Poker Dynamic

If you watch poker on TV a lot or read poker blogs of bigger players, you may here experienced players state that certain hands shouldn’t have been played and that certain hands are hard to fold. But how, exactly, do these players know which hands are good and which aren’t? The obvious answer is that certain hands have a higher probability to win after the river than others do. If you have problems distinguishing one good hand from another, here is a brief look at how each good hand ranks. There is a more detailed account of hand rankings here for those interested.

To start out with, the best starting hands in Texas Hold ‘Em are pocket aces, kings, and queens. In this game of poker, many hands are won by single or two-pair. Because of this, holding a high pair in your hand gives you a distinct advantage. Naturally, the higher the cards, the better the probability you have to win. Don’t think, however, that any of these pocket hands, even rockets, will win every hand. They won’t.

After the three pocket pairs, the fourth best hand is ace-king suited. Not only does this hand offer the two highest cards for a possible pairing, it also leaves straight and flush possibilities open. In fact, many players might prefer holding ace-king suited over pocket queens. Not surprisingly, ace-queen suited ranks just below this hand…as it also offers the same possibilities as ace-king, albeit with a lower kicker card.

Pocket jacks, though not nearly as strong as the first three hands, is also a very good hand. The main problem with pocket jacks is that it can easily be beaten by anyone who pairs an ace, king, or queen. Add in the fact that most players will play hands that hold aces and kings with high kickers, and it becomes harder to win with jacks. That being said, the only time pocket jacks should be folded preflop is if there is high suspicion that someone else holds a higher pocket pair.

The next three hands, respectively, are king-queen suited, ace-jack suited, and ace-king offsuit. Obviously all five hands offer good straight, flush, and pairing possibilities. They rank below the hands above for obvious reasons. While they are certainly all good hands, one would prefer an ace-king suited to king-queen suited.

Finally, ranking tenth on this list, are pocket tens. Pocket tens, while a good hand, can be beaten fairly easy as any painted pair beats tens. Most players, again, will only be playing high cards, such as aces or kings, so seeing one of those on the flop can mean a fold is the smartest move to make.

All ten of these hands, if dealt to you, constitute an immediate play. Push in your blinds and try your luck. Obviously that does not mean that each will win every hand. Nor does it mean that your hand selection should be cut into just these ten hands…you will be pressed to be dealt a good hand more than once a hour or so. But if you have one of these hands, know that you have a good chance to win the pot and play your best poker. Good luck!

Filed under: Texas Holdem