The above 3 sets of hands add up to form the common answer of 169 Texas Hold’em starting hands There are actually 1,326 combinations of starting hands if you count suits (e.g. A♣- A♦ and A♠- A♥ are different hands), but that is more of a “just for fun” number as suits have no value over each other in Texas Hold’em. Unless you’re completely unfamiliar with poker or you’ve been living under a rock, you.

1. Best Preflop Hands In Texas Hold'em
2. Poker Hands To Play Preflop

Texas hold’em players have a common saying about pre-flop strategy: If your hand is good enough to call with, it’s good enough to raise with.

This philosophy alludes to how you should come into pots aggressively. Raising pre-flop shows strength to other opponents and sets you up for another potential bet/raise after the flop (a.k.a. continuation bet).

Of course, you need to be selective when making pre-flop raises; otherwise, you’ll be spewing chips. And knowing a few crucial factors will help greatly in this department.

Keep reading as I cover the most important aspects regarding Texas hold’em pre-flop raising, including goals, table position, hand strength, bet sizing, knowing opponents, table size, and cash games vs. tournaments.

Why Should You Normally Consider Raising Pre-Flop?

Poker is always more fun when you get to see the flop because this gives you more action and extra chances to make great hands.

This is why many new poker players call the big blind (a.k.a. limping) instead of raising. Limping into pots is the cheapest way to see the flop.

But limping is also one of the worst plays in poker because it shows little strength in your hand. Furthermore, you can easily be raised by an opponent acting after you.

You especially want to avoid open limping, where you open the pre-flop betting action by calling the big blind. In addition to showing little hand strength, you also can’t take down the pot right away by calling.

Another problem with limping is that you make things easier on your opponents. They can either call behind you to see the flop for cheap or raise and put you in a difficult position.

One more downside to limping is that more players can see the flop cheaply. This gives you less pot equity, or the odds that you’ll have the best hand.

Of course, like anything else with Texas hold’em, there are exceptions when calling the big blind that can work. One example is when there are other limpers at the table whom you can outplay post-flop.

But generally speaking, you want to enter pots with a raise, or at least calling another player’s raise. The key is to look aggressive from the outset so that you deter other players from raising while representing strong cards.

Pre-Flop Raising Can Accomplish Multiple Goals

One of the most important things behind raising pre-flop is to have a plan. Furthermore, you want to accomplish specific goals with your raise.

Sometimes your pre-flop raise will check off multiple objectives. Other times, you may be raising with the single goal of stealing the blinds.

Below are some of the most important goals that you can accomplish with a pre-flop raise.

Fold Equity

Raising indicates to opponents that you have a good hand, thus increasing the chances that they’ll fold marginal cards. And this is where your fold equity comes from.

Another good thing about fold equity is that it allows you to steal pots even when you don’t improve on the flop. Of course, you should keep the pot small in these situations in case an opponent calls or re-raises.

Pot Equity

Having the best hand gives you the most equity in the pot. And you want to build the pot as much as possible when you think that you’re in the lead.

Isolating a Single Opponent

Earlier, I mentioned that raising prevents multiple players from seeing the flop and reducing your pot equity. Ideally, you’ll isolate a single player when raising with a strong hand.

Pocket aces, kings, or queens offer a much stronger chance to win when you’re only facing a single opponent. The goal here is to raise just enough to where only one player will call.

Table Position Is a Crucial Factor

Many beginning poker players focus too much on their hand strength when deciding whether to raise. You also need to strongly consider your table position before raising.

Here are the table positions based on a 9-handed game.

• Early position – Small blind, big blind, seat to big blind’s left (i.e., under the gun or “UTG”)
• Middle position – 3 seats to the left of UTG
• Late position – Dealer (a.k.a. button), seat to dealer’s right (a.k.a. cut-off), and seat to cut-off’s right

Acting earlier in a hand means that you’ll have less information on opponents. Therefore, a pre-flop raise from early position means that you’re acting before an opponent(s) post-flop.

The general idea is to widen the number of hands you raise with in later seats. This lets you better judge an opponent’s hand strength after the flop.

Here’s an example.

• A tight-aggressive player from middle position raises 3x big blind (bb)
• You’re in the cut-off with pocket 10s
• You re-raise them
• They call
• The flop comes out Qs-Jh-3d
• They make a pot-sized raise into a board with overpair potential. You fold because you’re likely beaten

Assuming you were acting in early position post-flop, you’d be left checking and giving the opponent a greenlight to steal. Or you might even bet to steal the pot, only to be called or raised.

