Grasping poker rules is simpler than mastering gameplay. Memorizing hand rankings takes minutes, but achieving high skill requires years. Strategy begins with selecting the right starting hands and knowing their ranking in the hierarchy of this game. Let's explore the best starting hands in Texas Hold’em.
We’ll reveal these ten hands, explain each one beyond just a name, and point out efficient ways of improving poker skills.
The 10 Best Starting Hands in Texas Holdem Poker
No Limit Texas Holdem uses a 52-card deck. The two cards you hold are called a “hand”, but a full poker combination includes 5-cards.
The best starting hands in Texas Hold’em are:
- Pocket Aces (AA): Even experienced players get a thrill when they are dealt pocket Aces, the top-ranked preflop hand in Texas Holdem. However, that ranking can change with the wrong flop.
- Pocket Kings (KK): Preflop, the only worry for pocket Kings is being up against pocket Aces. Postflop, inexperienced players lose all hope when an Ace is put on the board.
- Pocket Queens (QQ): The third-best starting hand in Texas Holdem has two overcards (Aces and Kings) to fear, but still plenty strong enough to dominate most hands preflop.
- Ace King Suited (AKs): This is one of the best looking hands in Texas Holdem and also, the fourth-strongest. It allows you to make the best top pairs (with the best kickers), the highest straights, as well as the best flushes. You also dominate all other Ax hands.
- Pocket Jacks (JJ): This hand has a special place in poker player’s hearts, but also a reputation for being difficult to play. Daniel Negreanu showed us his experience with pocket jacks at the recent WSOP.
- Ace King (AKo): While not quite as strong as the suited variety of Ace King off-suit still makes the highest pairs with the best kickers, plus the highest straights. On boards with four-to-a-flush, you’ll still make the highest or second-highest flushes.
- Pocket Tens (10-10): While you might not feel comfortable calling massive all-ins with pocket Tens, you definitely will if you get short-stacked. Tens are the seventh-best Texas Holdem starting hand, with around 53% chance of beating Ace King suited. Against a higher pocket pair like JJ, QQ, or KK, they have less than a 20% chance of winning.
- Ace Queen Suited (AQs): A hand like AQs is playable postflop, making the strongest flushes, straights, and very solid top pairs. Also, you’re way ahead of every other Ax combination preflop, except AKs.
- Ace Jack Suited (AJs): This hand is another strong and suited Ace hand, with similar playability to AQs.
- King Queen Suited (KQs): While it is dominated by Ax hands preflop, being able to make open-ended straights and strong flushes make KQs the tenth-strongest hand in Texas Holdem.
Out of 1,326 possible preflop combinations, some offer better winning chances. The best starting hands are high pairs: Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, and Tens.
Playing the Best Hand in Texas Holdem
Pocket Aces allow aggressive play from the first betting round. Aces usually warrant playing for the entire stack preflop.
Our free online calculator reveals AA's potential against other hands:
• AA vs KK: Aces win 82% of the time preflop. This advantage extends to other pocket pairs, with Aces winning 80-82% against any of them.
• AA vs AK and other broadway: The best broadway hand, AK, has only an 8% chance against Aces. Even suited AK only improves to 12% equity. The weakest broadway, J10s, fares best against AA but still only wins 21% of the time.
• AA vs suited connectors: Combinations like 109s or 78s perform better postflop, potentially hitting good draws. Preflop, they reduce Aces' potential to 78%. Missing one card in the hand barely affects equity; against 108s or 97s, Aces still win 79% of the time.
• AA vs 72o: In this best vs. worst starter matchup, Aces dominate 88% of the time. Surprisingly, 72o has slightly better prospects than AK against Aces.
Most Profitable Pocket Pairs in Texas Holdem
Texas Holdem's mathematical basis allows objective ranking of starting hands. Top starters include pocket pairs AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010, 99, 88, 77, and high broadway cards like AK, AQ. Some players prefer AJ, KQ, A10 over medium pocket pairs. Mathematically, 99 slightly edges out KQ with 55.5% vs 45.5% equity.
Previously, all-in preflop with AA, KK, QQ, JJ was standard. Recently, it's advisable to play Queens and Jacks more cautiously. Industry changes, higher rake, and lower rakeback have made preflop all-ins less profitable. Finding better situations is often preferable to coin-flip scenarios.
AK and AQ can yield good profits when hitting top pair. Many opponents pay off 2-3 streets with top pair, overlooking kicker importance. Beginners often struggle to fold top pair Aces, disregarding the kicker.
How to Use Starting Hand Charts
Texas Holdem's complexity necessitates using strong starting hands initially. Charts combine top starters based on mathematics, kind of like mental cheat sheets you can build for yourself.
These are called range charts, which are used more like a guideline than a cheat sheet. Experienced players can profitably play more hands, while beginners should be more aligned to fundamentals.
You can’t wait for the best hand all the time. Here’s why:
• Blinds: Mandatory bets encourage playing questionable hands. The range "AA-77, AK, AQ" comprises only 6% of all starting hands. Folding the remaining 94% leads to blinds eating away the stack.
• Readability: Professionals exploit predictable play, raising frequently with weaker hands and not paying off strong combinations.
As players improve, they add connectors, suited aces, and unsuited aces (A2-A9) to their range. Gradual expansion is key; even top Texas Holdem players introduce new combinations slowly.
Build familiarity with your chosen poker room – but pick carefully. Not all of the sites you see will offer freerolls every day, large bonuses, and a spread of games you enjoy.
