HIERARCHY OF THE BEST TEXAS HOLDEM HANDS

TEXAS HOLDEM POKER VARIANT IN BRIEF

Texas Hold’Em is the quintessential poker game. With Texas Hold’em, the objective is to form the best hand from five cards, and this will be in combination with the other community cards on the table.

But Texas Hold’Em shouldn’t be confused with other poker games. In brief, Texas Hold’Em will see each player dealt two hole cards (these are cards that are placed face down).

In between betting rounds, more cards will be dealt from the pre flop stage to the later streets, such as the turn, and the river, and whoever has the best hand when playing Texas Hold’Em cash games will scoop the lot from the pot.

WHAT COLORS OF CARDS IN TEXAS HOLDEM POKER

In Texas Hold’Em, cards will be formed of two colors — red and black, however, cards will be formed of different suits.

For a standard deck, there are 52 cards used for Texas Hold’em poker games. This will be divided into four suits — clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds — and there will be 13 ranks.

In the following section, we will explore more in depth the suits associated with Texas Hold’Em poker, and whether cards of the same rank or same suit will be deemed a more powerful hand for a betting round.

DO HANDS OF THE SAME SUIT HAVE MORE VALUE?

Before, we look at certain hands, such as straight flush, it is probably best to make note of some simple rules.

Firstly, the ace card has dual value as it can count as 1 and 11 depending on how you wish to use it during a Texas Hold’em poker game.

In terms of other poker hands, two, which is also referred to as the deuce, holds the least value in the game.

But as far as hands of the same suit go, yes, a player that has cards of the same suit will profit more from a Texas Hold’Em game.

Indeed, a royal flush or straight flush will have five cards of the same suit and in sequence. A good example of a winning hand would be a royal flush and this would be as follows: AH, KH, QH, JH, or 10H.

As far as a straight flush goes, this can be assembled in Texas Hold’Em in this way: 8C, 7C, 6C, 5C, and 4C. So, as you can see a straight flush is very valuable, and the cards that you will have used will all be of the same suit.

TEXAS HOLDEM POKER HANDS FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST

Texas Hold’Em is fast-paced and there are a multitude of poker hands to contend with. To put things into context for you, we have provided a full poker hand rankings.

This will be from lowest to highest. We have explained the significance of a poker hand, and shown for example, how a royal flush beats other poker hands. Read on to see the list in full.

High Card

The lowest on this list, the high card will be formed by cards that are of different ranks, and there will be no combination that can be threaded together either.

So, you could have a 3 of Clubs and 2 of diamonds, and there is a strong chance your starting hand will be overcome in the small blind.

One Pair

Put simply, one pair represents two cards of the same rank in your hand, such as two Kings or two Queens.

Two Pair

A two pair is as it sounds. These will be two pairs, but they won’t consist of the same rank. A good example of this would be 7-7 or 5-5.

In terms of its stature in the poker hand rankings, a two pair will beat a one pair.

Three of a Kind

A three of a kind will be made up of three cards that are all of the same rank. So, when you start playing, you could have a five cards in your hand that are as follows: 7-7-7-5-2.

While not the most valuable Texas Hold’em poker hand, it still beats a two pair, pair, and high card.

Straight

With a straight, you will have five cards in sequence, but they will not consist of the same suit in Texas Hold’em poker.

So, for example, you could hold 7-6-5-4-3 in different suits. The highest possible sequence will be A-K-J-Q-10, but remember, the straight will not beat a flush or better.

Flush

A flush is when things started to intensify in poker games, especially in the final betting round. With Texas Hold’Em, a flush will be formed of five cards that are all of the same suit and it comes fifth in the poker hand rankings.

However, the cards here will not be in consecutive order, such as A-K-7-6-2, and all in hearts. A flush will overcome a straight, however, in the case of where there are two hands with a flush, then the hand with the highest card in the flush will come out on top.

So, an A-10-7-4-3 of diamonds will vanquish a hand containing K-10-7-4-3 of diamonds.

Full House

A full house in poker games is quite fascinating as it combines a three of a kind along with a pair of a different value.

