Reference
Starting hands chart
A beginner-friendly Texas Hold'em starting-hand chart. Play tight from early seats; widen as you near the button. Print it, keep it beside you.
| Tier | Hands | How to play it |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | AA, KK, QQ, AKs | Raise from any position. Re-raise happily. |
| Strong | JJ, TT, AQs, AKo, AQo | Open-raise from most seats. Strong but not unbeatable. |
| Playable | 99–22, AJ, ATs, KQ, KJs, QJs, JTs, suited connectors | Situational. Prefer late position; fold to heavy early-position aggression. |
| Trash | Weak offsuit hands: J4o, 92o, Q7o, and the rest | Fold. Patience is the play. |
Notation
| AA | A pair (any two suits). |
| AKs | Suited — both cards the same suit (can make a flush). |
| AKo | Offsuit — different suits. |
| 99–22 | Every pair from nines down to deuces. |
Two rules that carry most of the value: (1) fold the large majority of hands before the flop; (2) the later your seat, the more hands you can play. Tight early, loose late.