But being in position allows you to see that your opponent likely has a better hand and to fold without losing additional money.

What Hands Are Good for Raising Pre-Flop?

No two poker games are exactly the same, and there’s no uniform way to play every hand in each situation. But there are some generalities that work with certain hands.

One example is when you have a premium pocket pair in a pot where nobody has raised. Outside of rare limp/re-raise opportunities, you should almost always raise in this situation.

For the most part, though, you want to use specific situations to decide when you do and don’t raise. Here’s advice for playing different pre-flop hands in a full-ring game, based on your table position and the actions before you.

• AA and KK – Raise in every situation from any table position. If somebody raises you, re-raise (a.k.a. 3-bet) them.
• QQ – Raise in every situation from any table position. If somebody raises you, be willing to call up to 20xbb or 25xbb.
• AK – Raise in every situation from any table position. Fold if anybody re-raises you.
• JJ – Raise in every situation, except when somebody has raised before you (call 20xbb). Also, call up to 20xbb if somebody re-raises you.
• TT and 99 – Fold in early position, but raise from any other spot in unopened pots. Call up to 20xbb if somebody raises beforehand or re-raises you.
• 88 through 22 – Fold in early position, call in the blinds and middle position, and raise from late position in unopened pots. Call (20xbb) in other situations, including when loose-aggressive players raise, since you have position.
• AQ through AT offsuit – Fold in early position and when anybody raises or re-raises you. Raise in unopened pots from middle position, late position, and the blinds. Call from middle position and the blinds if there are other limpers.
• A9 through A2 suited – Fold in early position and when anybody raises the pot or re-raises you. Raise in unopened pots from middle position, late position, and the blinds. Call from the blinds if there are other limpers.
• KQ, KJ, KT, QJ, QT, JT unsuited – Fold in early and middle position. Raise in late position and from the blinds in unopened pots, but call from these same positions if there are other limpers.
• JT through 54 suited – Fold in early and middle position. Raise from late position in unopened pots, but call from middle and late position if there are other limpers.
• Any other cards – Fold/check in every situation.

Again, there are exceptions to any hand based on your opponents and the overall table dynamic. But this guide will get you started when figuring out how to play hands pre-flop.

Bet Sizing with Pre-Flop Raises

Bet sizing is another area of pre-flop play that varies based on the situation. But a good guideline is to enter pre-flop pots with a 3xbb or 4xbb raise.

The goal is to bet enough to where most players will be deterred from calling, while isolating a single player. Anything less than 3xbb usually draws multiple callers and defeats the purpose of raising pre-flop in the first place.

Sometimes you’ll find that even a 3-4xbb pre-flop raise doesn’t discourage players from calling. This is especially the case in the micro stakes, where low blind sizes encourage more players to see the flop.

In these situations, you’ll need to consider entering pots with a 5xbb raise or higher. This is something that you’ll just have to feel out after playing some hands and studying the table dynamic.

Study Opponents Before Raising Pre-Flop

Knowing individual opponents is crucial to making good pre-flop raises because it helps you better accomplish your raising goals.

Here’s an example.

• You have AJ on the button, and everybody has folded
• Normally you’d raise in this situation
• But both blinds are major calling stations and bad post-flop players
• You instead limp in while looking to outplay your opponents post-flop

You should stick with the pre-flop hand advice discussed before when coming onto a new table. But also watch for opportunities to break out of ABC poker based on whom you’re playing against.

Keep in mind that reading opponents and adjusting your pre-flop raising strategy accordingly requires experience. The last thing you want to do is burn through chips by making fancy moves against players that you don’t have any info on.

Table Size Affects Pre-Flop Raising

The pre-flop hand advice that I covered before works as a general guideline for 9- and 10-player tables. But when you’re playing with 6 people (6-max) or fewer, you need to open up your starting hand requirements.

One reason why is because winning hands aren’t as strong on average due to fewer players. Secondly, you’ll see the blinds more often per hour, and you don’t want to miss out on extra opportunities to win money and cover these blinds.

How wide you increase your starting hand selection depends upon the number of players at your table.

In a 6-max game, you could open your early position raising range to include 9s, 8s, and AQ. At a 3-handed table, you can even add 7s, 6s, AJ, offsuit, ATo, A9 suited, and A8s to this range.

The general rule of thumb is that you need to expand the number of hands you’re willing to raise with on a short-handed table. Likewise, you should be more selective in full-ring games because winning hands will be stronger.

