Starting Hands  -  By Poker Boss

If you're new to Texas Hold'Em but want to get better, it is well worth learning how to play your hole cards.

Best Starting Hands

These are raising hands at all times, no matter what has happened during the hand. However also be prepared to make a decision if you are re-raised:

Pair of aces (pocket rockets)
Pair of Kings
Ace-King same suit
Pair of Queens
Pair of Jacks

Strong Starting Hands

These are hands that you would raise in late position, but if in middle or early position just call or the hands at the bottom of the list below should be folded:

Ace-Queen, Ace-Jack and Ace-10 same suit
Ace-King off suit
Pair of tens
Ace-10, King-Jack, Queen-Jack, Jack-10 same suit
Ace-Queen, Ace-Jack off-suit
Pair of nines
King-Queen off suit and same suit
King-10, Queen-10 same suit

Medium Strength Starting Hands

Worth calling in late position, but you should never play these hands if out of position:

Pair of eights
Jack-9, 10-9 same suit
Pair of sevens
9-8, 8-7 same suit
An ace with any other on suit card
King-Jack, Queen-Jack, Jack-10 off-suit
Other starting hands that are sometimes worth playing
Any low pair
Connected cards in the same suit, for example 8-7, 6-5, 5-4 etc
Ace-10, King-10, Queen-10 off suit
King-9, Jack-8 same suit

Starting Hands You Really Shouldn't Play

Basically, anything else. You can still play them, and if you're short stacked and forced to go all-in you may not have much choice, but they should generally be treated with extreme caution.

Always remember, that there's an inherent degree of luck involved with the game. While playing the percentages should lead to a profitable and rewarding time at the poker tables, bad beats are a part of the game.

At some point in your poker life, you'll sit with a pair of aces against a player with 2-7 and watch them flop three of a kind to beat your pocket rockets...