Poker Hands Ranking Chart
Most poker variants use the same system of standard five-card poker hand rankings. Knowing how all of the best poker hands stack up against each other is crucial to a poker players success at the poker table.
No-Limit Holdem, Pot-Limit Omaha, and many other poker games use the same standard poker hand order. The royal flush stands as the best hand possible in the rankings, while the high card hand ranks as the weakest.
The more rarely a hand occurs, the higher it stands in the poker hand rankings. The odds against a royal flush, for example, are nearly 31,000-to-1, making it the rarest and strongest hand in poker.
When two hands of the same strength go head-to-head, the winner is determined by which hand holds the stronger kicker. In a battle of ace-high hands, for instance, ace-king beats out ace-queen, as the king kicker outranks the queen.
A thorough understanding of the starting hands chart makes a critical part of a winning poker strategy.
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Royal Flush
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a Kind
Two Pair
High Card
Royal Flush
A royal flush is the strongest possible five-card hand according to standard poker hand rankings. Making a ten-to-ace straight with all five cards of the same suit gives you a royal flush. The royal flush is the rarest of hands, with the odds against making a royal flush in Texas Hold em at 30,939-to-1. Even if you spend many hours playing poker, you might not ever make a royal flush. The four different suits produce four different possible royal flush combinations for a five-card hand.
Straight Flush
A straight flush makes the second-strongest five-card hand, trailing only the royal flush in the poker hand rankings. A straight flush is made with any five consecutive ranking cards of the same suit. The king-high version represents the strongest possible straight flush, as an ace-high straight flush qualifies as a royal flush. The odds against making a straight flush in Texas Hold em are 3,589-to-1, making it a very rare holding.
Four of a Kind
Holding four of the same ranking card (like four aces or four kings) gives you four of a kind. Four of a kind represents one of the strongest hands in poker and only loses to a straight flush or a royal flush. Also known as quads, four of a kind doesn t happen often in a game of poker. You have a 594-to-1 chance of making quads in a game of Texas Hold em. This hand often plays well as a trapping hand, as your opponents will find it unlikely that you hold quads.
Full House
A full house is made by holding three of the same ranking card with two of another rank. A five-card hand with three aces and two kings, for example, makes a full house. That hand would be known as aces full of kings, or just aces full. Other names for a full house include a full boat, or simply a boat.
Flush
A flush is represented by any five cards of the same suit. Unlike the straight and royal flush, the sequence of the cards doesn t matter, as long as all five cards are the same suit. The highest card of the five determines the strength of the flush. For example, an ace-high flush beats a ten-high flush. A flush is only possible in Texas Hold em when at least three cards of the same suit hit the board.
Straight
Five consecutive-ranking cards make a straight. For example, putting together 2-3-4-5-6 in a five-card hand gives you a straight. The ten-to-ace straight (T-J-Q-K-A) is also known as a broadway straight and is the strongest possible version of a straight. The ace can also be used as the low end of an ace-to-five straight, aka wheel straight (A-2-3-4-5).
Three of a Kind
Any hand with three of the same ranking card qualifies as three-of-a-kind. This hand is also known as trips or a set, but the meaning of these two
Two Pair
Two pair refers to holding two distinct pairs in the same five-card hand. For instance, a hand like A-A-K-K-2 makes two pair, aces, and kings. The higher of the two pair determines the hand s strength if it s pitted against another two pair hand. For example, Q-Q-5-5-2 beats J-J-T-T-5 because queens outrank jacks in the order of cards. Two pair makes a strong hand in Texas Hold em, and is often a hand that can win a big pot.
Making a pair requires holding two of the same ranking card. Hands like A-A-T-7-5 and J-J-T-7-2 represent pairs in a five-card hand. When two pairs of the same strength play against each other, the winner is determined by the next-highest card (aka the kicker). When your two hole cards in Texas Hold em make a pair, you hold a pocket pair. Pocket aces, for example, refers to getting a pair of aces as your hole cards. In a battle of pair versus pair, the highest pair wins.
