169 Texas Holdem Poker Starting Hands

TO FOLD OR NOT TO FOLD?

Not all hands are created equal.

One of the biggest mistakes that newcomers to Texas Holdem make is not folding enough. Folding means to withdraw from the round. From the start, you must familiarize yourself with the values of the different starting hands. Doing so will help you decide whether to fold or to stay in the round. In this article we are going to show you which of the 169 possible starting hands are playing and which aren't. This will surely save you a lot of time - and money.

A NOTE ON TABLE POSITION

Now in Texas Holdem Poker, it's not only your two hole cards that you need to consider when folding. You must also take into account your table position. Are you in the first 1/3 (early position), middle 1/3 or last 1/3 (late)?

As a rule…

- Players in the early table position must play the most careful game of all. To be on the safe side, they should play only the best hands.

- Players in the middle position can afford to take more risks. They can play more types of hands.

- Players in late position have the most freedom to play different kinds of hands. However if they are experienced, they will still fold at the useless hands.

GOOD TEXAS HOLDEM STARTING HANDS

First, we show you the best cards. These are cards that are worth playing. PLEASE NOTE: These are only their Pre-Flop values. After the Flop, these values become meaningless.

- BEST STARTING HANDS:

Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten in any combination is worth staying with, whether or not they are of same suit (except Ace with a Jack, Ten or Nine).

- VERY GOOD STARTING HANDS.

Same suit: Ten and Nine, Ace and Eight. King and Nine, Jack and Nine, Ace and Five, Queen and Nine, Ace and Seven, Ace and Four, Ace and Six, Ace and Three, Ten and Eight, King and Eight, Ace and Two, Nine and Eight, King and Seven, Queen and Eight, Jack and Eight, King and Six, Eight and Seven, King and Five.

Different suits: two Eights, Ace and Jack, King and Jack, Queen and Jack, two Sevens, Ace and Ten, King and Ten, Jack and Ten, two Six, Queen and Ten.

- GOOD STARTING HANDS.

Same suit: Nine and Seven, Ten and Seven, King and Four, Seven and Six, King and Three, Queen and Seven, Jack and Ten, King and Two, Eight and Six, Six and Five, Queen and Six, Five and Four, Queen and Five, Nine and Six, Seven and Five, Queen and Four, Ten and Six, Queen and Three, Jack and Six, Six and Four, Queen and Two, and Eight and Five.

Different suits: two Fives, two Fours, two Threes, two Twos, Ten and Nine, Ace and Nine, King and Nine and Jack and Nine.

- BAD STARTING CARDS.

Jack and Five below cards, even if of same suit. Queen and Nine (off-suit) and below (any suit), Ace and Eight (off-suit) and below (any suit). King and Seven (off-suit) and below (any suit). These and all the rest are throw-away hands.

This may seem complicated but all you need to do is know why they are ranked the way they are. High cards are Jack to Ace. When they are paired with another, you got a great hand. Low cards paired with one another are worthless unless of course they are the same type of card; then you have a One Pair.

Makes your Texas Holdem play more simple, doesn't it?

Flop often!

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