So, as the image illustrates above, a full house could be 6-6-6-5-5 or another example might be 10-10-10-8-8, which is also known as ‘tens full of eights’. It is one of those texas hold’em hands that you will be pleased with if those cards are dealt to you when betting begins.

Four of a Kind

The four of a kind is quite simply four cards that are of the same value. Also known as quads, the four of a kind carries significant value in Texas Holdem. So, if you have in your hand 6-6-6-6-3, then you will have four of a kind.

In cash games at a land-based casino or online poker, a four of a kind can be a winning hand, and it will be better than a three of a kind.

Straight Flush

The straight flush is one of the most formidable hands used by poker players. Indeed, if during a betting round, a player pulls out five cards and all of the same suit, then they will have produced a straight flush.

In terms of poker hand rankings, it is second, and a good example of a straight flush is as follows: 9-8-7-6-5 all of diamonds.

Royal Flush

The undisputed king of hands for Texas Hold’em, the royal flush tops the poker hand rankings. The straight flush beats all other hands, but the royal flush beats all other types.

And with a royal flush, you will have the King Queen suited in the sequence. An example of this would be Ace Ten suited, King Queen suited, as well as JC. If you encounter this hand when you play poker, you will merely have to salute your opponent.

If you have any queries about poker hand rankings, most reputable casino operators will have a poker hand rankings FAQ that will help refresh your memory!

TOP TEN BEST HANDS IN TEXAS HOLDEM POKER

Texas Hold’Em throws up plenty of surprises between each betting round, whether it be the pre flop or the latter rounds, and some poker players will throw down monster hands, such as a full house.

In this section, we will look in more detail at 10 of the best hands poker players can use for Texas Holdem, and this is ranked from strongest to weakest.

Royal Flush

The royal flush is the most dominant force in the poker hand rankings. An example of a royal flush would be ace king suited, and ace king suited would blow many players out of the water. In many ways, it is the nut flush of the game whether you are playing limit Texas Hold’em or no limit Texas Hold’Em.

Straight Flush

It is hard to envisage a flush beat by other cards. The straight flush is no different, and a good example of this, is 9-8-7-6-5 all of clubs.

Four of a Kind

Assemble four cards of the same value. As mentioned, this is known as quads. A four of a kind could be as follows: 6-6-6-6-3.

Full House

Three of the same value card in three different suits, and a different pair of the same ranked card will constitute a full house.

So, for example, landing Q-Q-Q-6-6 in Texas Hold’Em will constitute a full house as long as one of the Queens and 6s are of the same suit.

Flush

Five cards that are part of the same suit, but not necessarily in correct order.

A flush example for a betting round: A-K-8-6-2 in spades. A flush won’t beat a full house.

Straight

These five cards will be in consecutive order, but a combination of different suits. The highest possible sequence here, for example, is A-K-Q-J-10. Such poker hands will be tough to take down.

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank, as well as two unrelated side cards is the three of a kind. So, you could have three Kings of different suits, a 4 and a 7. In the event of a tie, the highest three of a kind hand will win.

Two Pair

In Texas Hold’Em, poker hands here are formed by two cards of matching rank, another two cards of a different matching rank, and one side card.

For example, you could have two aces and two kings, as well as four. Again, in the event of a tie, the highest two pair will come out on top.

One Pair

A one pair in Texas Hold’Em has two cards of matching rank and three unrelated side cards. Two aces, a 9, 6, and 2 could be a one pair. In the event there is a tie, the highest one pair will be the one that will come out on top.

High Card

This is the lowest possible hand for Texas Hold’Em, and it is one of those poker hands treated almost with disdain. It will be a five-card hand that won’t be any of the above, such as pocket aces, pocket Queens, or Ace Jack suited.

If you end up with a high card, then you will need to hope your opponent has the same. Otherwise, you could be exposed to pocket kings or pocket jacks.

TEXAS HOLDEM STARTING HAND RANKINGS

Now, we have run through the poker hand rankings and discovered some of the best possible poker hands for Texas Hold’Em, it is time to push things forward a little.