High Card
Any five-card hand that doesn t qualify in any of the above categories is known as a high-card hand. Holdings like A-J-8-4-5 (ace-high) and J-8-6-3-2 (jack-high) represent high-card hands. In a battle of high card hands, the hand with the strongest kicker wins. For instance, the ace-high hand would beat the jack-high hand in this example.
Most Commonly Asked Poker Questions
Not sure what beats a full house or what a straight can beat? Here are the answers to the most commonly-asked poker questions this side of the Strip.
Does a flush beat a full house?
No. A full house beats a flush in the standard poker hand rankings. The odds against making a full house in a game of Texas Hold em are about 36-to-1, while the odds against making a flush are 32-to-1. The full house is a more rare hand and beats a flush.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. Using the standard poker hand rankings, a flush beats a straight, regardless of the strength of the straight. The odds against making a straight in Texas Hold em are about 21-to-1, making it a more common hand than a flush (32-to-1 odds against).
Does a straight beat a full house?
No. The odds against making a full house in Texas Hold em are about 36-to-1, while the odds against making a straight are about 21-to-1. Both are strong five-card hands, but a full house occurs less often than a straight. A full house beats a straight in the poker hand rankings.
Does three of a kind beat two pair?
Yes. Both three of a kind and two pair can make a lot of money in poker, but three of a kind is the best hand when it goes head to head with two pair. The odds against making three of a kind in Texas Hold em is about 20-to-1, while the odds against making two pair is about 3-to-1.
Does three of a kind beat a straight?
No. The odds of making both of these hands are very close in a game of Texas Hold em. The odds against making a straight are 20.6-to-1, while the odds against making three of a kind are 19.7-to-1. The straight comes about slightly less often, making it the winner against three of a kind in the poker hand rankings.
Does a flush beat three of a kind?
Yes. The battle of strong hands between a flush and three of a kind sees the flush as the stronger hand. The odds against making a flush in Texas Hold em are about 32-to-1, with odds against making three of a kind at around 20-to-1.
Does a straight beat two pair?
Yes. The poker hand rankings dictate that a straight is a stronger hand than two pair. The straight occurs with about 21-to-1 odds against in Texas Hold em, while the odds against making two pair stand at about 3-to-1.
Does four of a kind beat a full house?
Yes. Both four of a kind and a full house are among the strongest poker hands, but four of a kind is a much rarer holding. Texas Hold em odds against making four of a kind are 594-to-1, while you have about 36-to-1 odds against making a full house.
Does three of a kind beat a flush?
No. When the flush and three of a kind go head to head, the flush comes out as the best according to the poker hand rankings. The odds against making three of a kind sit around 20-to-1, with the odds against hitting a flush at 32-to-1.
Does a full house beat a straight in poker?
Yes. The full house comes in less often than a straight. In Texas Hold em, the odds against drawing a full house are around 36-to-1, while the odds against making a straight are around 21-to-1.
Does a straight flush beat four of a kind?
Yes. Four of a kind is an exceedingly rare hand in poker, but the straight flush is an even more elusive five-card hand. The odds against making a straight flush in Texas Hold em is about 3,590-to-1, much rarer than four of a kind (594-to-1 odds against)
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Best Texas Hold Em Starting Hands
Each hand in Texas Hold em begins with all players receiving two face-down cards. These cards, known as hole cards, are only visible to the player they re dealt. Some of the best holdings on the starting hands chart include the following two-card hands:
Pocket Aces
Pocket aces (aka Pocket Rockets or Bullets ) is the best Texas Hold em starting hand. Looking down at two aces as your hole cards means you should get as much money in the pot as possible in the preflop betting round.
Pocket Kings
Pocket kings (aka Cowboys ) mark the second possible starting hand available with two hole cards in Texas Hold em. Like pocket aces, a pair of kings in the hole should be played aggressively preflop. Only pocket aces make a better starting hand than pocket kings.
