There are 1,326 two-card combinations in hold'em, grouped into 169 distinct hands once suits are treated as interchangeable. Most of them are not worth playing, and the ones that are depend on the seat they are played from.
This page sets out how those hands are grouped, what separates a playable hand from a profitable one, and the trap that costs beginners the most: hands that look strong but are routinely dominated.
The Groups
| Group | Examples | How it wins | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium pairs | Aces, kings, queens | Usually unimproved, by being best already | Overvalued on connected boards |
| Big broadway | Ace-king, ace-queen | Top pair with the best kicker | Misses the flop two times in three |
| Medium pairs | Jacks down to eights | Flopping a set, or holding up unimproved | Overcards arrive on most flops |
| Small pairs | Sevens down to deuces | Almost entirely by flopping a set | Expensive when played for raises |
| Suited connectors | Nine-eight suited, seven-six suited | Straights, flushes and disguised strength | Second-best draws |
| Suited aces | Ace-five suited, ace-four suited | Nut flushes and wheel straights | Dominated when they pair the ace |
| Offsuit gappers | King-nine, queen-eight | Rarely; mostly a leak | Dominated whenever they connect |
Domination
A hand is dominated when it shares a card with a stronger hand and will usually finish second when that card pairs. It is the reason weak aces and offsuit broadway hands lose money even though they look respectable.
| Hand | Dominated by | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="Ad 9c"] | Ace-king, ace-queen, ace-jack, ace-ten | Pairing the ace makes a second-best top pair |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="Kh Jd"] | Ace-king, king-queen | Pairing either card is frequently behind |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="Qs Qd"] | Aces, kings | Only two hands beat it before the flop |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="8h 7h"] | Nothing, in practice | Rarely shares a card with the hands that raise |
This is why eight-seven suited is a more comfortable hand to play than king-nine offsuit, even though king-nine contains the higher cards. One has clean ways to win; the other wins small pots and loses large ones.
Position Comes First
A hand chart is only meaningful alongside a seat. The same hand can be a clear fold under the gun and a clear raise on the button, and the reason is set out on the position page.
- From early seats, play hands that can stand a raise: large pairs and strong suited broadway cards.
- From middle seats, add medium pairs and the better suited connectors.
- From late seats, open widely when the blinds fold often, and tighten when they fight back.
- From the blinds, remember that every hand after the flop is played out of position.
Common Mistakes
- Playing suited cards because they are suited. Two suited cards flop a flush draw about eleven per cent of the time, and complete it about a third of those.
- Calling raises with small pairs at the wrong price. Sets arrive 11.8% of the time, so the implied reward has to justify the frequency.
- Defending the big blind with hands that make second-best pairs.
- Treating ace-king as a made hand. It is the strongest unpaired hand and still misses the flop most of the time.
The frequencies quoted here come from the same table as the rest of the site — see poker probabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often am I dealt a premium pair?
A specific pair such as aces arrives in 0.45% of deals, and any pair in 5.9%. Waiting only for premium hands means folding the overwhelming majority of the time.
Is ace-king better than a pair of queens?
Before the flop, queens are a modest favourite against ace-king, around 54% to 46% when ace-king is suited. Ace-king is more flexible after the flop, but it is not ahead at the point the money goes in.
How much is being suited worth?
A few percentage points of equity — enough to move a marginal hand into a playable one, not enough to justify playing a hand that would otherwise be a fold.