Poker hands: ranking, kickers and the best starting hands

Poker hands are the essence of the game of poker! Whether you are an absolute beginner just learning the rules or a player who wants to deepen his knowledge, one thing is absolutely crucial: knowing these poker hands. Without this fundamental understanding, you simply cannot play, let alone win. The value of your card combination determines who wins the pot, and making mistakes in reading the hands can cost you dearly.

So shuffle the imaginary cards, take a seat at the table, and prepare to take your knowledge of poker hands to the next level!

The Official Ranking of Poker Hands

It is essential to know this ranking by heart. During a game, you must be able to quickly assess how strong your poker hands are relative to the possible hands of your opponents. Practice makes perfect, and the more you play, recognizing these combinations will become second nature.

Both the same hand? The Role of Kickers and Tiebreakers

In many poker situations, especially in games like Texas Hold'em where players deal common cards, it is quite common for multiple players to have the same kind of poker hands. For example, two players may both have a Pair of Aces, or both have Two Pairs. When this happens, it takes a system to determine which of them is the winner. This is where "kickers" and other "tiebreakers" come into play.

A kicker is a card in your final five-card hand that is not part of the primary scoring combination (such as a pair, trips, or quads), but is used to break ties between hands of the same rank. The kicker is literally the "spare card" that can make the difference.

Let's look at the specific cases where kickers and tiebreakers apply:

One Pair (One Pair):

This is the most common situation where a kicker is crucial. If two players have the same pair, the winner is determined by the highest of their remaining three cards (the kickers).

• Example:

• Player A has: A♥ A♠ K♣ 7♦ 2♥

• Player B has: A♦ A♣ Q♠ 9♥ 5♣

• Both players have a Pair of Aces. Player A's remaining cards are K♣, 7♦, 2♥. Player B's remaining cards are Q♠, 9♥, 5♣.

• We compare the highest kickers: K♣ vs. Q♠. Because King is higher than Queen, Player A wins the pot.

• If the highest kickers are equal, compare the second highest kickers. If those are also equal, you compare the third kicker. If all three kickers are identical (meaning that both players' remaining three cards are the same, such as by common cards), the pot is dealt.

Two Pair:

If two players have the same two pair, the winner is determined by the kicker.

• Example:

• Player A has: K♠ K♥ 8♦ 8♣ A♥

• Player B has: K♣ K♦ 8♠ 8♥ Q♠

• Both players have Kings and Eights as their two pair.

• We look at the fifth card, the kicker: A♥ vs. Q♠. Because Ace is higher than Queen, Player A wins.

• If the two pairs are different, the winner is determined by the highest pair. If the highest pairs are equal, the one with the second highest pair wins. Only if the two pairs are identical (as in the example above) does the kicker come into play.

Three of a Kind:

If two players have Three of a Kind of the same value, the winner is determined by the kickers. This can only happen if the Three of a Kind is on the board as common cards.

• Example:

• Board: 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ K♣ 2♠

• Player A has: A♥ Q♦ (his best 5 cards are 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ K♣ A♥)

• Player B has: Q♥ J♠ (his best 5 cards are 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ K♣ Q♥).

• Both players have Three of a Kind Sevens. The board delivers two kickers (K♣ and 2♠). Player A's kickers are A♥ and K♣ (from the 7 cards, he chooses the best 5: 777KA). Player B's kickers are Q♥ and K♣ (from the 7 cards he chooses the best 5: 777KQ).

• We compare players' kickers next to the Three of a Kind and community kickers. Player A has an Ace as kicker, Player B has a Queen as kicker. Ace > Queen, so Player A wins.

• Important nuance with Three of a Kind: Usually the one with the higher Three of a Kind wins (8-8-8 beats 7-7-7). Kickers only come into play if the Three of a Kind is of the same value, which usually means that the three cards of that value are on the board as common cards. In that case, the two highest other cards (of the remaining four cards of the combination of board + player's hand) determine the winner as kickers.

Four of a Kind (Carré):

If two players have Four of a Kind of the same value, the winner is determined by the kicker. As with Three of a Kind, this can only happen if the four cards of that value are on the board.

• Example:

• Board: 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ 9♣ K♥

• Player A has: A♠ 2♦ (his best 5 cards are 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ 9♣ A♠)

• Player B has: Q♥ J♣ (his best 5 cards are 9♠ 9♥ 9♦ 9♣ K♥)

• Both players have Four of a Kind Nines. Player A's kicker is A♠ (out of 7 cards, he chooses the best 5: 9999A). Player B's kicker is K♥ (out of 7 cards, he chooses the best 5: 9999K).

• Ace > King, so Player A wins.

• Important nuance with Four of a Kind: Usually the one with the higher Four of a Kind wins (10-10-10-10 beats 9-9-9-9). Kickers are relevant only if the Four of a Kind is on the board.

