Texas Holdem Rank Hands
Texas Holdem Rank Hands Average ratng: 8,2/10 5264 votes
Rank of Hands
In Texas Hold'em poker, players compare five card hands against each other to determine who wins. A player with a Royal Flush has a better hand than a player with a Full House, for example. Below is a list of standard combinations ranked from best to worst.
Read on to see where your favorite hand really stands on the holdem hierarchy, according to Rank X / 169 and win percentage probability of winning versus nine random hands: Known affectionately as American Airlines, pocket rockets, or simply the bullets, a wired pair of aces is the top starting hand in all of Texas holdem. At the bottom of this page is a comprehensive listing of Texas Hold'em starting hands based on their EV (expected value). Expected value is the average number of big blinds this hand will make or lose. For example: AA from the Small Blind in a $3/$6 game will make, on average, 2.71 times the big blind, or $16.20 per hand (2.71. $6). Now, let's talk about starting hands in Texas Hold'em. Ranking The Top 20 No Limit Texas Hold’em Starting Hands. I wanted to include something a bit more exciting in this article, so here's the top 20 No Limit Hold'em starting hands in terms of raw all-in equity (or percentages).
| Five card sequence, from 10 to the Ace in the same suit. A royal flush is a combination of a flush and a straight ending in the Ace high card. So all the cards are of the same suit, consecutive and have the Ace high card. | |
Straight Flush | Any five card sequence in the same suit. A straight flush is a combination of a flush and a straight. So all the cards are of the same suit, and all are consecutive. Ranking between straights is determined by the value of the high end of the straight. A royal flush is a straight flush that has a high card value of an Ace. |
| All four cards of the same index. Four cards of the same value such as four jacks or four 7's represent the second strongest poker hand. This hand beats everything except a Straight Flush. | |
Full House | Three of a kind combined with a pair. A full house is a combination of three of a kind and a pair. Meaning all five of your cards are a part of a set of either two or three of the same card value (eg. three 7's and two Kings). Ties on a full house are broken by the three of a kind, as you cannot have two equal sets of three of a kind in any single deck. |
| Any five cards of the same suit, but not in sequence. A flush is a hand where all of the cards are the same suit, if each card you have is all one suit, such as 3 of Clubs, 5 of Clubs, 6 of Clubs, 8 of Clubs and King of Clubs, then you have a Flush. Don't be tricked into thinking that all five cards are the same color. The high card determines the winner if two people have a flush. | |
Straight | Five cards in sequence, but not in the same suit. A straight is a hand where all of the cards are consecutive. There is no continuative quality to this poker hand a straight cannot wrap around meaning it is not a straight if you have a Queen, King, Ace, Two or Three. Standard poker rules state that in the case of more than one straight, the higher straight wins, In case of straights that tie, the pot is split. |
| Three cards of the same value. Any three cards with the same value (eg. a 6 of Clubs, a 6 of Spades or a 6 of Diamonds) is considered to be three of a kind. The highest set of three cards wins. | |
Two-pair | Two separate pairs.Two sets of two cards of equal value constitute a hand that has two pairs. As usual the pair with the higher value is used to determine the winner of a tie. |
| One pair of two equal value cards constitutes a pair. | |
High-card | When the hand you are left with has no pairs, is not a straight or a flush then it's relative value is determined by the highest value card. When two players have no pairs, straight, or flush the winner of the tie is determined by the highest value card in the hand. If the highest cards are a tie then the tie is broken by the second highest card. Suits are not used to break ties. |
Introduction
The following table ranks the top hands in an 8-player game. This table assumes that all players stay in until the end.
Explanation of column headings.- Cards: Initial two-card hand.
- Probability of win: Probability that this hand will win, or tie for the win.
- Average win: This is how much the player will win on average, including his own bets, if the player does win. This is less than 8 because sometimes the player will have to split the pot.
- Expected value: This is how many units the player can expected to win (positive) or lose (negative) with this hand. For example if the player had a pair of aces and contibuted $1 to the pot then the player could expect to have a net win of $2.09.
- Probability: Probability of getting this hand to begin with.
- Additive probability: Probability of getting this hand or any stronger hand to begin with.
