No matter your level of poker expertise, understanding the best hands to play can make a major impact on your game. However, it’s essential to note that hand rankings vary based on factors like table position and opponent numbers in play.
Pocket Aces
After spending hours looking down at your hands, you finally get dealt a pair of pocket aces – one of the most impressive poker hands combinations.
But just because you are dealt pocket aces does not guarantee victory and the pot. To truly excel at pocket aces, you need to learn how to play them correctly and strategically.
Many players make the common error of slow-playing their pocket aces before the flop. This can be a costly error, as it often results in losses of considerable funds.
Pocket Kings
Pocket Kings are one of the top poker hands in Texas Hold’em, ranking second only to pocket aces as a starting hand.
But they can also lead players into financial ruin at the tables. Many novice gamblers become complacent with believing that they deserve to win every time they’re dealt kings.
They continue to raise pre-flop and bet on the flop even though they have a weak hand against an opponent’s range. They fail to recognize that there is a high likelihood that their opponent could make higher pairs than them.
Playing this hand with great caution can result in massive losses, so be extra cautious.
Ace-King Suit
Ace-King Suit, commonly referred to as Big Slick, is one of the top five poker hands you can have. Unlike its peers, it doesn’t form a pocket pair but still plays well and can be used for winning large pots.
Preflop, this hand is usually a good one to raise with, but it also has the potential for 3betting (re-raising vs an initial raise) in many situations for added value. With about 50% equity against most pairs QQ or below, it makes for an excellent option in tournaments when stack sizes are limited.
Ace-King Offsuit
Ace-King, otherwise known as “Big Slick”, is one of the premier poker hands to play. Its strength lies mainly in its capacity for drawing flushes and straights – making it an excellent starting hand for Texas Hold’em players.
King is an ideal kicker, making it a good option to have in your stack. Additionally, this hand is strong for heads up battles and single-way pots (pots with only one opponent).
Ace-King offsuit is a strong Texas Hold’em starting hand, though not as strong as ace-queen or king-queen. Additionally, it’s more vulnerable to an overcard (any card from 10 through ace) appearing on the board, making it tougher to call with on the flop. A strong pre-flop raise or re-raise gives you a chance at taking control of the situation and potentially winning the round.
Pocket Tens
Pocket Tens, or Dimes as they’re commonly known, are one of the premier poker hands in Texas Hold’em. Not only that but they make for an excellent preflop hand that can rival even strong starting hands like KK, QQ and JJ with ease.
However, they should be treated with some caution when the flop hits and the board appears hazardous. This is because their high percentage of losing to random cards and low chances of winning if paired on the flop are considered.
Tens are still a viable option in multi-way pots and should be 3-bet or 4-bet in late position battles against aggressive 3-bettors. When facing off against a tight 4-bet range that only contains QQ+ and AK, tens have over 36% equity.