Other Tiebreakers (for hands without specific kickers):

For hands such as Straights, Flushes, Straight Flushes, Royal Flushes and High Card, there is no separate "kicker" as with pairs or trips. Instead, the winner is determined by the height of the cards that make up the hand, compared from high to low.

• Straight Flush / Straight: The Straight Flush or Straight with the highest top card wins. An A-2-3-4-5 Straight (a "wheel") is the lowest Straight. A 10-J-Q-K-A Straight (the Royal Flush if it is of the same suit) is the highest. If the top cards are equal, the Straights are identical and the pot is shared.

• Full House: The Full House with the highest Three of a Kind wins. If the Three of a Kind is identical, the Full House with the highest pair wins.

• Flush: The Flush with the highest card wins. If the highest cards are identical, you look at the second highest card, then the third, fourth and fifth cards. If all five cards of the Flush are identical (which is only possible if the Flush is completely on the board), the pot is dealt.

• High Card: The hand with the highest card wins. If the highest cards are equal, you look at the second highest, then the third, fourth and fifth cards. If all five cards are identical (which is only possible if the best hand is completely on the board), the pot is dealt.

The "Board Plays" Situation:

It is crucial to understand that in Texas Hold'em the best poker hands are formed from the combination of your two hole cards and the five community cards. Sometimes the best hand can consist solely of the five community cards.

• Example:

• Board: A♠ K♦ Q♣ J♥ 10♠ (this is a Royal Flush of spades)

• Player A has: 2♥ 3♣

• Player B has: 4♦ 5♠

• The best 5-card hand for Player A is the Royal Flush on the board.

• The best 5-card hand for Player B is the Royal Flush on the board.

• In this case, both players have exactly the same best hand, which is completely on the board. Their own cards (2♥ 3♣ and 4♦ 5♠) do not improve the hand. The pot is dealt. This is a situation where "the board plays" ("the board plays").

Correctly identifying kickers and tiebreakers is just as important as knowing the basic ranking of poker hands. Misunderstanding this can lead to incorrect decisions during betting and to claiming a pot unfairly. Take the time to go through the examples and practice with different scenarios. Mastering this aspect of poker will significantly improve your game.

The Best Starting Hands in Texas Hold'em Poker

Texas Hold'em is the most popular poker game in the world. In this game, you are dealt two "hole cards," which only you can see. Then, throughout the hand, five "community cards" are placed face-up on the table in three stages: the flop (3 cards), the turn (1 card), and the river (1 card). Your final poker hand is the best combination of five cards you can make with your two hole cards and the five community cards.

Your two hole cards, also called your "starting hand," are your starting point. The quality of your starting hand is one of the most important factors in determining how to play a hand - whether to bet aggressively, call quietly, or fold immediately. Choosing the right starting hands to play with is fundamental to long-term success in Texas Hold'em. Playing too many weak hands is one of the fastest ways to lose your chips.

Below we discuss the different categories of starting hands in Texas Hold'em and why they are considered strong or weak. Remember that the value of a starting hand also depends on your position at the table (early, middle, late), the action in front of you (did someone raise?), the size of the stacks, and the dynamics at the table. However, these are the generally accepted strong starting hands.

Category 1: Premium Starting Hands (The Crème de la Crème)

These hands are the very strongest, and you almost always want to play them, regardless of your position or the action in front of you (unless there are extreme circumstances, such as an all-in bet from a very large stack that jeopardizes your entire tournament life). They have the potential to form very strong poker hands.

• AA (Pocket Aces): Two Aces. This is by far the best starting hand in Texas Hold'em. You start with the highest pair possible. You are a favorite against almost every other hand. The goal is often to get as many chips into the pot as possible while being the likely winner.

• KK (Pocket Kings): Two Kings. The second best starting hand. Only AA is stronger. Very powerful and you want to play them aggressively. Beware though if an Ace appears on the flop; then your hand will have dropped significantly in value.

• QQ (Pocket Women): Two Women. Still a very strong hand. As with KK, be careful if an Ace or King comes on the flop.

• AKs (Ace-King Suited): An Ace and a King of the same suit (e.g., A♥ K♥). Although only a "High Card" before the flop, this hand has tremendous potential. You have the chance to make the best possible Flush (the "nut flush") or the best possible Straight (the "nut straight"). In addition, you have a chance to make an Ace pair or a King pair, often with the highest kicker. This is a hand often referred to as a "drawing hand" with high equity.

• AKo (Ace-King Offsuit): An Ace and a King of different suits (e.g. A♥ K♠). Still a very strong hand with lots of potential for high pairs, Straights and Flushes (although the Flush is less likely than with AKs). Play this hand aggressively.

Category 2: Strong Starting Hands (Playable, but caution should be taken depending on situation)

These hands are solid and often worth playing, especially in later positions or when you have been called but not raised. They have good potential to form strong poker hands, but are more vulnerable than the premium hands.

• JJ (Pocket Farmers): Two Jacks. Good pair, but vulnerable to overcards (A, K, Q) on the flop. Play them solidly, but be prepared to discard them if the board gets too "scary."

