Poker : The best hands to play in Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold'em is one of the simplest poker games, because it has only 169 two-card starting hands you can be dealt. Other poker variations such as 7 Card Stud, or Omaha Hi/Lo, have thousands of variations.

Even if the number of variations is so low, not all the variations should be played. Some of them aren't even worth playing to see the flop. Hands like 5/8, 2/10 and even an unsuited J/6 should be folded because they have a very small chance of bringing you any money.

Which are the best starting hands? The hands that will most likely make you win the round? Poker authorities have different opinions related to this subject, but many professional players agree upon the top 10% of the hands, that are worth playing:

1. A/A
2. K/K
3. Q/Q
4. J/J
5. A/K suited
6. 10/10
7. A/Q suited
8. A/K
9. A/J suited
10. K/Q suited
11. 9/9
12. A/Q
13. A/J
14. K/Q
15. K/J suited
16. Q/J suited
17. J/10 suited

These 17 hands represent the top 10% of the 169 hands and they are worth playing in any situations. Even when you are in an unfavorable situation you should play these hands because they can get you out of trouble. Most of the beginners won’t agree with this advice, but they don't know that when they are in an early position they are in disadvantage.

If you are in an early position you have to put money in the pot, without knowing if the next person will raise. If the next player raises, by calling his raise you would be the first one to act and rarely will you know what to do.

Let's take this example: you are in a $5/$10 Hold'em game and you are the first player after the blinds. Your pocket cards are: Qd/10s. They seem pretty good, and you decide to pay $5, money that will hopefully allow you to see the flop. Your hand is about the 50th best Hold'em hand out of 169, but you decide to play anyway.

So you call $5, another player calls $5 and then a player raises the pot to $10.The blind fold but you call another $5, and so does the player behind you. The flop is revealed: Kh-10c-3h. You have a pair, but why did the raiser raised the pot? Also why did the second player called?

Do they have a King in their hand? You can bet, but maybe they will raise again, having a Q/J, or having two hearts. But if you check, they can check and they will receive a free card and maybe even win with it.

Let’s change something in our example. The flop is changed to: Qs-8h-5c, you having the same pocket cards. Now you have a better pair but you can still lose if someone has a better kicker than yours.

You can't fold nor raise, so we advise you to keep the Q/10 when you will be in a late position and you will be able to observe how your opponents bet.