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In this article, you can see a good list of playable hole cards for Texas Hold’Em. If these hole cards are not on this list, you can fold and hold for the next hand.

Best possible hole cards:

· Pair Aces

· Pair Kings

· Ace- King same suite

· Pair Queens

· Pair Jacks

If you get any of this short list as your hole cards raise it once, and depending on how other FullTiltPoker.net players react, you might want to raise it again. Odds are that you have the strongest hand before the flop. You raise once to drive out the draw hands especially if no one else raises. A second raise can help put other players in doubt about what it is you got.

Strong or Solid hole cards:

· Ace-Queen, Ace-Jack, Ace-10 same suite

· Ace-King same or different suites

· King-Queen of the same suite

· Pair 10s

· King-Jack, Queen-Jack, Jack-10 same suite

· Ace-Queen, Ace Jack different suites

· Pair 9s

· King-Queen different suites

· King-10, Queen same suite

These are strong cards with good Straight, Flush and Straight Flush potential as well as high face cards. With such cards, look to raise in the middle or late in the hand but only if no one else has raised before you. A re-raise from a late position indicates some poker online player who has you beat on the cards or bluffing and trying to take the blinds and antes.

Decent Hole Cards:

· Pair 8s

· Jack-9, 10-9 same suite

· Pair 7s

· 9-8, 9-7 same suite

· Ace and another same suite card

· King-Jack, Queen-Jack, Jack-10 same or different suit

Do not raise unless everyone in front has folded as you want to see the flop as cheap as possible with these cards. These cards can be a nightmare to play as they often have a deceptive value of a Straight, Flush or Straight Flush. If you have the reputation of an aggressive player, others will not expect you to make a straight out of a 9-8. Play these hands out occasionally to avoid a “rock-steady” reputation.

Barely Playable Hole Cards:

· 6s and lower pairs

· Connecting same suite cards not previously mentioned

· Ace-10, King-10, Queen-10 same or different suite

· King-9, Queen-9 same suite

Your hole cards will need serious help to become something winnable. If you can get to the flop cheap, it may be worth it due to the Straight and Flush potential. These can also be good bluff hands when on the button for the blinds. These are “pray and play” cards in any hand of Texas Holdem on PokerStars. Just play one or two hands otherwise your chip stack will sink fast.

If you get anything not listed, fold and wait for the next hand. There is no point in throwing good money down the drain. Just remember that hole card strength is a relative indicator to what comes up during the Flop, River and Turn amongst many other factors.