In the poker game Texas hold 'em, a player's hand consists of two hole cards, which belong solely to the player and remain hidden from the other players. Five community cards are also dealt into play. Betting begins before any of the community cards are exposed, and continues throughout the hand.

The player's "playing hand", which will be compared against that of each competing player, is the best 5-card poker hand available from his two hole cards and the five community cards.

Unless otherwise specified, here the term hand applies to the player's two hole cards, or starting hand.

Essentials

There are (52 × 51)/2 = 1,326 distinct possible combinations of two hole cards from a standard 52-card deck in hold 'em, but since suits have no relative value in poker, many of these hands are identical in value before the flop. For example, A♣J♣ and A♥J♥ are identical, because each is a hand consisting of an ace and a jack of the same suit. There are 169 nonequivalent starting hands in hold 'em (13 pocket pairs, 13 × 12 / 2 = 78 suited hands and 78 unsuited hands; 13 + 78 + 78 = 13 × 13 = 169). These 169 hands are not equally likely. Hold 'em hands are sometimes classified as having one of three "shapes":

• Pairs, (or "pocket pairs"), which consist of two cards of the same rank (e.g. 9♠9♣). One hand in 17 will be a pair, each occurring with individual probability 1/221 (P(pair) = 3/51 = 1/17).

• Suited hands, which contain two cards of the same suit (e.g. A♠6♠). Four hands out of 17 will be suited, and each suited configuration occurs with probability 2/663 (P(suited) = 12/51 = 4/17).

• Offsuit hands, which contain two cards of different suit and rank (e.g. K♠J♥). Twelve out of 17 hands will be nonpair, offsuit hands, each of which occurs with probability 2/221 (P(offsuit non-pair) = 3*(13-1)/51 = 12/17).

It is typical to abbreviate suited hands in hold 'em by affixing an "s" to the hand, as well as to abbreviate non-suited hands with an "o" (for offsuit). That is,

QQ represents any pair of queens,

AK (or, sometimes, AKo) represents any ace and king of different suits, and

JTs represents any jack and ten of the same suit.

Specific hands

Pocket Aces (A♠A♣)

The most powerful starting hand in hold 'em is AA, a pair of aces. This hand is also known as "Bullets", "American Airlines" and "Pocket Rockets". Pocket aces are often played aggressively, for a variety of reasons: First, it is automatically stronger than any starting hand. Second, it is impossible for the flop to bring overcards. Most importantly, however, AA plays well in virtually any situation, whether the game is short-handed or a full table, whether many or few players see the flop, and regardless of the style of play (loose/passive, tight/aggressive). For example, A♣A♥ is highly profitable, a huge 50.5% favorite to win the pot against the K♠Q♠, 7♣7♥, and 5♦6♦ if all 4 players stay in the hand until the river. In this case, the aces would win about 1 out of 2 times, while getting an excellent 1 to 3 return on all bets.

Big Slick (A♠K♠ or A♠K♣)

The hands AKs and AK are both known, commonly, as "Big Slick". According to David Sklansky in Hold 'Em Poker for Advanced Players, in a full limit game with 8-10 players, the suited ace-king is the fourth-best starting hand; the unsuited is the tenth. This evaluation may change dramatically in other situations. For example, heads up, AK (suited or not) is just a slight underdog against a lower pocket pair. AK is not a "made" hand, in the sense that, before the flop (unlike a pocket pair), it has not made a pair. Against a small number of opponents, however, it will often be the strongest starting hand, and it will often be able to win the showdown without improvement (that is, without pairing).

The tendency of weaker players to overplay this hand has recently earned it a new nick name: "Anna Kournikova," after the well-known female tennis player who is known for her good looks but whose record as a professional was mediocre. Or, as some commentators put it, "It looks good but never wins."

Pocket Kings (K♠K♣)

This hand is commonly rated second most powerful opening hand in hold 'em. Often referred to as "Pocket Cowboys", "Men", and "Ace magnets".

Pocket Queens (Q♣Q♠)

Commonly known as "Ladies". Occasionally "Girls with curls", "Dykes", "Siegfried and Roy", "Pocket Bitches", "Angels" and "the Hilton Sisters".

Pocket Jacks (J♥J♠)

Commonly known as "Fishhooks," "Johnnies," or "Jokers". Commonly regarded as the most difficult pocket pair to play as it is a Top 10 premium hand, but deproves rapidly after an unfavorable flop with overcards (e.g., Q♥ A♦ 5♣).

Pocket Tens (10♣10♠)

Commonly known as "Dimes," "Box Cars," or "Tension."

Pocket Nines (9♣9♠)

Commonly called "Wayne Gretzky" (after his jersey number) and "Get Smart" (after Agent 99 in the television series).

