Level 2 · Lesson 5

Starting hand selection

The single biggest leak for new players is playing too many hands. Most of the time, the winning move happens before the flop — by folding. After this lesson, you'll fold the hands that lose money and play the ones that win — the discipline that already puts you ahead of most players at the table.

Reading hand notation

Poker writers describe your two hole cards in shorthand:

• AA — a pair of aces (any two suits).
• AKs — ace-king suited (both the same suit).
• AKo — ace-king offsuit (different suits).

Suited hands are slightly stronger than their offsuit versions, because they can make flushes. There are 169 distinct starting hands in Hold'em — but only a fraction are worth playing.

The premium tiers

A practical way to rank starting hands for a beginner:

1. PremiumAA, KK, QQ, AKs — raise these from anywhere.
2. StrongJJ, TT, AQs, AKo — strong opens in most seats.
3. Playable99–22, AJ, KQs, suited connectors like JTs — situational, better in late position.
4. TrashMost everything else: weak offsuit hands (J4o, 92o). Fold and wait.

Keep the full starting-hand chart open while you play your first sessions.

Why position changes everything

The same hand isn't worth the same from every seat. In early position you have many players still to act behind you, so you play only your strongest hands. On the button — acting last — you can profitably open many more hands, because position gives you the edge you'll study in the next lesson. A rough rule: play tight early, loosen up late.

Heads-up is different

Playing one-on-one (heads-up)? Hand values shoot up because there's only one opponent to beat. Hands you'd fold at a full table — any ace, any pair, many suited hands — become raises. The fewer the players, the wider you play.

Check yourself — no peeking

Answer each from memory. Retrieving the answer is what builds lasting recall.