3-Betting Pre-Flop

A 3-bet is simply the third bet of a round. Here’s the basic sequence of how 3-betting works in pre-flop play:

• 1st bet = Small and big blinds
• 2nd bet = Open-raise
• 3rd bet = Re-raise

3-bets have become more common in poker these days, as players look to turn up the aggression on their opponents. Unfortunately, this move is overused by players who blindly show aggression.

You should always have a plan when 3-betting pre-flop. The two reasons to use this play include 3-betting for value or for a bluff.

A value 3-bet means that you’re in the lead (e.g., with AA, KK, or QQ) and building the pot while isolating one player. The purpose of a bluff 3-bet is to steal the pot from an opponent who’s likely in the lead.

A good bet size, in either case, includes 2x to 3x the pot, depending upon the table dynamic, opponents, your cards, and your position.

If an opponent raises 3xbb (4.5bb in pot), you would re-raise them with between 9bb and 13bb.

I recommend sticking with value 3-bets until you can fully identify situations where bluff 3-bets can work. Here are different things that you need to consider before bluffing with this play.

• Your opponents, including ones who’ll fold to a 3-bet in a specific situation
• What range of hands the open-raiser likes to play
• Knowing who’s likely to 4-bet
• Knowing what 4-bettors will have the nuts and which ones won’t
• Stack sizes (in tournaments), because shorter stacks are more likely to 3-bet to steal blinds
• Your table image and if opponents will think you actually have a strong hand
• Table position. You generally want to avoid 3-betting from out of position until you master hold’em

Cash Games vs. Tournaments

Another important distinction in pre-flop raising involves whether you’re playing a cash game or tournament.

The main reason for this distinction is that you have a finite number of chips in a tourney. Therefore, you can’t just reload when playing speculative hands that don’t work out.

Experienced tournament players usually have a tight pre-flop style. This keeps them from wasting blinds while chasing drawing hands with long odds.

Of course, you never want to play too many hands in cash games or tournaments. But the latter requires an even tighter style to avoid blowing your limited chips.

Texas hold’em tournament players are often very aggressive when they raise pre-flop, especially in the later stages of a tournament.

At this point, the blinds begin taking away a player’s chip stack. And you need to steal blinds and small pots to stay alive.

Cash game raising differs, though, because you’re always looking at plays that offer the maximum expected value.

Cash game players will rarely find it profitable to raise with pocket 3s in middle position. But tournament players are often forced to make decisions like this because of the rising blinds.

You’ll also find more opportunities to set mine with lower pocket pairs in cash games.

In contrast, it’s almost never a good idea to set mine in tourneys. You have a really low chance of actually flopping your set (11.8%), meaning that you’ll waste valuable chips chasing these draws.

5 Common Texas Hold’Em Pre-Flop Mistakes

One more important topic I’d like to cover in this discussion is the most common pre-flop mistakes by Texas hold’em players.

Some of these blunders were covered to a degree beforehand. But it’s worth reiterating everything just so that you don’t fall victim to these mistakes.

Mistake #1: Not Taking Your Position into Account When Raising

Poker players lose the most money when playing out of position. And while there are times when you do need to play in front of opponents, you should work to minimize these situations.

One of the worst things you can do out of position is make frequent raises. You leave yourself open to a large number of re-raising opportunities in these cases.

Even if you’re not re-raised, open-raising from early or even middle position puts you at a disadvantage post-flop. You should only open up the range of hands that you’re willing to raise with in later seats.

Mistake #2: Raising with Too Many Hands on the Button

While late position gives you important information on opponents, don’t overvalue the button by raising too often.

Some players get overconfident on the button and open their raising range too wide. You can get away with this on passive tables, but you’ll eventually bleed out money by being too optimistic with your hand range.

Remember that just because you have position doesn’t mean a strong hand will automatically fold to your raises.

Mistake #3: Raising Just to Mix Up Your Playing Style

It’s always nice to remain unpredictable to your opponents. But this can go too far when you’re making unconventional moves just to mix up your play.

Best Preflop Hands In Texas Hold'em

Sure, you might throw off an open-raiser by flatting them with pocket kings, but chances are that you’re just giving away value by not 3-betting in this situation.

As you become more advanced, there’ll be situations where mixing up your playing style produces good results.

But you’re better off in the long run by making conventional pre-flop raises and re-raises, rather than worrying too much about mixing it up.