In this segment of the guide, we will explore some of the best starting poker hands for Texas Hold’Em, and we have ranked each starting hand from strongest to weakest.

Pocket Aces

Pocket aces are the best starting hand for Texas Hold’Em. You will dominate other hands, such as pocket queens and pocket kings in the pre flop.

There is huge potential to win a lot from the overall pot. It is also nicknamed bullets or pocket rockets.

Pocket Kings

In most situations, pocket kings can be one of those domineering Texas Hold’Em hands that your opponents will fear.

It is generally never a good idea to fold on the pre flop with pocket kings, unless of course, your opponent turns over pocket aces. You should slow down after the pre flop in online poker to control the pot in the big blind.

Pocket Queens

Pocket Queens also represent a formidable hand in Texas Hold’Em. Indeed, pocket queens will beat most hands in the pre-flop stage apart from pocket aces and pocket kings.

While pocket aces can be hard to come by, pocket queens can dominate like ace jack suited, and they can contribute a lot of money to the pot.

Pocket Jacks

These are probably one of the hardest premium poker hands to play in Texas Hold’Em. Although it carries value in Texas Hold’Em, it can be crushed by pocket aces, and other pocket pairs, such as pocket queens and pocket kings.

While such pocket pairs like pocket jacks have a significant winning percentage, you shouldn’t be afraid to let poker hands go if you come up against a hand that has ace queen suited.

Ace King suited

This is arguably the ultimate drawing hand in Texas Hold’Em. Indeed, Ace King suited is perhaps one of the preferred playing hands for poker players during the pre flop stage. The ace king can also be referred to as big slick.

With the big slick, it is a great starting hand for hitting aces or using for an ace kicker in the latter stages as you are bound to grab plenty of cash from the pot.

Suits don’t necessarily matter in Texas Hold’em so you won’t find a better version of the ace king or even similar suited hands.

Pocket Tens

Pocket Tens probably ought to attract more attention as pocket pairs than they currently receive. With poker hands, such as pocket tens in online poker, it is the lowest tier of pocket pairs available.

Although the board might be safe for some players who have poker hands such as ace queen suited, pocket pairs such as pocket tens can leap in front of other hands if a set is made later on the board with another ten. Pocket tens are also nicknamed dimes.

Ace King Offsuit

The ace king offsuit takes a bit of a back seat compared to the ace king suited as far as poker hands go. Nevertheless, it is still a strong hand and it is ahead of poker hands where there are non-paired hands.

One of the advantages of ace king offsuited hands, is that it can take out all weaker ace poker hands during betting rounds.

Ace Queen Suited

Ace Queen Suited merits some attention. although in terms of placing into context as far as Texas Hold’Em hands go, it can come up short as it might not spike another pair so easily. This is something you have to be aware of when you start playing in the small blind through to the big blind.

And if you come up against an ace high hand, then you will relinquish your ace outs, so be careful with the Big Chick, as the Ace Queen Suited hand is often referred to.

Pocket Nines

Pocket nines is one of those pocket pairs that have some worth, but they will be overwhelmed by starting poker hands that are much higher on this list.

More specifically, they will be taken out by poker hands like AQ, KK, or QQ, but pocket nines can still beat many a starting hand, including pocket eights and pocket deuces.

You will also be trying to keep at bay those who can make suited connectors. Some players will put down suited connectors, which are cards that range from A-K down to J-T.

Ace Jack Suited

You certainly won’t be disappointed if you are dealt this hand in the small blind! Although this is overcome by the other powerhouse cards mentioned above, beginner players should treat this with caution, especially if they don’t want to lose out to another high pocket pair or be trumped by someone who has a full house!

After all, you don’t want to flop too early with an ace and then be outkicked by another player who has an AK or AQ.

PROBABILITY OF EACH HAND IN TEXAS HOLDEM POKER

Now, it’s time to mull over the probability of getting a particular hand in Texas Hold’Em, such as pocket aces or a one pair.

To help illustrate things, we have produced a table to show the odds of getting a one pair and this is based on the poker hand rankings.