Initial Hold'em Hands in Rank Order for 8-Player Game
| Cards | Probability of Win | Average Win | Expected Value | Probability | Additive Probability |
| Pair of A's | 39.05% | 7.94 | 2.099 | 0.45% | 0.45% |
| Pair of K's | 33.26% | 7.92 | 1.6328 | 0.45% | 0.9% |
| Pair of Q's | 28.71% | 7.88 | 1.2628 | 0.45% | 1.36% |
| A/K suited | 26% | 7.67 | 0.9953 | 0.3% | 1.66% |
| Pair of J's | 25.13% | 7.84 | 0.9705 | 0.45% | 2.11% |
| A/Q suited | 24.51% | 7.6 | 0.8628 | 0.3% | 2.41% |
| K/Q suited | 23.72% | 7.61 | 0.8043 | 0.3% | 2.71% |
| A/J suited | 23.41% | 7.53 | 0.7616 | 0.3% | 3.02% |
| Pair of T's | 22.32% | 7.79 | 0.7395 | 0.45% | 3.47% |
| A/K unsuited | 22.68% | 7.61 | 0.7264 | 0.9% | 4.37% |
| K/J suited | 22.66% | 7.53 | 0.7073 | 0.3% | 4.68% |
| A/T suited | 22.55% | 7.45 | 0.6803 | 0.3% | 4.98% |
| Q/J suited | 22.1% | 7.52 | 0.6622 | 0.3% | 5.28% |
| K/T suited | 21.87% | 7.47 | 0.633 | 0.3% | 5.58% |
| Q/T suited | 21.38% | 7.45 | 0.5936 | 0.3% | 5.88% |
| J/T suited | 21.26% | 7.44 | 0.5813 | 0.3% | 6.18% |
| A/Q unsuited | 20.98% | 7.51 | 0.5765 | 0.9% | 7.09% |
| Pair of 9's | 19.89% | 7.81 | 0.5527 | 0.45% | 7.54% |
| K/Q unsuited | 20.31% | 7.52 | 0.5281 | 0.9% | 8.45% |
| A/9 suited | 20.28% | 7.39 | 0.4981 | 0.3% | 8.75% |
| A/J unsuited | 19.7% | 7.41 | 0.4607 | 0.9% | 9.65% |
| K/9 suited | 19.5% | 7.42 | 0.4466 | 0.3% | 9.95% |
| A/8 suited | 19.66% | 7.32 | 0.4386 | 0.3% | 10.26% |
| K/J unsuited | 19.1% | 7.43 | 0.4183 | 0.9% | 11.16% |
| Pair of 8's | 18.19% | 7.79 | 0.4164 | 0.45% | 11.61% |
| T/9 suited | 19.18% | 7.38 | 0.4162 | 0.3% | 11.92% |
| Q/9 suited | 19.03% | 7.41 | 0.4107 | 0.3% | 12.22% |
| J/9 suited | 18.96% | 7.4 | 0.4032 | 0.3% | 12.52% |
| A/5 suited | 19.29% | 7.21 | 0.3914 | 0.3% | 12.82% |
| A/7 suited | 19.12% | 7.26 | 0.3883 | 0.3% | 13.12% |
| Q/J unsuited | 18.67% | 7.41 | 0.3832 | 0.9% | 14.03% |
| A/T unsuited | 18.74% | 7.31 | 0.3705 | 0.9% | 14.93% |
| A/4 suited | 18.86% | 7.23 | 0.3638 | 0.3% | 15.23% |
| A/6 suited | 18.62% | 7.22 | 0.3448 | 0.3% | 15.54% |
| A/3 suited | 18.41% | 7.26 | 0.336 | 0.3% | 15.84% |
| K/T unsuited | 18.18% | 7.33 | 0.3328 | 0.9% | 16.74% |
| K/8 suited | 18.05% | 7.33 | 0.3234 | 0.3% | 17.04% |
| Pair of 7's | 16.85% | 7.77 | 0.309 | 0.45% | 17.5% |
| Q/T unsuited | 17.83% | 7.32 | 0.3044 | 0.9% | 18.4% |
| J/T unsuited | 17.86% | 7.3 | 0.3041 | 0.9% | 19.31% |
| A/2 suited | 17.86% | 7.28 | 0.2997 | 0.3% | 19.61% |
| T/8 suited | 17.68% | 7.32 | 0.2949 | 0.3% | 19.91% |
| Q/8 suited | 17.51% | 7.34 | 0.285 | 0.3% | 20.21% |
| J/8 suited | 17.44% | 7.33 | 0.2792 | 0.3% | 20.51% |
| K/7 suited | 17.57% | 7.27 | 0.2777 | 0.3% | 20.81% |
| 9/8 suited | 17.31% | 7.38 | 0.2768 | 0.3% | 21.12% |
| K/6 suited | 17.17% | 7.23 | 0.2413 | 0.3% | 21.42% |