Mistake #4: Raising Too Often with Offsuit Broadway Cards

If you’re going to chase a straight draw, there’s no better way to do it than with broadway cards. But you also can’t raise with broadway cards too often, especially when they’re not suited.

Suited connectors like JT often play better than KJ offsuit because your hand is unlikely to be dominated when you hit a flush or straight.

Meanwhile, the only thing you have to fall back on when your KJ combo doesn’t connect is a high pair. Kings could be dominated by aces, while jacks can be beaten by three different high pairs.

Mistake #5: Failing to Have a Plan

As I touched on before, you want a plan when raising before the flop. This is especially crucial when your raising goals don’t work out exactly as planned.

Here are some different factors to consider.

• What hands are you willing to open-raise with? 3-bet with?
• What will you do if an opponent 3-bets your opening raise?
• How will the player to your left react to a raise?
• When is it best to limp in or call another raise?

Conclusion

A Texas hold’em hand features four streets, and it’s important to master each street on your way to becoming a great player.

But you should fully learn pre-flop play before anything else because this sets the tone for the entire hand.

Coming into pots aggressively with a raise shows strength and forces opponents into more-difficult decisions. It also gives you a chance to win the pot with the best cards, or by forcing your opponents to fold.

Again, consult the advice I gave on what hands are good for raising pre-flop. This will give you a reference point to work off of in the beginning.

But you should adjust your starting hand range as you learn your opponents and table dynamic. Also, keep in mind that the table size will play a large role in what cards you raise with.

The more Texas hold’em you play, the better you’ll be at making pre-flop raising adjustments.

One of the first books I ever read about Texas holdem strategy was Phil Hellmuth’s Play Poker Like the Pros. And one of the first lessons I learned from that book was the importance of tight play before the flop. Hellmuth presents a list of the top 10 starting hands in Texas holdem, and he suggests that you ONLY play hands from that list.

His list is a little different from the one I present below, though. His list consists of any pocket pair of 7s or better, plus ace king suited and ace queen suited.

My list is less bull-ish on pocket pairs, though. I also include some more high hands that have suited and connected value.

Of course, you should consider any guide to Texas holdem starting hands to be like training wheels on a bicycle. They’re great at first—maybe even necessary—but eventually, you shouldn’t need a starting hands chart at all. You’re just able to make good decisions based on the situations you’re in.

1- Pocket Aces

Unless you’re completely unfamiliar with poker or you’ve been living under a rock, you already know that pocket aces are the strongest starting hand in Texas holdem. It’s also one of the easiest hands to play correctly. Just bet and raise with it.

Since it’s impossible for any of the other players in the hand to have a better starting hand, betting and raising with pocket aces is always correct.

I have read that some players like to check with pocket aces if they’re in first position at a full table. The idea is that someone behind you will bet and maybe someone will even raise, giving you the opportunity to re-raise and maybe even put them all-in. (This applies mostly to no limit games.)

My friend Wes insists that checking with pocket aces is always a mistake, even in this limited set of circumstances. Sometimes I check with pocket aces just to get on his nerves.

Anyway, pocket aces pretty much play themselves. They often win even if the hand doesn’t improve over the course of the flop, turn, and river.

2- Pocket Kings

Playing pocket kings preflop is also dead simple. You just bet and raise with this hand repeatedly. Your goal should be to get all your chips into the pot before the flop. The only way you can possibly be dominated when you have pocket kings is if one of your opponents has pocket aces. And your opponents usually DON’T have pocket aces.

You’ll get calls from players with pocket jacks, pocket queens, or ace king or ace queen suited. In all those situations, you’re the favorite, so getting your money in the pot in that situation is the right thing to do.

Pocket kings get tricky when an ace shows up on the flop. Now you have to start thinking about what you’re going to do next.

You want to avoid making the mistake of overplaying your hand in this situation. Pocket kings aren’t the nuts, and once the flop has hit, the strength of your hand has likely changed. It’s okay to fold.

Position is important when that ace hits, because if you’re in late position, you can get a feel for what your opponent might be holding.

Don’t be afraid to fold pocket kings when an ace shows up on the flop, though. You shouldn’t automatically give up on the hand, either, but don’t play it like it’s the nuts.

Lots of players, especially newcomers or beginners, are really bullish on aces preflop—even if their other card is low in value and not of the same suit. Be willing to give your opponent credit for having that ace I the hole.