Texas Hold’Em Poker Hand Odds

Poker Hand	Probability	Combinations
Royal Flush	30,939 to 1	4
Straight Flush	3,437.8 to 1	36
Four of a Kind	594 to 1	624
Full House	37.5 to 1	3,744
Flush	32.1 to 1	5,108
Straight	20.6 to 1	10,200
Three of a Kind	19.7 to 1	54,912
Two Pairs	3.26 to 1	123,554
One Pair	1.28 to 1	1,098,240
High Card	4.74 to 1	1,302,540

Remember, you need to think about the odds and outs and doing some basic poker math first when trying to establish whether you could make pocket aces, a pocket pair such as pocket eights, or complete a royal flush in the big blind.

As the table above illustrates, completing a royal flush in the big blind is laden with difficulty as the odds are a whopping 30,939 to 1, with only four possible combinations to show for it.

At the other end of the scale, a high card is a much more feasible prospect in the big blind than even a two pair. With a high card, the odds stand at just shy of 5 to 1, and there are over a million possible combinations.

In the forthcoming section, we will scratch beneath the surface and reveal the secrets of Texas Holdem poker hand rankings before sharing some tips if you want to make some winning hands and bolster your profits in the long term.

SECRETS OF TEXAS HOLDEM POKER HAND RANKINGS

With all poker games, whether it be Texas HoldEm or Omaha, there are always a few secrets that are worth divulging that you might not have known about previously, so we have shed some light on them with regards to the ranking system.

These are arguably Texas Holdem tips that the pros don’t want you to know about either!

The odds are very low for royal flushes

The chances of completing royal flushes in the big blind are extremely low. To be more exact, the odds are just 0.000154%.

Don’t get hung up with suits for straight flushes

The ranking for a straight flush isn’t influenced by the suit of a hand. You have to think about the highest card or the final community card should you choose to keep hold of it.

Four of a Kind

Also known as quads, the four of a kind is made up of four cards of the same rank. The best possible four of a kind hand that you can make in a Texas Holdem poker game is A-A-A-A-4 which will beat all other four of a kind hands.

Making up a Full House

If you want to make a full house, there are four extremely strong hands, but the best will be suited connectors, such as Jacks and Aces which are known as Jacks full of Aces. This pair beats all other full house combinations.

To make things simpler, you should view a Full House as a three of a kind along with one pair which is essentially the same hand.

Feeling flushed

For a flush, although it is only fifth in the hand rankings, it offers a lot more than you think. Again, suits won’t matter for flushes, whether you have spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs. It is also about the highest cards and whether one pair beats another.

Straightening up

Although considered a medium-strength hand, there is a variety of straights you can combine. Perhaps the most well known one is “The Broadway”, which is formed of A,K,Q,J,T, while the lowest possible straight is the “The Wheel” which is as follows: A, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Three of a Kind

Although this particular hand can be further divided into Trips and Sets, this won’t change the value of the hand.

If both players are holding a three of a kind, then you will have to take a closer look at the kicker. Whoever has the highest card here will snatch whatever is remaining in the pot. For example, a player that holds J, J, J, A, 6 will eclipse an opponent who has J, J, J, K, Q in their hand.

Getting a Two Pair

These are quite easy to recognise, and there are myriad ways you can form a two pair. Remember, if both players have an identical higher pair, then the second pair will be assessed.

You may then need to use a kicker to determine the winner. So, for example, Q-Q-5-5-3 would be taken out by Q-Q-5-5-9. Most of the time, a two pair will help players grab money from the pot.

Just a One Pair

This is probably one of the most straightforward hands in Texas Hold’Em, and on the surface of it, there are probably few secrets associated with a one pair.

Nevertheless, there are also a few different ways to form a one pair. You could, for example, hit one of the hole cards to make a one pair hand.

So, you could raise with a QJ and hit your pair on the J T 4 flop, which will provide you with a top pair hand. So, don’t knock the one pair!

USEFUL TIPS FOR TEXAS HOLDEM HANDS

We’ve reached that point in the guide where it’s time to share some useful tips when it comes to playing hands for Texas Holdem.

