{"id":1016,"date":"2025-08-11T14:19:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T18:19:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casino.borgataonline.com\/en\/blog\/?p=1016"},"modified":"2025-08-11T14:22:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T18:22:15","slug":"best-texas-holdem-starting-hands-how-to-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.borgataonline.com\/en\/blog\/best-texas-holdem-starting-hands-how-to-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting Hands for Texas Hold\u2019em and How To Play Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Texas Hold\u2019em is undoubtedly the world\u2019s most popular poker variant. Whether you\u2019re playing a <\/strong>cash game or competing in a poker tournament<\/strong><\/a>, this fast, action-packed casino game<\/strong><\/a> can be played at land-based casinos and at Borgata Online. Hold\u2019em, as some call it, is predominantly a game of skill, and making money from it starts with having a solid understanding of the different hands and knowing how to play them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When playing Texas Hold\u2019em, your starting hands are super important, but to really know how to play them well, you need to consider a few other factors. For instance, you need to know hand rankings so you can evaluate your hand\u2019s strength and decide how to play the cards. Your position at the table matters, too, and you need to pay attention to the table dynamics and adjust your strategy accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s our guide to understanding starting hands for Texas Hold\u2019em and how to play them effectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Poker Hand Notation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we get started with the opening hand recommendations in Texas Hold\u2019em games, let\u2019s first start by looking at hand notations in online poker<\/strong><\/a> games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In poker variants, including Hold\u2019em, there are symbols used to describe the diverse hands available. These are pretty simple and straightforward, though, and will become second-nature as you play more online poker. Below are the different annotations you will find:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         S \u2013 suited cards<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         O \u2013 two cards from different suits (offsuit)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         + \u2013 means all hands ranking above the stated hand are included<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, 7-7+ indicates a pair of sevens and any other pairs ranking above it, such as 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, A-A. Pairs 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, and 6-6 are excluded in this example. The same applies to connectors; the + symbol means that similar hands using higher cards are included, so 10-7+ will include 10-8, 10-9, J-10, Q-J, K-Q, and A-K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If symbols that denote suited and unsuited cards aren\u2019t shown, then it\u2019s not important whether the cards are suited or not.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five Best Texas Hold\u2019em Starting Hands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Close-up<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Texas Hold\u2019em poker has 169 different two-card opening hand combinations. The notion is that if your starting hand (of two hole cards) is not a pair, then you will be dealt either connected or unconnected cards or a hand that\u2019s either suited or offsuit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suited hands have cards of the same suit, such as A-5 of hearts, whereas (offsuit) unsuited cards belong to different suits \u2013 K-10 consisting of the king of spades and ten of diamonds. On the other hand, no pun intended, unconnected cards will have one, two, or more gaps (10-7), making it difficult to hit a straight hand, and connected cards make a straight more likely (10-9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to familiarize yourself with the different rankings of Texas Hold\u2019em poker hands<\/strong><\/a> to know which are worth playing and how they change according to your position at the table. For instance, cards such as 7-2 offsuit or 9-4 suited are very weak to even consider past the flop. But strong hands like pocket aces, kings, or queens are most often playable in preflop situations.
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How to Play<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"An<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Texas Hold\u2019em poker, players need to make the best five-card hand possible using any combination of their two hole cards and five community cards. Besides your position at the table, you\u2019ll need to consider other factors, such as the number of players at the table and their playing styles, when deciding on placing your wager preflop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a quick summary of the basic Texas Hold\u2019em rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n