Best To Worst Poker Starting Hands

Best and Worst Starting Hands in Omaha Hi-Lo Split Omaha hi-lo can be a dizzying game if you are not used to it. With two opposing, possible winning options and trying to build a hand from four hole cards and five community cards, you have to keep your wits about you at all times. Everyone knows that pocket aces are the best starting hand in a game of no limit texas holdem poker, but are you familiar with what the worst hands are? Join me as we go on a trip to the land of Texas Fold’em. 72 is the #1 worst hand of them all. Starting Hand Categories for: Seven-Card Stud and Seven-Card Stud High-Low Eight or Better (Stud-Eight) Poker. The following terminology is useful for discussing starting hands in Seven-Card Stud High-Low poker. The table below defines 12 types of starting hands along with a description and an example of each. Poker Hand Rankings - Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart. At the bottom of this page is a comprehensive listing of Texas Hold'em starting hands based on their EV (expected value). Expected value is the average number of big blinds this hand will make or lose. The 20 Best Starting Hands In Poker. Sep 5, 2017 3:00 AM. The 20 best starting-hands in sequence are in the box to the right. Caro presents the odds against being dealt each of these hands,.

To understand what are Poker Hands and their immense importance, we need to unravel how the game is played. Many games are played under the name of Poker. However, the fundamental principle of all the game remains the same. In laymen terms, Poker could be a simple card game where players put a wager on their hand.

A hand is a set of five playing cards formed by players based on a pre-defined set of rules. The players are generally not allowed to see the distributed cards in the initial rounds and can see only their hand as the game proceeds.

These Poker Hands are ranked on a set principle, and this is a fixed entity in Poker. The players put wagers on their hands and try to outwit each other through bluff and other techniques in their desire to win the game.

Types of Poker Hands:

According to a pre-defined rule, there are ten types of hand in a game of Poker. These hands are ranked as per the different combinations made from all the four suits. These hands are:

1.) Royal Flush:

A royal flush is an unbeatable hand. A royal flush is made out of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 of the same suit. It is one of the best and rarest hands that can be created. It is also referred to as the “absolute nuts” since it wins over all other combinations. In Poker variants that don’t include community cards, it is possible for more than one player to get Royal Flush hands. In this case, the ranking is based on the suit, in alphabetical order. Clubs is the lowest suit, followed by diamonds, hearts, and then spades. So, a Royal Flush of spades is the highest hand in poker.

2.) Straight Flush:

Straight Flush can be defined as five cards in sequential rank i.e. a Straight Flush needs to contain all the five cards from the same suit; however, various sequences are allowed. A straight flush can also be made of an A, 2,3,4,5 and 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or any combination of cards having consecutive rankings and the same suit. A Straight flush can only be beaten by another Straight flush.

3.) Four of a kind:

Four of a Kind is also known as a quad. In this type of Poker Hands, the same rank from four different suites appears in your pack along with one different card. For example, Aces of all the suites appear in your hand along with one different ranked card from any suite.

Best To Worst Poker Starting Hands Against

4.) Full House:

A Full house is another one of the rare Poker Hands. This combination contains two cards of a similar rank, whereas the remaining three cards are of the same rank. For example, if your hand contains two aces and three kings, then your hand will be called a Full House. A full house is also known as Full Boat or Boat.

5.) Flush:

A Flush is similar to a straight flush. It contains all the five cards from the same suit. However, the only difference between Flush and Straight Flush is that in a Flush all the five cards are not in any kind in sequential order. For example, A, 10, 5, J, 7 of Diamonds suite will be called as a flush.

6.) Straight:

A Straight is similar to Straight Flush in terms of ranks, i.e. all the five cards are in sequential order in Straight. However, the significant difference between a Straight and a Straight Flush is that all the major cards in a straight are not of a similar suite. For example, A of Clubs, K of Diamonds, Q of Hearts, J of Spades and 10 of Clubs can be one of the examples of a Straight. In even simpler terms when all the cards of a Poker Hands are in sequential ranks but belong to different suites, then such a combination is called a Straight.