Pocket Queens
Sometimes known as Ladies , a pair of queens as your hole cards marks the third-strongest starting hand in Texas Hold em. Like pocket kings and pocket aces, the best way to play queens usually involves an aggressive raising strategy preflop.
Pocket Jacks
Pocket jacks (aka Hooks ) are a strong preflop holding in Texas Hold em. A pair of jacks in the hole doesn t quite stand up to the strength of the hands above it on this list, however. Pocket jacks should be played with a bit more caution than queens through aces, especially when facing big preflop raises.
Ace King Suited
Ace-King (aka Big Slick) comes in two different varieties: suited and offsuit. The suited version is made when your hole cards are an ace and a king of the same suit. Ace-king suited stands as the strongest of suited connector hands, and should be played aggressively preflop, much like pocket aces, kings, or queens.
Pocket Tens
Pocket tens fall into a similar category as pocket jacks. A pair of tens in the hole makes one of the stronger Texas Hold em starting hands, but you want to use a less aggressive preflop strategy in most spots compared to your approach with pocket aces, kings, and queens, or ace-king.
Ace-King Off Suit
Both the offsuit and suited editions of ace-king are known as Big Slick in poker vernacular. The offsuit version of ace-king can be played slightly less aggressively than ace-king suited, but both are hands that often demand a big preflop pot. In any matchup against another pair of aces, ace-king wins with the highest kicker.
Ace-Queen Suited
Ace-queen suited represents one of the strongest starting hands in Texas Hold em, but it s not quite a slam dunk all-in preflop kind of hand. Ace-queen suited can play very well postflop, and in most situations, you ll want to continue past the preflop round with this hand. Ace-queen loses the kicker battle against ace-king, however.
Pocket Nines
Pocket nines make one of the better preflop starting hands, but a pair of nines in the hole should be played somewhat cautiously. This is a hand that can win some pots if you can get to showdown with it, but pocket nines are also vulnerable to an overcard (any ten through ace) showing up when the community cards hit the board.
Ace-Jack Suited
Ace-jack suited makes a premium Texas Hold em starting hand, which should be continued through to the flop in most cases. It s not as strong as ace-queen or ace-king, however, and the jack makes an inferior kicker when you re up against either.
Visualizing Hold'em Hands
This grid compares the strength of a particular Texas hold'em hand (in this case ) against all other hands. Each square represents a pair of opponent cards, and the color represents the relative strength of these two hands the redder the square, the more likely the opponent hand is to win. These probabilities were computed by enumerating all ≈1.3 trillion hands of heads-up Texas hold'em.
Navigating the Grid
Opponent pair cards are organized along the main diagonal, in a band of 4x4 boxes. Opponent suited cards lie along other diagonals. The dark squares correspond to impossible hands, where a card is duplicated.
Tidbits
If you are holding a pair, an opponent holding any higher pair has essentially the same advantage over you, regardless of the rank of the pair. In fact, compared to (say) a pair of 6s, a pair of 7s is slightly better than a pair of Aces.
While a pair of Aces is the strongest hand averaged over all opponent hands, the single strongest heads-up face-off is a pair of Kings vs a K+2 offsuit.
Average Hand Strength
You can think of the full dataset of probabilities as a 4D hypercube (one dimension for each of the four cards dealt between two players). The panel above is a 2D slice through this 4D cube; it is a detailed view of the strength of one particular hand.
The average color in the above panel is a single number summarizing the strength of a hand averaged over all opponent hands. Computing this for all hand combinations produces the panel on the left. If you like thinking about the first panel as a 2D slice through a 4D cube, then this second panel is a projection of the 4D cube into 2D.
Every square tinted blue corresponds to a hand that wins more often than it loses, when playing against a random hand. However, it would be unwise to bet on the weaker blue hands (e.g., Q♣4♣). Why? Our procedure for averaging each hand over all opponent hands assumes that every opponent hand is equally likely. Since opponents can fold weak hands, that isn't true.
