The first thing a Holdem player should learn
is which cards are worth playing, and which
should be folded. Many beginning players
stay in a hand with cards that have little
or no future, and it ends up showing in
there chip count.
Remember that no two cards alone can
be unbeatable, and once the flop falls
things that once looked good may no longer
be worth pursuing. Still, to give yourself
the best chance to succeed, play only
the premium hands.
The best starting hands are: Large Pairs
- Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks. Even pairs
of tens and nines and eights are high
quality starting hands. Play them.
Aces with suited High Cards - When you
get an Ace with a K,Q,J, or even a ten,
many good things can happen. You already
have high card. If a flush comes, you'll
have the best possible one because of
your ace. High straights, and even a straight
flush is possible with these cards. Play
them.
Suited Faces Cards and Tens - While
it's nicer to have an ace in the hole,
suited face cards are playable hands.
They hold a lot of potential including
high pair with a strong kicker, straights,
and flushes.
Aces with unsuited High Cards - Aces
with an unsuited partner can still give
you top pair with a high kicker, or a
high straight. Because other players may
also have an ace, the strength of the
second card in your hand is important.
If two players tie, that second card,
or 'kicker' will decide the winner. This
is why A-10 is a playable hand, and A-6
is not. (A-10 can also turn into a high
straight). So while aces are highly sought
after, do not feel the need to play every
hand in which you are dealt an ace.
King with Face Card - A King with a
Queen, or with a Jack is a playable hand.
But, it is not as strong as you may think.
Still, two face cards rank high enough
that seeing the flop is often a good idea.
These are the strongest starting hands
in a Texas Holdem game. Other hands are
playable depending on the circumstances
at the table, but beginners may want to
stick to playing only these premium hands
until they understand the game more fully.
Playing these hands will not guarantee
that you will be a winner. Poker doesn't
work that way. Even pairs of Aces get
beaten. But, if you want to win a pot,
finding any of the cards listed on the
chart in your hand is a good place to
start. this article compliments of http://www.pokerprophet.com