3- Pocket Queens

It’s even more important to avoid getting married to pocket queens than it is to avoid marrying pocket kings. You should bet and raise with pocket queens before the flop, although maybe less aggressively than you would aces or kings. You then need to be cautious if you see a king or an ace on the flop.

I almost never fold pocket queens before the flop, because the odds of my opponent having pocket kings or pocket aces are so low.

But the odds that someone still in the hand on the flop has one king or one ace preflop are good, so if I see one of those cards on the flop, I start getting more cautious. If I’m first to act, I’m usually good for a continuation bet, but if I get raised or re-raised, I’m willing to get away from the hand.

If I’m in late position with pocket queens, I’m often good for a bet if no one has acted, but I’m probably not going to raise or re-raise aggressive players in early position.

Pocket queens are a great hand, but they’re not the same as pocket kings or aces and shouldn’t be played as if they were.

Poker Hands To Play Preflop

4- Ace King Suited

Ace king is often called “big slick,” and if the 2 cards are suited, some players call the hand “super slick.” Players fall in love with this hand, as well they should, but it’s important to remember that ace king suited is a speculative hand. If you don’t catch something that helps on the flop, ace king is one you need to be willing to get away from on the flop.

In David Sklansky’s hand groupings, the best possible hands are in “Group 1.” These hands include pocket jacks, queens, kings, or aces. They also include ace king suited.

But there’s a big difference between ace king suited and any of these pocket pairs. In fact, even pocket jacks has a huge difference in strength from pocket aces.

The trick to playing ace king is to avoid overvaluing the hand. Yes, you should bet and probably even raise with this hand preflop. You just need to be ready to get away from the hand on the flop.

It’s also important to pay attention to your opponents’ tendencies. Ace king suited is easily dominated by pocket queens, kings, or aces.

But you also have lots of possibilities with this hand, including the possible nut flush. My favorite move in Texas holdem is to hit 4 to a flush with ace king suited and then play it really aggressively.

This is a classic semi-bluff. You probably don’t have the best hand on the flop, but you still have a roughly 1/3 chance of hitting the nut flush. Combine that with the possibility that your opponents might fold in the face of your aggression, and you have a situation with a lot of expected value.

5- Pocket Jacks

This is the lowest pair in David Sklansky’s top tier hand grouping. This might also be the biggest trouble hand in Texas holdem. It’s easy to overvalue pocket jacks, especially if you haven’t had a lot of playable hand in your time at the table. (I don’t know anyone who enjoys folding for an hour straight.)

The most important factor to consider when playing pocket jacks is position. If you’re in early position, betting or raising with pocket jacks is a good idea, but be cautious when someone plays back against you. From late position, raising is okay against a single opponent, but against multiple bettors and raisers, you might be in trouble.

When the flop hits, it’s time to pay attention. You’ll see overcards on the flop 2/3 of the time, and chances are good that someone has at least a queen in the hole if they’re still in the pot with you. What you’re really hoping for with pocket jacks is to pick up a small pot uncontested preflop, or to hit the flop hard enough that you can play back at someone with big cards.

Pocket jacks are almost always playable, but they’re small pot hands that you need to be willing to get away from.

6- Pocket 10s

I still raise preflop with pocket 10s, especially if I’m in late position, but I’m more cautious with them in late position. I’m almost always in trouble when a high card hits on the flop, and if 2 high cards hit on the flop, I gotta get out of there.

The best case scenario with pocket 10s is the same as with any smaller pair. You’re really hoping to hit a set, which happens rarely, but when it does… you’re going to win a big pot.

Don’t be afraid of making a continuation bet on the flop, though. Just be ready to get away from the hand if one of your opponents starts playing back at you.

Don’t forget, though, that your opponent doesn’t know what you’re holding. Even if an overcard hits, it might not be the overcard that your opponent needs. By making a continuation bet, you can sometimes get your opponent to fold and take down a small pot right away on the flop.

The number of players makes a difference, too—especially preflop. If you’re playing at a full table, your pocket 10s might or might not be the best hand. But if you’re playing at a table with 5 or 6 players, it’s often going to be the best preflop hand out there. This means you should play it aggressively before the flop.

7- Ace King (Not Suited)

Ace king offsuit doesn’t play much differently than ace skin suited, but the difference is big. If you can run the guys holding smaller pairs off before the flop, you’ll be doing well. If you miss the flop, you really have no choice but to slow down. Since you don’t have the flush potential or the semi-bluff potential with the unsuited ace king, it’s a trickier hand to play.