Hand Frequencies
We can compute a more accurate summary of hand strength if we know how often real opponents tend to play every hand. Luckily, such databases exist. This third panel shows the actual frequency with which each hand is played, based on mining several million online poker hands. The brightest squares are played most often.
As we would expect, this panel correlates well with the panel above real opponents are more likely to play stronger hands. There are some surprises as well. For example, see the brighter box in the upper-right corner of the panel, beginning at rank 10? This jump in hand frequency is more pronounced than the equivalent increase in hand strength. Maybe this indicates a psycological bias that overvalues (and overplays) facecards.
Weighted Hand Strength
With the hand frequency data above, we can compute a more accurate average hand strength. We repeat the same process for averaging each hand over all opponent hands, but we weight the average by the frequency of each opponent hand. The colors in this panel correspond to the profitiability of each hand, when playing against a "typical" opponent who folds weak hands.
Poker-hand rankings chart (strongest to weakest) and cheat sheet
The poker-hand rankings classify the strength of the different hands you can play and are an essential aid for in-game decision making
A common poker-hand rankings system underpins all forms of the game by classifying the relative strength of different types of poker hands so players can determine which hand is best.
It is used in massively popular forms of poker such as Texas Holdem or Omaha and poker-based casino games such as 3-card poker. Knowing it is essential if you re serious about winning.
Scroll down for our guide to the poker-hand rankings, including a handy chart you can save to your phone images for use as a cheat sheet.
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Poker-hand rankings: from strongest to weakest
1. Royal flush
The royal flush sits atop the poker-hand rankings as the best hand possible. It features five consecutive cards of the same suit in order of value from 10 through to ace.
2. Straight flush
Any five cards of sequential values in the same suit that s not a royal flush is a straight flush. It can only be beaten by a royal flush or another straight flush including higher-ranking cards.
3. Four of a kind
The same card in all four suits. The five-card hand is completed by the highest card among the others on the table or in your hand.
4. Full house
A hand comprising the same value card in three different suits (three of a kind) and a separate pair of the same rank card in two different suits. When more than one player has a full house the winning hand is the one with the higher or highest value three of a kind.
Five cards of the same suit in any order whatsoever. When two players have flushes the flush featuring the highest valued card is the winning poker hand.
Five cards of sequential numerical value composed of more than one suit. An ace can usually rank as either high (above a king), or low (below a 2), but not both in the same hand.
7. Three of a kind
A poker hand containing three cards of the same rank in three different suits. The two highest available cards besides the three of a kind complete the hand.
8. Two pairs
Two different sets of two cards of matching rank. The highest-ranked remaining card completes the hand.
A pair of cards of the same rank in different suits. The remainder of the hand is formed from the three highest ranked cards available.
10. High card
The lowest-ranked hand of them all. The highest card in the hand is your best hand . In this case it's the king of spades.
Poker hand-rankings cheat sheet: Download here (pdf)
Whether you want to save it to your desktop or your mobile, our poker-hand rankings cheat sheet is a nice ally in your physical and online poker playing until you ve committed the rankings to memory.
Poker hand rankings: Hi games, Lo games and Hi-Lo games
It s important to note that not all poker games decide the best hand according to the highest ranked hand on the poker hand rankings. The best poker hand in most game types is governed by poker-hand rankings in one of three ways.
Hi or high-hand poker
Perhaps the most straightforward use of rankings, Hi games are ones in which the best poker hand is decided according to the hand that ranks highest on the chart outlined above.
Commonly played examples include: Texas Holdem, Seven-Card Stud
Lo, low-hand or lowball poker
Lowball poker-hand rankings invert the normal poker-hand rankings so that the lowest-ranking hand is the best possible one. Versions of low-hand poker sometimes differ according to whether the ace is high or low and whether straights and flushes are counted.
