than pairs—0.30%.
  • However, these can be powerful with a good flop.
  • The ace gives you the best possible flush.
  • An A, K can often win on their own or they can pair up.


A, Q suited: Ace Queen suited is otherwise known as Little Slick, Doyle Brunson or Big Chick


  • These win 66,2% of the time against a random hand
  • These occur 0.3% of the time.
  • These are versatile—they can pair up or become a flush.
  • A straight is also possible.


A, J suited: Ace Jack suited is otherwise known as Blackjack, Ace with winning kicker or Ajax


  • These win 65,4% of the time against a random hand
  • It comes up at a rate of 0.30%.
  • The ace is great for a flush.
  • Inside straights are hard to hit.
  • Wait for the flop before pushing the betting.


A,K unsuited: Ace King unsuited is otherwise known as Walking back to Houston, Big slick, Anna Kournikova or Santa Barbara


  • These win 65,4% of the time against a random hand
  • They come up at the same rate as other suited high cards (0.30%).


A, Q unsuited: Ace Queen unsuited is otherwise known as Little Slick, Doyle Brunson or Big Chick


  • These win 64,4% of the time against a random hand
  • These appear 0.30% of the time.


Here are a few tips for playing these hole cards.

  • Even with two aces, there’s no guarantee that you’ll win.
  • Don’t play a pair of 10s the same way you play aces. 10s are much weaker. As an example, a pair of sevens wins 13.30% of the time. That makes a pair of 10s closer in strength to a pair of sevens than they are to a pair of queens. Play 10s as you would sevens, carefully and conservatively.
  • When playing high, suited hole cards and hitting the flush on the flop, you need to be wary of being beaten by a possible full house on the turn and the river.

Use these tips and the top ten hole card breakdown to your advantage. Many players won’t go in on a hand unless they are holding one of the above combinations. It’s true that in order to play in this manner you need discipline and patience. However, those two attributes often payoff when playing Texas Holdem.

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Not a great article IMHO…but it all counts in Google when it comes to SEO

I usually folding pocket pairs below 10 if I’m not in late position, because too many risks comes with the overcards even in a fair flop.
Sometimes they’re good in heads up, or 5 or more multiway pot situations (when every player has each others outs…) but otherway they pretty much useless.

Folding pocket pairs below 10 if you’re not late seems a bit too tight. I will always call 2-5bb raises with any pocket pair for set value.

@Mark

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Top 10 Starting Poker Hands Around The World

I don’t agree with that, the odds to hit a set are 8 against 1 on the flop. If a over card falls (which happens most of the time) and the original raises places a bet you cannot call anymore. Even if it’s a bluff you never know where you stand and you probably need to call a bet on the turn and river too.

So I agree with the first mark, if course if its an tight table its a different situation.

@ The probability of flopping a set is 11,76%, which works out to an odds of around 8,5 to 1 (or if you use the European decimal system a pot odds of 9,5).

By use of the Easy rule of thumb (http://www.pokerbankrollblog.com/poker-probabilities_all-you-need-to-know.htm) the probability of hitting your set on the turn and river is about 7%. This gives you a total probability of hitting you set of roughly 20%, which works out to odd around 4 to 1.

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The Top Texas Holdem Poker Starting Hands

Every Poker player knows that you don’t play every hand you’re dealt. But, how do you know which hands to play and which to fold?

Best Starting Hands in Texas Holdem Poker to Play

How do you know which starting hands to play?

This is a question that every poker player, amateur or professional, should always be prepared for at the start of every hand, fundamental to poker strategy. You do not want to play every hand, you must know when to fold. If you know which starting hands to play, you can conduct the game in your favour.

Learn Texas Holdem Poker

Here are the Top 10 Best Starting Hands in Texas Hold’em Poker-

  1. AA – Pocket Aces or Bullets is the strongest starting hand in poker. Play Strongly, But bear in mind – even though it’s is the best starting hand, you will be left with only one pair if the board doesn’t improve.
  2. KK – Pocket Kings or Cowboys – The second-best starting hand after Aces. But if an Ace turns up post-flop, you will lose to anyone holding a single Ace in their starting hand.
  3. QQ – Pocket Queens or Ladies – the third best starting hand with a winning probability of 80% pre-fop.
  4. JJ – Pocket Jacks or Fishhooks – Pre-flop, it has a 78% chance of winning and is still a still a very strong hand. Be mindful of opponents.
  5. AKs – Big Slick – Ace King suited is the top unpaired starting hand to have in a game of poker. Also called Anna Kournikova or Kalashnikov (AK rifle) by recreational players
  6. Ts – TNT or Tension. The nickname for Pocket Tens is because having a pair of tens pre-flop is tense because of the high chance of overcards.
  7. AQs – Big Chick – Ace Queen suited is another hand with the potential to win the pot.
  8. AKo – Big Slick – Ace King off-suits also rank high in the chart and is capable of winning at least 40% of the time against any other hand (except aces or kings).
  9. AJs – Armani Jeans – Ace and Jack suited is better than most other hands. However, if an opponent raises from early position, proceed with caution.
  10. KQs – Marriage – King and Queen suited is a strong hand that can end up a making Royal Flush.

Other Possible Hands

  • Suited Connectors (98s, 76s, T9s)
  • Offsuit Connectors (T9o, 98o, 54o, JTo)
  • Suited Gappers (97s, T8s, KJs)

*s refers to suited cards (of the same suit)
*o refers to off-suited cards (of different suits)

There are a possible 169 non-equivalent starting hands (ignoring specific suits) in a standard 52-card deck in Texas Hold’em Poker. So, here’s a chart with detailing the win percentage of Texas Holdem starting hands-

A

KQJT98765432
A85%68%67%66%66%64%63%63%62%62%61%60%59%
K66%83%64%64%63%61%60%59%58%58%57%56%55%
Q65%62%80%61%61%59%58%56%55%55%54%53%52%
J65%62%59%78%59%57%56%54%53%52%51%50%50%
T64%61%59%57%75%56%54%53%51%49%49%48%47%
962%59%57%55%53%72%53%51%50%48%46%46%45%
861%58%55%53%52%50%69%50%49%47%45%43%43%
760%57%54%52%50%48%47%67%48%46%45%43%41%
659%56%53%50%48%47%46%45%64%46%44%42%40%
560%55%52%49%47%45%44%43%43%61%44%43%41%
459%54%51%48%46%43%42%41%41%41%58%42%40%
358%54%50%48%45%43%40%39%39%39%38%55%39%
257%53%49%47%44%42%40%37%37%37%36%35%

51%

Top Texas Holdem Starting Hands You Should Pray For

Quick Basics:

  • Every player is dealt two cards face down
  • Five community cards are placed on the table (whose value is shown as the round progresses).
  • All players try to make the best five-card combination from among the board and personal cards and bet on the same.
  • Best hand at the end of the round is declared the winner(s) and wins the pot.

It’s only by knowing how to master the basics do you become a poker player who is taken very seriously by his/her opponents. Learn more about the basics of poker-

Top 10 Worst Poker Starting Hands

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