7.) Three of a Kind:

In three of a kind Poker Hands, also known as trips or a set, three cards are of a similar rank. The other two cards can be of any rank and suit. For example, Three A from any of the Clubs, Diamonds and Spades along with two random cards can be one of the examples of Three of a Kind.

8.) Two Pair:

Two Pair is one of the lowest-ranked Poker Hands. In this type of Poker hand, a player gets two cards from a similar rank whereas another two cards belong from another same rank. The only remaining card is of another rank. For example, A, A, K, K, two will be one of the examples of Two Pair.

9.) One Pair:

One Pair which is also known as just Pair in simpler terms is a scenario in which the user gets only one Pair of cards which similar rank. The One Pair or Pair is the second-lowest ranked Poker Hands in the game. For example 2, 2,4,5,9 will be one of the examples of a pair.

10.) High Card:

A High Card or no pair is the least favourable hand in the entire game. A high card means that no kind of combination has occurred in the card. The various players also define it as Nothing and suggest that a High Card is simply a hand which is Nothing else. For example, A, 6, 4, J, 8 is one such example of Nothing, which is the language of Poker Hands is known as High Card.

Starting Hand Categories for:

Seven-Card Stud and Seven-Card Stud High-Low Eight or Better (Stud-Eight) Poker

The following terminology is useful for discussing starting hands in Seven-Card Stud High-Low poker. The table below defines 12 types of starting hands along with a description and an example of each.

The twelve types of starting hands can be sorted into five broad categories that describe how they play. The categories of hands are: premium, big-possibility, one-way, situational and trap. The reasons for sorting the hands this way and the probabilities for each group are given.

Premium Starting Hands

The premium hands can often scoop pots without improvement. All total these starting cards are just 1% of all hands dealt. They should be played aggressively.

Trips. [Number of hands = 13, Number of combinations =52, Frequency = 0.24%, Odds = 424:1] Any rank is a powerful holding, however, low cards have the advantage of still allowing a low hand to form. Rolled trip Kings will never qualify for low. Another advantage of low rolled trips is that they are a powerful high hand that often looks like a low. In those cases the hand will generate lots of action from a player who believes incorrectly that he or she has a better high.

Aces with a low kicker. [Number of hands = 14, Number of combinations =168, Frequency = 0.76 %, Odds = 131:1] The lower the kicker the better this hand plays. Often the Aces will hold up for high unimproved or pick up a second pair to make Aces up to best two smaller pair. At the same time the hand can back into low to either scoop or save half the pot if the Aces do not hold up for high.

Big-possibility Starting Hands

The hands in this group win the monster pots in Stud-Eight. However these hands need to improve because they are worth nothing on their own. The hands in this group can be played aggressively early on. These are rare holdings but don’t fall in love with them. If there is no improvement and a lot of action on later streets the hand should be mucked.

Low connected-suited. [Number of hands = 6, Number of combinations =24, Frequency = 0.11%, Odds = 920:1] This is one of the most powerful hands in Stud-Eight because it can scoop the entire pot in so many different ways while generating lots of action from players betting on both halves of the pot.

Best To Worst Poker Starting Hands Ever

Low suited. [Number of hands = 50, Number of combinations =200, Frequency = 0.90%, Odds = 110:1] If an Ace is included the hand has added value. This is a good hand for jamming other players. Sometimes the hand will complete a flush for high, sometimes miss the flush but hold up for low and occasionally make high and low. Either way you can bet aggressively if this hand improves to a high or low on Fifth Street and make the others pay for your draw to the other half of the pot.

Low connected. [Number of hands = 24, Number of combinations =360, Frequency = 1.36%, Odds = 60:1] Does not have the flush possibility but low straights often scoop. A good hand for freerolling if two low cards are picked up that don’t connect. A player with a made low and an inside straight draw can jam two high hands and be assured of winning half the pot, while at the same time retaining an outside chance of a scoop.

Best To Worst Poker Starting Hands Signals

One-way Starting Hands

These starting cards typically compete for one half of the pot and are good for cases where everyone is competing for the same half of the pot. There are hands in Stud-Eight where all the players are competing for either the high half or low half of the pot. In those circumstances playing a “one-way” hand that figures to be best against the competition but can also back into the other half of the pot is a viable strategy.