Commonly played examples include: Razz
Hi-lo or high-low split poker
The third approach to the poker-hand rankings is high-low split games, where the pot is divided between the player with the highest-ranking poker hand and the lowest-ranking poker hand.
Commonly played examples include: Omaha Hi-Lo
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Learn how to play popular types of poker and the rules specific to each game
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Poker Hand Rankings: Use Skill and Strategy to Form the Hand
Texas Hold’em is the most popular poker variant in the US. It is also the ranking game internationally, dwarfing other poker games by a long margin. This Poker Hands Guide is based on Texas Hold’em hand rankings, and it will reveal the best-kept secrets to forming winning hand combinations. Unlike many other games, poker is a game of skill, wit, and strategy. Math and probability analysis play a big part in poker. The best poker players have a keen understanding of the numbers, but our intention in this guide is to simply provide you with an easy to understand way of compiling the best 5-card poker hand.
We know that you’re eager to get started, and the last thing you want is to be saddled with complex mathematics, probability analysis, and statistical gobbledygook. Here at 888poker USA, we get it. You just want to play poker. We would be remiss if we simply sent you out there into the competitive poker arena without the necessary schooling. That’s why we created this poker hand rankings guide. A little knowledge goes a long way, and it will help you gain a competitive edge over your opposition. There’s no escaping the fact that poker is a numbers game. The more you understand about these numbers, the more you can tilt the odds in your favor!
Poker School 101: Poker Hand Ranking Charts
We don’t want to fail in our basic duty of educating you about poker hand rankings. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive poker guide. Why are hand rankings so important? Without a basic understanding of starting hands in poker, you won’t know whether to Hold’em or Fold’em when you’re dealt a set of cards. For example, what comprises a strong starting hand? What’s a weak starting hand? Careful selection of starting hands goes a long way towards improving your poker game. If you know which poker hands to play in the pre-flop phase, and what hands to play in the post-flop phase, you are already leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. In fact, the foundation of your poker game is based on your understanding of the strength of your cards. It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing Omaha Hi-Lo, 7 Card Stud, or Texas Hold’em the right selection of starting hands is paramount.
Poker players who take the time to study how to win with certain starting hands, will certainly gain an advantage over their opponents.
Texas Hold’em features 169 different starting hands. Despite this, there are only 9 categories of showdown hands available. In this poker hand ranking guide, we’re going to introduce you to the worst showdown hands and make our way up to the best showdown hands.
A Royal Flush
As far as poker hands go, it doesn t get better than a Royal Flush! It consists of the following hand: 10-Jack-Queen-King-Ace. All the cards must be the same suit. It is a Straight Flush with all the Royals and an Ace, and no other hand can beat this.
Remember, the best strategy to adopt is one which fuses pocket cards, the Flop, Turn and River to form the strongest 5-card hand.
A Straight Flush
A Straight Flush is a rung beneath A Royal Flush. With a Straight Flush, the connected cards are in sequential order, all in the same suit. The lowest possible Straight Flush that you can form is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The highest possible Straight Flush you can form is 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King. You can form a straight flush through a combination of pocket cards and the board, and only a royal flush hand can beat this.
Four of a Kind
Four of a Kind is a strong hand also known as Quads. It s extremely rare to form a hand with 4 identical cards of different suits. There are several ways to form quads. For example, you may have one card in your starting hand and there is a matching Trip on the board, or you have A Pair and there is another matching Pair on the board. The lowest Four of a Kind hand you can form is 4 Deuces (2s), and the highest ranking is 4 pocket rockets (Aces).
A Full House
A Full House includes 3 of a Kind, and A Pair. It doesn t matter what (3+2 cards) you have to form a Full House. It ranks below four of a kind and above a flush. Of course, if you re comparing Full Houses, then the strongest possible Full House you can form is 3 x Aces and 2 x Kings. The lowest ranking Full House you can form is a trip of 2s and a pair of 3s.
