As a poker player, knowing which hands to play and which to fold is essential. While it may seem difficult at first, it’s important to memorize strong hands. This will give you the best chance of success when playing, as you’ll know whether or not you should fold your hand. Generally, the stronger hands are easier to spot as they feature pairs or have suited high-value cards. That said, some players prefer some hands over others simply due to the strategy that they play with.
Before you start using your own strategy, it’s a good idea to learn the basic poker hand rankings and look at which starting hands are best. Whether you play online poker or prefer to play live games at a casino, you’ll have a greater chance of success just knowing which hands are strongest.
A-A
The pair of aces, or pocket rockets as they’re sometimes known, are without a doubt the strongest starting hand in the game. You already have a winning hand with a pair of aces, and there’s potential to develop a three-of-a-kind, four-of-a-kind, or a full house later in the game. That said, your hand isn’t unbeatable, and you could still lose. As a result, it’s important to keep an eye on the behavior of your opponents. Watch if they raise after the flop, as it could be an indication that they have something better.
K-K
As kings are the second-highest-ranking card, having a pair of them is a great start and a strong hand. You have a strong advantage pre-flop, but you should take care after the first community cards have been dealt. Remember that just because your starting hand is strong, it doesn’t mean that others can’t beat you. You could still improve on this, though, with a three-of-a-kind, four-of-a-kind, and full house.
Q-Q
As you might expect, the pair of queens is next in the poker starting hand rankings. While it’s decent on its own, it can be beaten relatively easily a lot of other hands. Unless you like to take a lot of risks, you may consider folding if you see an ace or a king on the flop. This is especially true if you’re in the early positions.
A-K (Suited)
Most poker players agree that the A-K suited starting hand is next in the rankings, although some would argue that a pair of jacks is better. The suited A-K hand gives you the potential to create a royal flush is the flop, turn, and river go your way, although it is an outside chance. Straights and pairs are possible, so you’ll normally know the flop whether or not you should proceed with this hand.
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A-Q (Suited)
Like the suited A-K, this hand gives you the possibility of creating a very strong hand. A straight, flush, or high-ranking pair are possible. Again, you’re depending on the flop going your way. Although you could still build a high pair from the turn or river, you should normally fold if you’ve got nothing after the flop.
J-J
A pair of jacks is still a high-ranking pair and a decent hand on its own. You have a good chance of beating lower-ranked pairs, although there are a lot of other hands that could potentially beat you. Once again, you need to pay close attention to the flop and the behavior of your opponents to know whether to proceed or not. Being in a late position helps with this hand.
K-Q (Suited)
The suited king and queen hand is strong enough to potentially create a flush, although it won’t be the best possible royal flush unless a suited ace comes up in the community cards. Still, this is a decent hand with a lot of potential. You will need to see some developments on the flop, but if things go your way, you could be taking home the pot.
A-J (Suited)
The suited ace and jack pairing is a good hand that could potentially lead to a royal flush if you’re lucky. A straight or high pair is also possible, but again you’ll be looking for what comes out on the flop to know whether or not to play this hand.
A-K
The unsuited ace-king hand might not be the best, but it still has a lot of potential. You won’t be able to make a flush (unless you get really lucky), but there’s a chance for a straight or a high pair. Fold if you’re in an early position or if nothing comes out on the flop.
10-10
While the pair of tens is a pair and a good hand in its own right, it’s still weaker than the above hands due to the fact that it’s less likely to make a strong hand the end of the game. Therefore, you’ll only want to play this hand if nothing significant happens with the flop that could give your opponents the advantage.