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. He is also the host of the CardsChat Podcast, co-host of Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast, and creator of the Poker Notes Live mobile app.
Robbie received the 2018 Global Poker Award for Charitable Initiative of the Year.
Connect with Robbie on Twitter @cardplayerlife, or via email: robbie@cardplayerlifestyle.com.