Aces with a high kicker. [Number of hands = 10, Number of combinations =120, Frequency = 0.54%, Odds = 183:1] This hand usually competes for high only and it is best played against other players vying for high when it can scoop. It does poorly against multiple low draws because in that situation its only potential is for half the pot and the low draws can freeroll on later streets placing a made hand as strong as Aces-up in an uncomfortable position. This hand is most powerful when the Aces are wired because it will generate action from smaller pairs thinking that they have the best high.

Ace with two other wheel cards. [Number of hands = 20, Number of combinations =300, Frequency = 1.36%, Odds = 73:1] This hand usually competes for low only but it does have high possibilities. How well it plays often depends on where the Ace is. In most cases you want the Ace exposed so that you can threaten people with a potential pair of Aces or a potential low. That way if you pick up bricks you might win uncontested if your opponents also pick up bricks. If your opponents are weak on Fifth Street, betting an exposed A, 2, J has more fold equity than an exposed 2, 3, J.

Situational Starting Hands

Many Stud-Eight players automatically play the hands in this group. However, the viability of these hands depends highly on the situation. You should be very careful about when and how you play these hands.

High pairs 99, 10-10, JJ, QQ and KK. [Number of hands = 120, Number of combinations =1440, Frequency = 6.54%, Odds = 14:1] How well you play pairs will determine much of your profit in Stud-Eight. Automatically playing any pair as many players do will lead to disaster. As a general rule 99 and 10-10 should not be played. Paired face cards are only playable if they are the high hand on the board. You do not want to hold JJ in between a player with KK and another player with a low. The most likely outcome is that your two opponents will be dividing up your money.

Best And Worst Starting Poker Hands

Low pairs with a low kicker. [Number of hands = 98, Number of combinations =1176, Frequency = 5.32%, Odds = 18:1] These are starting hands that many Stud-Eight players will automatically play. However, as attractive these hands look, they come with a lot of problems. It is a poor start for a low hand because it has only two cards that count towards low and a poor start for a high hand because the pair is ranked so low. In other words, it is a mediocre holding to compete for either half of the pot, which means that often it will come away with nothing. Of the hands in this category, a low pair with a live Ace kicker is the most valuable because it has an outside chance of making Aces up. These hands are good for stealing antes and good for defending bring-ins against a steal. They play best heads-up against weak low draws. However, against players you know have strong holdings or against a large field these hands should not be played.

Three suited cards, one or more not low. [Number of hands = 230, Number of combinations = 920, Frequency = 4.16%, Odds = 23:1] If the suit is completely live and it is up against other high hands these starting cards have some possibilities. If the cards are connected and suited the holding is more valuable and the hand is almost playable against low draws. However, for unconnected cards, completing a flush is rare and in situations where a flush only claims half the pot you rarely have the pot odds necessary to play. As a general rule three-flushes with high cards play much worse in Stud-Eight than in Seven-Card Stud and should usually be avoided.

Best To Worst Poker Starting Hands Games

Trap Starting Hands

These are attractive looking hands that play poorly and should usually be mucked. Playing hands like these for half the pot is rarely worth the investment.

Low pair with a high kicker. Hands such as 3, 3, J or 5, 5, K, have little value and in most cases should be mucked. The exceptions would be stealing antes or defending against a steal.

Three low cards (unconnected and unsuited). [Number of hands = 180, Number of combinations =2700, Frequency = 12.22%, Odds = 7.2:1] The “Razz” hands should be saved for Razz. These kinds of hands are only good for half the pot and in most cases the best you can hope for is to get your money back minus the rake. Many Stud-Eight players automatically call with these hands and stay to the end if they pick up a low draw on Fourth Street. The problem is that often if they hit low it is second best low. Just as you want to avoid playing the second best high hand, it is even more important to avoid playing the second best low hand. The high hand scoops if no one qualifies for low but a busted low is worth nothing.

Final note: Three connected cards, one or more not low such as 8, 9, 10 or 9, 10, J play poorly in Stud-Eight and should be mucked.