Texas Hold'em Starting Hands: The Complete Preflop Guide

Last updated: April 28, 2026

Choosing which hands to play preflop is the foundation of winning poker. Play too many hands and you bleed chips. Play too few and you give up value. The goal is a range calibrated to your position, stack depth, and opponents.

This guide covers all 169 distinct starting hand types, organized by tier with concrete action lines, a full 13×13 range grid, and position-specific open ranges.

Definitions

Starting Hand
Your two private hole cards before the flop in Texas Hold'em.
Suited
Both hole cards share the same suit, which slightly improves equity because flushes become possible.
Premium Hand
A top-tier preflop holding such as AA, KK, QQ, JJ, or AK suited that should almost always be played aggressively.

Starting Hand Tiers

Premiumtop 2% of hands
AAKKQQJJAKs
Action:Raise/re-raise from any position, any stack depth.
Strongtop 7% of hands
TT99AQsAJsKQsQJsAKo
Action:Open from most positions. Call 3-bets in position.
Playabletop 15% of hands
8877ATsKJsJTsT9sAQoKQo
Action:Open from late position (CO, BTN). Fold to 3-bets out of position.
Marginaltop 25% of hands
66–22A9s–A2sKTs–K9sQ9s+suited connectors 76s+Axo
Action:Situational. Position and stack depth matter. Fold to significant action.

Preflop Range Grid

Diagonal = pairs. Upper-right triangle = suited hands. Lower-left triangle = offsuit hands.

Premium
Strong
Playable
Marginal
Fold
A
K
Q
J
T
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
A
K
Q
J
T
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2

Grid is based on a standard 100BB cash game. Adjust ranges for tournament play and stack depth.

Open Raise Ranges by Position

These are approximate ranges for a 9-handed cash game at 100BB. Tighten in lower-stakes games with passive opponents; widen against recreational players.

PositionOpen RangeKey Hands
UTG (9-handed)~15%Premium + Strong
UTG+1/2~18%+ Some playable
MP~22%+ Suited connectors
CO~28%+ More Axs, K9s+
BTN~40%Widest range
SB~35%Tighter (OOP postflop)
BBDefend ~40%Pot odds dependent

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best starting hand in poker?

Pocket Aces (AA) is the best starting hand in Texas Hold'em — it is a statistical favorite against any other hand. However, AA can still lose, especially in multiway pots where opponents can flop straights or flushes. Always play it aggressively preflop to narrow the field.

Should I always play pocket pairs?

No. Small pocket pairs (22–66) are best played for 'set value' — you're hoping to hit three of a kind on the flop. From early position against multiple opponents, or when facing a 3-bet, small pairs are often a fold. Position and implied odds determine whether they're worth playing.

What does 'suited' mean and how much does it matter?

Suited means both hole cards share the same suit (e.g. A♠ K♠). Being suited adds roughly 3–4% equity versus the same hand offsuit, primarily because it opens up flush possibilities. AKs vs AKo is about 67% vs 65% equity against a random hand — a real but small edge.

How tight should I play from early position?

From UTG in a 9-handed game, stick to roughly a 15–18% range: Premium hands (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs) and Strong hands (TT, 99, AQs, AJs, KQs, AKo). Playing too wide from early position means you'll often be out of position post-flop against every other player at the table.

Can I ever fold AA preflop?

Theoretically yes, but it is extremely rare and only relevant in specific tournament spots — for example, when multiple players are all-in before you and the ICM situation makes folding profitable. In cash games, folding AA preflop is virtually never correct. In practice, always get your money in with aces.

See How Your Starting Hand Performs

Run any preflop matchup through the RiverOdds calculator and get instant equity numbers.

Open the Odds Calculator