The Best Hands to Get Dealt in Texas Hold’em

The texas Hold’em version of poker is a hugely popular form of poker and possibly the most common poker game you’ll see online. A game of Texas Hold’em starts when you are dealt two cards which you then have to decide to play or fold depending on how good they are.

To give you an idea of what you should definitely be thinking about playing, here are the best ten starting combinations that you can be dealt. Remember though, just because these are the best starting positions doesn’t mean you’re definitely going to win!

For the companion article, The 10 Worst Starting Hands in Texas Hold’em Poker, click on the link.

Ace / Ace
The dream ticket. Having a pair of aces puts you in a very strong position at the start. Your odds of being dealt aces (or any specific pair) are 220 to 1. As aces are the strongest pair, you’re not going to be folding just yet!

King / King
Statistically as hard to get dealt as aces ( at 220 to 1) getting two kings as still an exceptionally strong starting hand. With only two aces better and long odds of another player getting them, you’re still sitting pretty with kings.

Queen / Queen
The magic’s starting to fade but only a little. Two ladies (as the queens are affectionately known) is still a very good place to be.

Ace / King
Our first departure from pairings gives us the Ace / King combo. A more difficult hand to play as while it’s incredibly strong starting out, the flop needs to work with you to retain its strength.  If they’re suited they’ll give you more of an edge (chance of a flush) but they’re definitely still good news regardless.

Jack / Jack
Back to the simpler affair of pairs. Jacks will still see you in good stead unless the flop delivers an ace, king or queen, in which case you need to be a little more careful.

Ace / Queen
As with the Ace / King combo from earlier the Ace / Queen is another very strong starting hand that also needs the flop to go in your favour.

King / Queen
Following the same logic, another strong drawing hand. Watch out for aces as they could see you undone.

Ace / Jack
Another good drawing hand, suited is of course better and take care with what appears on the flop.

King / Jack
We’re straying away now a little but it’s still a good hand if the flop works with you. Pre flop it should be folded to be raises as your likelihood of winning is only about 15% at this point.

Ace / Ten
Still a strong starting position but as before watch out for big raises as you’re a fair way from golden here. Still a very good hand though if you play it right and (of course) the flop goes your way.

Great starting cards are just that. Many people lose when they forget to correctly assess the changing risk of losing when the flop starts to reveal. While a King / Queen dealt hand is very attractive at the start of the game the appearance of an ace or two as the flop reveals rapidly drops the odds of your winning.

So, if you get dealt these combinations at the start of a game you should definitely be thinking about playing the hand at least to the flop, but keep your eye on the game as it develops and remember, poker is a game of five cards; even a pair of aces can be beaten.