Texas Holdem Starting Hands
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Do NOT be tempted to play unplayable hands just because you saw some donk suck out on the river.
LEGEND
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There are only 169 starting hand combinations in Texas Hold'em and the importance of when and in what position to play these hands is an essential and very important component of successful poker play.
The tables below make understanding these starting hands fairly simple to get a grasp on. Below is an image that shows table position: |
Pairs and Suited Cards
|
A-A
|
A-K
|
K-Q
|
Q-J
|
J-T
|
T-9
|
9-8
|
8-7
|
7-6
|
6-5
|
5-4
|
4-3
|
3-2
|
|
K-K
|
A-Q
|
K-J
|
Q-T
|
J-9
|
T-8
|
9-7
|
8-6
|
7-5
|
6-4
|
5-3
|
4-2
|
. |
|
Q-Q
|
A-J
|
K-T
|
Q-9
|
J-8
|
T-7
|
9-6
|
8-5
|
7-4
|
6-3
|
5-2
|
. | . |
|
J-J
|
A-T
|
K-9
|
Q-8
|
J-7
|
T-6
|
9-5
|
8-4
|
7-3
|
6-2
|
. | . | . |
|
T-T
|
A-9
|
K-8
|
Q-7
|
J-6
|
T-5
|
9-4
|
8-3
|
7-2
|
. | . | . | . |
|
9-9
|
A-8
|
K-7
|
Q-6
|
J-5
|
T-4
|
9-3
|
8-2
|
. | . | . | . | . |
|
8-8
|
A-7
|
K-6
|
Q-5
|
J-4
|
T-3
|
9-2
|
. | . | . | . | . | . |
|
7-7
|
A-6
|
K-5
|
Q-4
|
J-3
|
T-2
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
6-6
|
A-5
|
K-4
|
Q-3
|
J-2
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
5-5
|
A-4
|
K-3
|
Q-2
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
4-4
|
A-3
|
K-2
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
3-3
|
A-2
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
2-2
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Unsuited Cards
|
A-K
|
K-Q
|
Q-J
|
J-1O
|
T-9
|
9-8
|
8-7
|
7-6
|
6-5
|
5-4
|
4-3
|
3-2
|
|
A-Q
|
K-J
|
Q-T
|
J-9
|
T-8
|
9-7
|
8-6
|
7-5
|
6-4
|
5-3
|
4-2
|
.
|
|
A-J
|
K-T
|
Q-9
|
J-8
|
T-7
|
9-6
|
8-5
|
7-4
|
6-3
|
5-2
|
.
|
. |
|
A-T
|
K-9
|
Q-8
|
J-7
|
T-6
|
9-5
|
8-4
|
7-3
|
6-2
|
.
|
. | . |
|
A-9
|
K-8
|
Q-7
|
J-6
|
T-5
|
9-4
|
8-3
|
7-2
|
. | . | . | . |
|
A-8
|
K-7
|
Q-6
|
J-5
|
T-4
|
9-3
|
8-2
|
.
|
. | . | . | . |
|
A-7
|
K-6
|
Q-5
|
J-4
|
T-3
|
9-2
|
.
|
. | . | . | . | . |
|
A-6
|
K-5
|
Q-4
|
J-3
|
T-2
|
.
|
. | . | . | . | . | . |
|
A-5
|
K-4
|
Q-3
|
J-2
|
.
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
A-4
|
K-3
|
Q-2
|
.
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
A-3
|
K-2
|
.
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
|
A-2
|
.
|
. | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Table position and it's importance in Texas Holdem strategy cannot be overstated. The lack of understanding of the concept of position is the downfall of many a beginning poker player. Knowing your Texas Holdem starting hands along with an understanding of position will ensure you are playing solid Texas Holdem and advancing your poker game to the next level to maximise your poker playing profit. Good luck at the tables, you will now need a little less of the luck factor once you have the principle of position and starting hands firmly established in your poker technique!
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