Texas Hold'em Poker Starting Hand StrategyThe Importance of PositionOne's position at the table in relation to the "dealer" is an important strategical factor in Texas Hold'em. The players sitting to the left of the dealer, including the blinds, are in early position. Early position puts the player at a disadvantage, because the player cannot observe how his opponents will act before playing his hand. An early position player who calls or bets on a weak hand may find themselves faced with a raise by another player, making it more expensive to play on with that hand. If the raiser does indeed have a strong hand, the early position player is likely beat and has wasted their bet. An early position player with a strong hand will find it harder to increase the pot by raising, unless other players raise after him. The players sitting to the right of the dealer, including the dealer himself, are in late position. Late position gives the player a strategic advantage, since the player can observe how his opponents act before playing his hand. The dealer is in the strongest position ("on the button") because they have the advantage of acting last. A late position player can decide to play a weak hand if there have been no bets or raises before him. A late position player with a strong hand has more opportunity to increase the size of the pot by betting or raising. Late position gives the player an information advantage. By observing how the other players bet their hand, the late position player can make an informed decision on how to play their hand. Consideration on whether to play a certain starting hand (see below) is based mostly on one's position at the table. A strong hand can be played in any position, while a weaker or marginal hand should only be played in later position, when the player can decide if their hand has a chance of winning against the other players. Starting Hands in Texas HoldemAn important part of mastering Texas Holdem is learning which starting hands are most playable, and in what position. Every book on Texas Holdem goes in-depth on starting hands and their rankings. There are 169 possible starting hands in Texas Hold'em, and at least half are considered to be unplayable. A ranked list of all 169 starting hands can be found here. With the advent of real-time poker calculators, determining whether a particular hand is playable has become automatic! Check out our poker software page for real-time odds calculators that can alert you as to whether your current starting hand is playable in your current table position. The following list is an easy to read guide as to which hands have the potential to be played. Unlike other starting hand lists, this list does not rank each individual hand by strength, although the list is organized roughly from the strongest hands to the weakest. This list merely serves as a guide as to which hands have the potential to be played, and in what position. Players are strongly encouraged to consult other sources to learn more about starting hand rankings and strategy. Check out our books page for professional poker strategies. This list is appropriate for situations that require tight play. At most low limit tables, you can shade these hand requirements down a bit and play a bit looser, but you shouldn't call with hands that are not on this list. Approximately half of the 169 starting hands are on this list, and all of them statistically have at least a 10% chance of winning at a ten-handed table. The hands listed in bold green comprise the top 10 hands, and can be raised and re-raised in any position. The hands listed in green can be called in early position, and raised in middle and late position. The hands listed in red can be called in middle or late position. The hands listed in black should be called in late position only.
Click here for a printable version of this chart Any starting hand that is not listed above should be folded. You should expect to fold before the flop the majority of the time (In my experience, playing "tight" means you'll see the flop with approximately 25-33% of the hands you're dealt). Playing strong hands, depending on position and situation, will increase your winnings and curtail your losses in the long run. Patience is key when it comes to winning in Texas Hold'em. But keep in mind that any starting hand can be beaten. A strong starting hand increases your chances of drawing to a winning hand, but be prepared to fold if your hand does not improve and another player is representing a better hand.
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