Starting Hands You Should Avoid Playing

We’ve talked about the best starting hands in Texas Hold’em poker before. In this part, we are going to go through the worst starting hands you should avoid playing at all times. Simply choose to fold if you have one of these worst starting hands we are going to discuss in this article.

2-7, even when suited, is considered the worst starting hand in poker. You cannot construct a Straight with the hand, and even with a possible Flush draw is may not be enough to win the round. The same goes for 2-8, 3-8, and 3-7.

A starting hand of 2-6 is also considered among the worst starting hands in Texas Hold’em poker. You may get a Straight should the flop reveals 3-4-5, but other player with a starting hand of 6-7 can easily beat your Straight.

2-9, 3-9, and 4-9 are also considered starting hands that shouldn’t be played by many experienced poker players. You can get a middle pair with 9, but anyone scoring higher pairs can always beat you hands down.

Next, we have the legendary 2-10, famous because Doyle Brunson captured two World Series of Poker Bracelets with this particular starting hand. You can choose to play this starting hand just for the fun of it, especially when suited, but if you are playing to win than this hand is also a must-fold.

Other tricky hands such as a combination of off-suited face card and low car, or Ace and low card, are also considered a must-fold unless you are in late position and you can limit your risks.

Best Starting Hands in Texas Hold’em Poker

Depending on your position on the table, you should only play certain starting hands. Being able to pick good starting hands to play is key if you want to win a lot of money and stay profitable playing Texas Hold’em poker. Let’s take a look at some of the best starting hands to play according to your position on the table, shall we?

If you are in early position, meaning you are either the small blind, the big blind, or sitting to the left of the big blind, you can confidently play high pairs (pocket pair of Aces, Kings, Queens, and Jacks). Lower pairs are great, but you should be prepared to take on more risks as the game progresses. High suited cards such as suited A-K, A-Q, K-Q, and A-J are also perfect if you are in early position. Don’t forget to play off-suited A-K, A-Q, and K-Q as well.

In middle position, the number of starting hands you can play increases. Aside from the hands we’ve talked about earlier, you can also play middle pairs such as 10-10 and 9-9 along with suited A-10, K-10, and Q-10.

If you are in late position, also play suited connectors (i.e. suited 7-8 or 9-10), small pairs, and any A-x. Since you are in late position, closer to the dealer or even holding the dealer chip, you can limit your risks as the game progresses. Simply observe your opponents’ betting pattern and make your move accordingly in order to stay ahead of the game.