Pocket Eights (8♣8♠)

Referring to the appearance of the eights, commonly known as "Snowmen" or "Frog Eyes". In No-Limit tournament play, pocket pairs from 8♣8♠ and below are often in "race" situations with two overcards (e.g. A♠Q♥). In these situations, players usually have moved all their chips in preflop, meaning that all betting ceases and the community is dealt with pocket cards face-up. The chance of the pocket pair winning the showdown is very close to 50/50, although the pair usually is a slight favorite. Therefore, these race situations are also known as "coin flips."

Pocket Sevens (7♠7♦)

Again referencing appearance of the sevens, commonly known as "Walking Sticks" or "Hockey Sticks."

Pocket Fives (5♥5♦)

Commonly known as "Speed Limit" (55 miles per hour was the U.S. national speed limit through the 1970s and 1980s), "Nickels", and "Presto".

Pocket Fours (4♥4♦)

Commonly known as "Sailboats" or "Eastwoods", in reference to Dirty Harry's .44 magnum. Also called "Midlife Crisis" at times.

Seven-Deuce (7♠2♣)

Seven-deuce offsuit (7♠2♣), is generally considered to be the worst possible starting hand; it is the lowest-ranking offsuit hand that cannot use both cards in a straight. In some simulations resembling a multi-player game, 72 has been shown to be the worst statistical hand possible. It is a favorite "textbook example" of a terrible starting hand. Other so-called "garbage" hands include the J♣2♥, 9♣4♦, and the 10♦6♠.

Interestingly, however, the 7♠2♣, though perhaps contrary to common perception, has about a 1 in 3 chance against the A♦K♠ (The Big Slick) heads up before the flop, or any other two overcards. The chances of the seven or the two pairing in the community, as well as miracle 4-flushing or 4-straighting are about 50 % (as can be seen from the 50-50 model of an underpair vs. two overcards), but the AK of course has the advantage at times when there is no help for either side, or when both sides pair. Countless players will fold the 7♠2♣ late in a tounament to a big raise, while calling with hands like the J♥10♥ and the K♦9♦, which statistically are only slightly better heads up vs. two overcards. However, these hands are more likely to garner a favorable flop, which opens up possibilities for outplaying the opponent.

For more details on the nuances of hold 'em starting hands, please see the main article on the game.

Nicknames of other starting hands

Nowadays, it is hard to get a starting hand without it having some sort of nickname. Below is a list of starting hands with known aliases. (Please note that some of these names may be deemed offensive and are only listed here for reference purposes).

• Q♣Q♠

Ladies, Broads, Whores, (and just about any other slang or derogatory term for women), Hilton Sisters, Siegfried & Roy, Swinging Udders, Mop Squeezers, Dykes, Canadian Rockets

• J♥J♠

Fish Hooks, Johnnies

• T♥T♠

Dimes, Boxcars, Tension

• 9♥9♠

Wayne Gretzky, Get Smart

• 8♥8♠

Octopuses, Snowmen, Dogballs, Double Infinity

• 7♥7♠

Sunset Strip, Hockey Sticks, Walking Sticks

• 6♥6♠

Route 66, Clickety Click (bingo reference)

• 5♣5♥

Nickels, Speed Limit, Presto

• 4♥4♠

Mid-life Crisis, Magnum, Sailboats, Luke Skywalker ("May the fours be with you")

• 3♥3♠

Crabs

• 2♥2♠

Ducks

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(Note: Unless otherwise mentioned, suit does not matter for the following hands)

• AK

Big Slick, Anna Kournikova (Looks pretty but never wins)

• AQ

Walking back to Houston (Due to the tendency of overplaying this hand), Big Chick, Little Slick

• AJ

Ajax, Blackjack, A.J. Foyt

• A8

Dead man's hand

• KQ (Suited)

Marriage

• KQ (Offsuit)

Mixed Marriage, An Affair

• K9

Canine, Dog / Doggie, Fido

• K3

King Crab

• QJ

Maverick

• Q3

Gay Waiter, San Francisco Busboy (a queen with a trey)

• J5

Motown (Jackson 5)

• J4

Flat Tire

• T5

Five and Dime, Woolworth

• T2

Texas Dolly, Doyle Brunson

• 69 (Suited)

Prom Night, Valentines' Day (if in hearts)

• 69 (Off suit)

Big Lick, Dinner for Two, Happy Meal (and just about any other reference to the sex act).

• 95

Dolly Parton

• 92

Poco

• 72

Hammer

• 53

Kansas Turnpike (for I-35), Herbie the love bug

• 52

James and the Giant Peach, Bomber

External links

• Percentage of Pots Won with Hold'em Hands Ranked by Percent
• More Detailed look at Starting Hand Statistics

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