Top 10 starting hands in Texas Hold ‘Em
Some people might disagree with me but hey this is my blog.
1. Ace-Ace
A pair of aces, also known as “pocket rockets” (and sometimes “American Airlines”) is the best starting hand for Texas Hold ‘Em.
2. King-King
Second on the list is a pair of kings, also known as “cowboys” or “King Kong.”
3. Queen-Queen
A pair of queens, also known as “ladies,” rounds out the top three best starting hands for Texas Holdem Poker.
4. Ace-King (suited)
This is where people start to disagree. A suited ace-king, also known as “big slick,” is my pick as the fourth best starting hand for Texas Hold ‘Em.
5. Ace-Queen (suited)
The suited “big chick,” or “little slick,” the nicknames given to a pocket ace-queen, is fifth on the list.
6. Jack-Jack
A pair of jacks — also known as “hooks” or “fishhooks” — checks in at number six on my list.
7. King-Queen (suited)
A suited royal couple, king-queen, is next in the list of Texas Hold ‘Em Poker’s most powerful starting hands.
8. Ace-Jack (suited)
Nicknamed “blackjack” for obvious reasons, and sometimes called “ajax,” the ace-jack combo rates eighth.
9. Ace-King (offsuit)
Only one offsuit non-pair makes it into my list of the top 10 best starting hands for Texas Holdem Poker — the “big slick,” an ace-king.
10. 10-10
This is the only starting hand in the top 10 without a face card: a pair of tens (aka “dimes”). Some players believe that a suited king-jack is a stronger starting hand.
About Robbie StrazynskiRobbie founded the Cardplayer Lifestyle poker blog in 2009.
Having quite literally learned how to play poker around the kitchen table as a child, "living a Cardplayer Lifestyle" is something that he's always aspired to. After having worked as a copywriter and marketing professional in the online gaming industry for a number of years, Robbie transitioned to become self-employed in the poker media industry in March 2017.
Robbie translated Pulling The Trigger: The Autobiography of Poker Pro Eli Elezra, from Hebrew into English.
Robbie is also the host of the Red Chip Poker Podcast, co-host of PokerNews' Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast and creator of the Poker Notes Live mobile app.
Connect with Robbie on Twitter @cardplayerlife, or via email: robbie@cardplayerlifestyle.com.
