Texas Hold'em - Starting Hands
We have already said that some starting hands should be played, and others shouldn't. Let's use the model that Sklansky has developed to help us know which hands are 'good'.
Sklansky's model is developed around eight groups of cards. All other cards should never be played. Group 1 is the strongest group, while a Group 8 hand should rarely be played.
Sklansky's model of starting hand groupings can be learnt as follows:
Group 1: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs
AA: Top of the list, AA is without doubt the most powerful starting hand you can be dealt.
KK: Along with AA, KK is significantly more powerful than any other starting hand.
QQ: Whilst QQ does not have the almighty strength of it's 2 predecessors, it is still a significantly strong hand.
JJ: JJ ends the small group of pairs at the top of the list and is highly playable from any position.
AKs: AK (the suited hand as opposed to AKo which is unsuited or 'off-suit')
Group 2: TT, AQs, AJs, KQs, AK
TT: In Group 2, first position we have a pair of tens - written TT
AQs: AQ is another strong suited hand that has great flush and good straight possibilities.
AJs: AJ, and we are now half way through the top 16 hands
KQs: KQ is the first of the hands that does not contain an Ace or a pair.
AK: AKo is our first unsuited hand. Although highly playable it doesn't offer any flush possibilities.
Group 4: T9s, KQ, 88, QTs, 98s, J9s, AJ, KTs
T9s: T9s hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
KQ: KQo looks stronger than it plays. Although fully playable, do not be overawed by it.
88: 88 will offer a chance to beat a non-pair in a heads up situation but could fall short in a multi-way pot.
QT: QT is another hand that draws a large part of it's strength from being suited.
98s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
AJ: AJo draws just enough strength from it's Ace to put it above #21
KTs: KT is the last of the 'big 16'. These top 16 hands can be played from any position but you must always be prepared to fold if the flop and turn go against you.
Group 5: 77, 87s, Q9s, T8s, KJ, QJ, JT, 76s, 97s, Axs, 65s
77: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
87s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
Q9s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
T8s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
KJ: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
QJ: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
76s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
97s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
Axs: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
65s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
Group 6: 66, AT, 55, 86s, KT, QT, 54s, K9s, J8s, 75s
66: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
AT: This is an ATo hands. If the game is very tight then it may not prove worthwhile to play any hands further down the list, but if it's that tight then you should probably consider moving tables.
55: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
86s: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
KT: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
QT: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
54s: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
K9s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
J8s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
75s: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
Group 7: 44, J9, 64s, T9, 53s, 33, 98, 43s, 22, Kxs, T7s, Q8s
44: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
J9: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
64s: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
T9: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
53s: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
22: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
Kxs It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
T7s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
Q8s: This hand can be played from early positions if the game is not too tight but it may be wise to only play them from medium positions
Group 8: 87, A9, Q9, 76, 42s, 32s, 96s, 85s, J8, J7s, 65, 54, 74s, K9, T8, 43
87: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
A9: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
Q9: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
76: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
42s: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
32s: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
96s: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
J8: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
J7: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
65: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
54: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
74s: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
K9: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
T8: This hand can be played in early positions but a little more caution should be used. It's probably sensible to play them only from medium positions but this depends on how loose the game is.
43: It would probably be best to only play this hand from later positions.
An 's' means that the pair is suited. A 'T' stands for the number 10. Therefore, the hand Ace Ten suited is in Group 3 , while an Ace and Ten off suite is only in Group 6.
So how does this help us. We know what group our two cards are in but can we play these cards anywhere? The answer is no, we shouldn't. The position that players site relative to other player will determine what groups of cards that player should play. Let's delve deeper.