Flush
When you re holding 5 cards from the same suit, you have what is known as a Flush. There are several ways to form a Flush. For example, you may be dealt 2 cards of the same suit in your starting hand, and 3 of the 5 community cards might be from the same suit as your starting hand. The highest possible Flush is the Ace-high Flush such as A J 10 3 2 . It s interesting to point out that 2-4-5-K-A of clubs is the equivalent of 2-4-5-K-A of spades.
A Straight
A Straight includes 5 cards in consecutive order.
In the picture, you will notice 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10. That s 5 cards in consecutive order. The higher the value of the Straight, the stronger it is. The strongest possible Straight you can form is Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10. The name for this is Broadway. The lowest winning Straight you can form is 5, 4, 3, 2, & Ace the Wheel. While a Broadway Straight looks like a Royal Flush, they are completely different.
Three of a Kind
Three of a Kind beats Two Pair in Texas Hold em and other poker games. It should be noted that there are two ways to form Three of a Kind in poker. Your starting hand may be a pair of Queens and the board brings you the third Queen. Alternatively, you could be dealt a single Queen in your starting hand, and a pair of Queens lands on the board, etc. Either way, you ve got Three of a Kind, or a Trip.
Two Pair
Two Pair is an extremely common winning hand. The kicker card is the fifth card, and it comes into play if other players have identical pairs. The higher the kicker card the better for you. There are several ways to form two pairs. You may be dealt a pair in your starting hand, and the board may reveal the other pair. Or, you could be dealt a Jack and a 9 and the board may reveal another Jack and another 9, etc.
One Pair
This poker hand comprises a single pair, like a pair of Jacks, a pair of Tens, or a pair of Sevens. There are two ways to form one pair you re either dealt the cards in your starting hand (Queen of spades & Queen of hearts), or you have a Queen of hearts/Queen of spades and the board (The Flop, Turn, and River) features the other Queen. If the board features a pair of Queens, you can claim them as your own, but so can other players.
No Pair
Also known as the High Card hand, this is the lowest-ranking poker hand that you can form in Texas Hold em. It s so low, that you don t even have a pair to work with. With this poker hand, your high card is an Ace and that beats a King high, or a Queen high hand etc.
The Holy Writ of Poker Hand Abbreviations
K10 or K-10
This hand consists of a King and a 10
Ah10s or Ah-10s
This hand consists of an Ace of hearts and a 10 of spades
A9s
This hand consists of an Ace and 9 suited
A10+
This consists of A-X hand with a kicker (fifth card) higher than 10
X, A-x or AX, A-X
This is Ace and any other card
JJ or J-J
This represents Pocket Jacks, or a Pair of Jacks
JJ+
This indicates that only pocket Jacks or better are permitted, including pairs of Queens, Kings, and Aces
Evaluating the Strength of Starting Hands
Would you believe that there are 1,326 unique combinations of 2-hole card combinations in Texas Hold’em? It’s a fact! However, there are also 4 different suits in poker games, meaning that the actual number of non-equivalent cards is just 169. A starting hand made up of Ace of diamonds, King of diamonds (AdKd) is the same as Ace of hearts, King of hearts (AhKh). There are a total of 13 pocket pairs, 78 suited hands as well as 78 unsuited hands in that total number of 169. The best hand that you can start out with is a pair of pocket rockets (Ace-Ace). The worst possible starting hand that you can form is 3-2.
In Texas Hold’em and other poker games, the strength of your starting hand is an important determinant of your chances of winning by the time the Flop, Turn and River are dealt. It comes as no surprise that a Pair of Aces could win the pot without the community cards having much influence. However, a weaker hand like 7-2 requires a minimum Pair or Better to win the pot. The best poker players often play the worst cards well. They know how to bluff and outmaneuver their opponents through careful positioning, betting, raising, and applying psychological pressure.