Still, ace king is a premium hand, because you have 6 cards that will improve your hand on the flop. If you see an ace on the flop, you have the best possible pair with the best possible kicker. If you see a king on the flop, you have the top visible pair with the best possible kicker. Someone with pocket aces has you beat, but that’s unlikely.

A lot of players have trouble with big slick, but you needn’t have trouble with it. Play it strong preflop, then slow down on the flop if you miss the flop. If you hit the flop, hit the gas. Most of the time, especially at the lower stakes, all you need to do to play profitable poker is to fold your bad cards and bet and raise with your good cards.

Some advanced players will call this “ABC poker.”

But ABC poker is the beginning of poker wisdom. If you can’t play good ABC poker, you’ll have no chance of doing well with more complicated, multi-level strategies.

8- Ace Queen Suited

I’ve seen poker writers call ace queen suited the worst possible best hand. I’m not sure that’s the case, but ace queen suited is much weaker than ace king suited, even though a lot of players don’t make a distinction.

At a full table, you’re probably going to do just as well by folding ace queen suited from early position as anywhere else. If you’re in middle or late position, ace queen suited is a betting and raising hand, but it’s a hard hand to play from early position.

If there’s a lot of betting and raising preflop, the only sensible move is to fold the ace queen suited and wait for a better hand. Chances are that if a lot of people are betting and raising, someone has a reasonably high pair or at least ace king. In either of those cases, your ace queen suited is thoroughly dominated. Don’t put money in the pot if you’re sure you’re dominated.

The best time and way to play ace queen suited is when you have position and everyone else has demonstrated weakness. You’re hoping to hit an ace or a queen on the flop. You also have a shot at the nut flush, but that gap between ace and queen represents a king which can be a lot of trouble.

It’s easy to miss the flop entirely with ace queen suited, too. If that’s the case with you, it might be your best bet to not bet at all, but just check and fold.

Ace queen suited is considered a trouble hand, but it doesn’t have to be. You just need to be willing to fold it in the face of aggression or in the face of a flop that doesn’t fit your cards.

9- Ace Jack Suited

I don’t play ace jack unsuited at all, and ace jack suited is only barely playable. I’d really rather have a pair of 8s or 9s than ace jack suited. In fact, ace jack suited has all the same problems as ace queen suited, only more so.

Ace jack suited is really best suited for play from late position when you see weakness from your opponents. It might also be more playable at a short-handed table.

You need to hit the flop hard with this hand if you’re going to get into a confrontation with another player. Even if the highest card on the flop is a jack, you’re still very vulnerable to other higher cards on the turn and the river.

Of course, your best case scenario is to hit a big flush, but that’s unusual. But that possibility warrants mentioning, because without the flush possibility, ace jack isn’t even playable most of the time.

I’ve seen ace queen suited called the worst best starting hand, but I think that’s because more people realize just how weak ace jack suited really is. If they weren’t sure about that, ace jack suited would certainly be at least as bad.

10- King Queen Suited

I like king queen suited. I think it’s an easy hand to play.

If you’re in early position, limp in with king queen suited, but only if you’re at a passive table. If you’re at an aggressive table, you’re probably better off folding king queen suited from early position.

You can also limp with king queen suited from middle or later position, and if everyone seems weak, you can even raise with king queen suited from late position.

One of the beauties of king queen suited is that it’s pretty easy to tell where you’re at after the flop. You either have a flush or a strong flush draw, or you don’t. You either have a straight or a strong straight draw, or you don’t. You’ve either hit a high pair or not. Either way, you have an okay kicker.

You should never play king queen suited as aggressively as pocket aces or pocket kings, but this shouldn’t be a trouble hand, either. Pay attention to your position, and pay attention to how well the flop fits your hand. Then play accordingly.

Conclusion

You can safely ignore any of this advice about the top 10 Texas holdem starting hands and still win at poker. This is a card game, not chess. So many factors, including random chance, affect your outcome that even if you make mistakes, you can come out ahead.

In fact, with only a little bit of searching, you’ll find other lists of the top 10 starting hands in Texas holdem that include different hands from what I’ve included here. I think most people will agree that between this list and 1 or 2 of those other lists, almost all the playable opening hands will be covered.

If you’re playing for lower stakes, ABC poker should be enough to make you profitable. Bet and raise when you think you have the best hand, and fold or check when you think someone else does.

Which hands would you include on your list of the top 10 Texas holdem starting hands and why?