Although they aren’t fail-proof strategies, they will give you more confidence when you next play poker, so check out the following pointers.

Bluff well

A bluff sometimes has negative connotations, and it can be misconstrued in poker. That said, when used correctly in the post flop for Texas Hold’Em, it can reap dividends.

So, for example, if you are a novice player, trying to bluff when you have a one pair may hold little value if you don’t have much of an idea as to what you are doing. Instead, bide your time, and bluff when the time necessitates.

More experienced players will look out for telltale signs that seem to suggest you are bluffing, and overbluffing will count against you. Also, it is worth semi-bluffing with draws such as an 8 and 5 of diamonds depending on what the overcard is on the board.

Fast Play strong hands

Poker is a zero sum game, but it can also be very tactical, in terms of when to reveal cards at the showdown.

But if the cards are dealt, and you have some strong hands, then you ought to show them to build the pot and protect your equity.

Slow playing after the cards are dealt may show some signs of weakness as you might not be tight enough in terms of range.

Protect the big blind with the right hands

The big blind occupies a special position on the table when you play poker. For example, you may have the same highest pair as another player, while you are sitting in the big blind, and so you may have better pot odds if you decide to call from this position.

That doesn’t necessarily mean you show toss cards, such as the 9 of Spades and 5 of Diamonds into the muck, however, borderline cards such as King of Spades and 9 of Diamonds as well as Queen of Hearts and 6 of Hearts could become more playable in certain situations.

Ultimately, how you defend in the big blind will depend on a few factors, such as how many players there are in the hand as well as stack sizes. With short stack sizes, fewer speculative hands are shown, and the priority is revolved around hand strength.

Fold if in doubt

If you are unsure about a certain hand, it is best to surrender and minimise your losses rather than try to limp to the latter betting rounds, and get caught out by a big fish.

Sometimes, calling too often can be a downfall for many poker players, but folding without realising the extent of your hands can also be just as foolish.

If anything, if you are holding pocket pairs, such as two 10s, then let things unfold, otherwise, you will forfeit your chance to get your hands on the pot.

Be more aggressive when the opportunity allows

Poker is just about cultivating an image as it is about playing the game. We will have heard the term poker face, and those who show little emotions won’t be giving much away. In many respects, poker is a guessing game.

So, if your opponent is showing some signs of weakness, a more aggressive approach could be the key to success. For example, if you have ace jack suited or ace queen suited cards, then you shouldn’t hesitate to put these cards down and put your opponent on the back foot.

Survival goes out of the window

If you take things up a notch and participate in a tournament as opposed to competing in regular cash games, going into survival mode won’t help you.

Instead, if you are going to finish in the money, you will need to at least double your stack size, and take a more robust approach with your cards, especially if you have certain pocket pairs, these should be played.

Those who play merely to survive will be found wanting come the turn or the river.

Don’t throw down cards for the sake of it

We touched upon how slow play can sometimes come back to haunt players. However, as mentioned, you need to adopt some kind of tactics or strategy to put down your best hands at the best possible time.

While it can be easy to tilt or show frustration when spending time at the poker table, sometimes putting down two random cards won’t help you such as a 6 and a 5.

Think about how you are going to construct or assemble a hand, such as three of a kind or a straight. You need to plot a path from the pre flop stage through to the later streets, and you need to show some savvy if you are going to grab money at the end of a game.

CONCLUSION

So, there we have it. Texas Holdem is a vibrant and action-packed game with so many opportunities. And as you will have seen from the poker hand rankings, there are plenty of monster hands that can be used to propel yourself into a winning position such as flushes of the royal variety and a straight flush.

Of course, you should spend some time studying various techniques and using sophisticated poker software so you can memorise particular hands you want to get. With Texas Hold’Em, you need to use matrix charts to see what your possible outs are, and how you can put together a sequence that will put your opponent on the back foot.

Inevitably, the higher the card ranking you are trying to achieve, you will need to factor in more possibilities. But as this guide has demonstrated if you can apply some sensible tactics, then you will be better off in the long term. We hope you have enjoyed reading this guide, and that it has inspired you for future poker games.