Starting Hands
POKER STRATEGY

The first thing that you must learn in Texas Hold'em is which starting hands are good and which ones should be folded preflop. Although the answer depends on the number of people in the game and the type of game, here is a general guide to use when you are just starting out and want to win at low limits. I suggest starting at a fixed limit of $1-$2 or lower.

Note: the following guidelines are only for fixed-limit Hold'em

Hands to raise with

These are premium hands that you want to jam the pot with preflop:




Hands to call with

You want to see the flop with these hands and then decide what to do. Do not call three bets with these hands; call only one or two.

Next Article: Pot Odds