One of the most important tips in poker is the following: Only play strong starting hands. It’s obvious why this is so important, now that you understand the value of a starting hand when you are compiling a winning 5-card hand in poker. Your starting hand determines the strength of your cards when the community cards are dealt. While it is just a starting hand, it works in conjunction with the Flop, Turn and River to make up your final poker hand. Beyond your pocket cards, there are also community cards that must be dealt. The Flop is made up of 3 community cards, The Turn is the fourth, and The River is the fifth. Only once all community cards have been dealt will you know how strong your hand really is.
The strength of your hand pre-flop is an important barometer of your chances of winning post-flop. For this reason, it’s wise to play strong starting hands. Sometimes, a strong starting hand can be weakened by the Flop, Turn, and River. Consider the case of a player holding a 7-2 and then the community cards are three x 7s, and you’re holding a pair of Kings in your starting hand. Four of a Kind beats a Full House!
Starting Hands Can Be Categorized into the Following Groups:
- Pocket Pairs this simply implies that you have a pair of cards in your starting hand. It could be a Pair of Deuces, or a Pair of Aces, or anything in between.
- Gappers if there is a gap between your pocket cards, a single card is missing in what would otherwise be a connector. 6-8, 2-4, 10-Q, are known as gappers. A double gapper has two cards missing in between for example, 2-5. This type of starting hand is popular with some players since the Straight is not always apparent on the board.
- Broadway Cards cards that are 10+ are considered Broadway cards. Any combination of cards will suffice, including 10-A, 10-Q, J-K, or K-A. Ace suited Broadway indicates that the two cards that are at least 10+ are the same suit. If you have a suited Broadway and they are the highest-ranking Broadway cards, you can form a Royal Flush when the community cards are dealt.
- Connectors these are known as connected cards. There is no gap between these cards i.e. they are sequential. Connectors include 9-10, Jack-Queen, 10-Jack, King-Ace etc. They have the potential to form Straights. If you have connectors of the same suit, they are known as Suited Connectors.
- Suited Cards these cards refer to 2 cards that have the same suit. They don’t have to be in sequential order, or any order for that matter. Suited cards are great for forming Flushes. If you have an Ace in your starting hand of suited cards, you have the possibility of forming a winning Flush.
Poker Odds Probability Analysis: A Mathematical Perspective
This guide began with an introduction to the mathematics of poker. There’s no doubt that poker is all about number-crunching odds probabilities. It may be a little dull to dwell on the math component of poker, but it’s a reality that we have to deal with. Poker players who spend time learning the intricacies of the game will perform substantially better than those who don’t. Poker is a battle royale; a war of attrition against your opponents. It’s about calculated plays and grinding your opponents into the dirt. By exerting maximum pressure, you will emerge victorious. To get there however, you must understand odds and probabilities.
Luckily, there are ways to evaluate the strength of your starting hand pre-flop, and then evaluate your hand strength post-flop. In between, there are percentages associated with your likelihood of forming the strongest-value hand on The Flop, the Turn, and the River respectively. These numbers matter, since they determine your level of confidence when deciding whether to raise, re-raise, check, fold, or go all in. One of the most important actions in poker is value betting, and that’s only possible with the best starting hand. We have provided you with a Texas Holdem poker chart which helps you to evaluate the strength of your hand and how you should play it.
Poker Charts, Poker Trackers, and Poker Odds Calculators
There’s no gentle way to say this: Poker Odds are extremely complex to understand, and require in-depth analysis, poker guides, and expert assistance. Of course, your desire to understand poker odds will help you in this endeavor. We don’t expect you to unravel this mathematical quagmire on your own; we’ve made it easy for you by providing you with tools and resources to help you master this section of the game.
Poker charts, poker trackers, and poker odds calculators are precisely the tools you need to fast-track the learning curve. These resources are easy to use, and they provide instant insights into odds probability analysis for any number of situations that can arise. There are complex programs that you can use such as poker tracking software to help you evaluate the correct betting actions in poker. This includes when to push, when to fold etc. Most poker software programs are perfectly legal to use in online poker games. However, we advise you to consult with the customer support representatives at your preferred online poker room before you use them so that you don’t get blacklisted if they have a zero-tolerance policy to the software programs.