• TT - 99 (Pocket Tens to Nines): Pairs of mid-high value. Great hands to play, especially if you can flop a set (three of a kind). However, without improvement, they are vulnerable to higher pairs and overcards on the board.

• AQs (Ace-Woman Suited): Ace and Queen of the same suit. Good potential for nut flush and high pairs. A solid hand.

• AQo (Ace-Female Offsuit): Ace and Queen of different suits. Good potential for high pairs, but lacks the flush potential of AQs. Slightly weaker.

• AJs (Ace-Back Suited): Ace and Jack of the same suit. Potential for a high flush and pairs.

• KQs (King-Woman Suited): King and Queen of the same suit. Excellent potential for flushes and straights, plus high pairs. A very playable hand.

Category 3: Speculative Starting Hands (Potential, but require the right conditions)

These hands have potential to form very strong poker hands (such as Straights, Flushes or Sets), but often require the flop to be favorable to realize their value. They are most profitable when you can see them at a low price (e.g., limping into an unopened pot) or when you have a large stack and are playing against players with fewer chips (because of the "implied odds" - the profit you expect to make when you hit your hand).

• Suited Connectors (e.g., 7♥ 8♥, 9♠ 10♠, J♣ Q♣): Two consecutive cards of the same suit. Great potential for Straights and Flushes. The higher the cards, the better the hand in general (as they can also form higher pairs), but even low suited connectors (such as 5♦ 6♦) can be very profitable if they hit a Straight or Flush.

• Small Pairs (22 - 88): Low to middle pairs. The main value of these hands lies in flopping a Set (three of a kind). If you hit a set, you usually have a very strong hand that is well hidden. Without a set, these pairs are often not strong enough to win high-stakes pots.

• Axe suited (e.g., A♦ 4♦, A♣ 7♣): An Ace with a lower card of the same suit. Potential for the nut flush, but be careful with pairs of the lower card; an A-4 hand that makes a four-pair has a weak kicker (the Ace is your high card, not your kicker with a four-pair). A "kicker problem" may arise if you play against another Ace with a higher kicker.

Hands to Avoid Mostly (Play them only in exceptional situations)

Most other starting hands are statistically lossy to play regularly, especially from early positions. They rarely have the potential to form the best poker hands and are easily dominated by better starting hands.

• Unequal, unconnected cards (e.g., K♦ 7♣, J♠ 4♥, 9♣ 2♦): These hands have little potential for Straights or Flushes and rarely form a high pair with a good kicker.

• "Gapped" suited cards with little connection (e.g., K♥ 9♥, Q♠ 7♠): Although they have flush potential, they lack the straight potential of suited connectors and often have a kicker problem when they hit a pair.

Strategies for Starting Hands:

• Position is Crucial: Play more hands from late positions (Button, Cutoff) than from early positions. From late positions you have more information about other players' action and can better decide whether to enter the pot.

• Be Aggressive with Strong Hands: Raise with your premium and strong hands to build the pot and force weaker hands to fold.

• Be Careful with Speculative Hands: Play suited connectors and small pairs especially if the pot is unopened (to limp) or if there are already many players in the pot and you have good implied odds. Avoid paying big raises with these hands unless you are sure your opponent often folds on a re-raise.

• Fold is Your Friend: The discipline to fold weak starting hands, especially from early positions, is a hallmark of winning players. You don't have to play every hand!

Mastering starting hands in Texas Hold'em is an ongoing process. Start by strictly playing only the premium and strong hands. As you gain more experience and get better at reading opponents and situations, you can slowly add more speculative hands from favorable positions. The goal is always to make the best poker hands and maximize your profits, and that starts with a solid foundation of starting hand selection.

Conclusion: The Indispensable Knowledge of Poker Hands

Understanding, recognizing and strategically using poker hands is the cornerstone of successful poker. This guide has taken you through the essentials: the universal ranking of hands, the importance of kickers and tiebreakers in a draw, and the strategy behind starting hands in Texas Hold'em.

The ranking of poker hands is a hard rule to know blindly. From the glorious Royal Flush to the humble High Card, each has its place and relative value. Practicing recognizing these combinations on the table is a skill that takes time to develop, but pays rich dividends.

The concept of kickers and tiebreakers adds another layer of complexity that is often overlooked by beginners. Knowing how to determine the winner when players have the same type of hand is crucial to avoiding mistakes and accurately assessing your own hand versus that of your opponents.

Finally, in Texas Hold'em, the path to winning poker hands often begins with the starting hands you choose to play. A selective approach, based on the strength of your cards, your position and the situation at the table, lays the foundation for profitable decisions later in the hand.

Poker is a game of skill, strategy and a bit of luck. But none of those elements can be fully utilized without an in-depth knowledge of poker hands. Invest the time to master these basics. Play practice games, analyze hands and keep learning. With a solid understanding of poker hands, you will be well on your way to becoming a better and more successful poker player.

Good luck at the poker table!