Determining Your Hand Strength during the Pre-Flop Stage with Hold’em 9-Max Games
In full ring games a.k.a. 9-handed Texas Hold’em, your hand strength is paramount. For starters, you’re playing against more players than in traditional 6-Max poker games, and that means that your starting hands should be selected with even more caution. Luckily, you’ll be able to play more hands in position in 9-Max games, and you’ll be able to play them stronger, particularly with unraised pots.
There are many great examples of starting hands; these include 10s or higher, as well as two high-value Broadway cards. Trash hands include unsuited hands like 7-2, or even a high-value card such as a King and a low value card such as a 2. Don’t be misled with a strong starting hand like a K-Q, since this may be deemed unplayable if too much action is taking place in a hand. Always pay attention to the pre-flop action before you play your starting hand. A K-Q starting hand may be outplayed by a K-K or K-A, or A-A, so be mindful of that. This is particularly true where there is frenetic betting and raising in EP, and during the pre-flop stage of betting.
Your position often determines whether you should play a starting hand. There are several other factors to bear in mind. These include the action that has already taken place before you act, and the players left of you who have yet to act.
Hold’em 9-Max games: Chart of Opening Hands by Position
Below is a default guide for you to use when determining starting hand ranges in Texas Hold’em. This guide also educates you about how you should play these hands. Your hand range will get wider the closer you get to the Button, and they will get narrower as the number of raises rises.
Poker hand charts evaluate the relative strength of your opponent’s hands. The chart we have provided you with is for casual players and intermediate-level players only. If you’re a professional player (advanced poker player), you will find it to be a useful guide. Remember the golden rule: only play premium starting hands the rest should be folded.
EP (Early Position)
- Raise AA-TT, AKs, AK, AQs, AQ if folded around or you are first to act.
- Raise AA-TT, AKs, AK, AQs, and AQ if there are callers
- Raise all raises on the following: AA-QQ, AKs, AK call on JJ-88, if you’re raised.
MP (Middle Position)
- Raise AA-TT, ATs+, ATo +, KJs+, KQo, if you’re folded around
- Raise AA-TT, ATs+, ATo+, KJs, KQo call 99-22, KJo, QTs+, JTs
- If you’re raised, always raise on any raise with AA-QQ, AKs, AK call on JJ-88
LP (Late Position)
- Raise all pairs of A2s+, A9o+ if you’re folded around
- Raise AA-TT, ATs+, ATo+, KJs+ KQo call 99-22, A-2s +, KJo, QTs +, JTs if there are callers
- Re-raise on AA-QQ, AKs, AKo, call on JJ-22 if you’re raised.
The SB (Small Blind)
- Raise all pairs you have with A2s+, A7o+ if you’re folded around
- Raise AA-TT, ATs+, ATo+, KJs+, KQ and call on 99-22, A2s+, T9s+, T8s+, KJ if there are callers.
- Re-Raise AA-QQ, AKs, AK and call JJ-88 if raised.
The BB (Big Blind)
- You will automatically win if other players fold to you.
- With the BB, you should raise on AA-TT, ATs +, and ATo + if there are callers. On everything else you should check.
- Re-raise on the following hands if you’re raised: AKs, AKo, AA-QQ, and call on JJ-88, A2s+. ATo+, KTs+, Kto+.
Lingo for Poker Hands
Now that we’re done with the math, odds, and probability analysis of poker, let’s get to some fun stuff! Let’s talk poker nicknames for a moment. Poker is primarily played because it is so much fun. It’s a bonus that there is so much money in poker pots nowadays too. We’ve heard of sports players referring to certain actions with sports lingo; the same is true in poker. Here are some of the most entertaining poker nicknames that are making their rounds in the ring and on the rail!
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