| Pair of 6's | 15.84% | 7.75 | 0.2282 | 0.45% | 21.87% |
| K/5 suited | 16.83% | 7.2 | 0.2117 | 0.3% | 22.17% |
| 8/7 suited | 16.38% | 7.35 | 0.2033 | 0.3% | 22.47% |
| K/4 suited | 16.44% | 7.22 | 0.1869 | 0.3% | 22.78% |
| 9/7 suited | 16.2% | 7.33 | 0.1868 | 0.3% | 23.08% |
| T/7 suited | 16.3% | 7.26 | 0.1827 | 0.3% | 23.38% |
| Q/7 suited | 16.22% | 7.25 | 0.1756 | 0.3% | 23.68% |
| A/9 unsuited | 16.27% | 7.2 | 0.1711 | 0.9% | 24.59% |
| J/7 suited | 16.07% | 7.26 | 0.1662 | 0.3% | 24.89% |
| K/3 suited | 16.06% | 7.26 | 0.1653 | 0.3% | 25.19% |
| Pair of 5's | 14.93% | 7.73 | 0.1542 | 0.45% | 25.64% |
| 7/6 suited | 15.66% | 7.33 | 0.1481 | 0.3% | 25.94% |
| K/2 suited | 15.7% | 7.29 | 0.1446 | 0.3% | 26.24% |
| Q/6 suited | 15.85% | 7.2 | 0.1417 | 0.3% | 26.55% |
| T/9 unsuited | 15.71% | 7.21 | 0.1332 | 0.9% | 27.45% |
| K/9 unsuited | 15.62% | 7.24 | 0.1308 | 0.9% | 28.36% |
| 8/6 suited | 15.37% | 7.3 | 0.1223 | 0.3% | 28.66% |
| Q/5 suited | 15.56% | 7.17 | 0.1158 | 0.3% | 28.96% |
| Pair of 4's | 14.31% | 7.76 | 0.1103 | 0.45% | 29.41% |
| J/9 unsuited | 15.34% | 7.22 | 0.1081 | 0.9% | 30.32% |
| 6/5 suited | 15.12% | 7.32 | 0.1067 | 0.3% | 30.62% |
| Q/9 unsuited | 15.27% | 7.23 | 0.1044 | 0.9% | 31.52% |
| A/8 unsuited | 15.55% | 7.1 | 0.1037 | 0.9% | 32.43% |
| Q/4 suited | 15.16% | 7.2 | 0.0916 | 0.3% | 32.73% |
| 9/6 suited | 14.99% | 7.26 | 0.0891 | 0.3% | 33.03% |
| 5/4 suited | 14.74% | 7.32 | 0.0789 | 0.3% | 33.33% |
| T/6 suited | 15.03% | 7.18 | 0.0785 | 0.3% | 33.63% |
| Pair of 3's | 13.83% | 7.8 | 0.0782 | 0.45% | 34.09% |
| 7/5 suited | 14.74% | 7.29 | 0.0741 | 0.3% | 34.39% |
| Q/3 suited | 14.81% | 7.24 | 0.0721 | 0.3% | 34.69% |
| J/6 suited | 14.92% | 7.17 | 0.0691 | 0.3% | 34.99% |
| Pair of 2's | 13.49% | 7.83 | 0.057 | 0.45% | 35.44% |
| Q/2 suited | 14.46% | 7.28 | 0.0524 | 0.3% | 35.75% |
| A/5 unsuited | 15.1% | 6.95 | 0.0489 | 0.9% | 36.65% |
| A/7 unsuited | 14.94% | 7.01 | 0.0473 | 0.9% | 37.56% |
| J/5 suited | 14.66% | 7.13 | 0.0454 | 0.3% | 37.86% |
| 6/4 suited | 14.07% | 7.33 | 0.0306 | 0.3% | 38.16% |
| 8/5 suited | 14.22% | 7.24 | 0.0303 | 0.3% | 38.46% |
| J/4 suited | 14.28% | 7.16 | 0.0222 | 0.3% | 38.76% |
| A/4 unsuited | 14.63% | 6.96 | 0.0184 | 0.9% | 39.67% |
| 5/3 suited | 13.71% | 7.33 | 0.0049 | 0.3% | 39.97% |
| J/3 suited | 13.92% | 7.2 | 0.0023 | 0.3% | 40.27% |
| A/6 unsuited | 14.39% | 6.95 | 0 | 0.9% | 41.18% |
| T/8 unsuited | 14.07% | 7.11 | -0.0002 | 0.9% | 42.08% |
| K/8 unsuited | 14.01% | 7.09 | -0.0059 | 0.9% | 42.99% |
| 9/5 suited | 13.81% | 7.19 | -0.0066 | 0.3% | 43.29% |
| T/5 suited | 13.98% | 7.09 | -0.0092 | 0.3% | 43.59% |
| A/3 unsuited | 14.15% | 6.99 | -0.0111 | 0.9% | 44.49% |
| 9/8 unsuited | 13.73% | 7.18 | -0.0137 | 0.9% | 45.4% |
| J/2 suited | 13.59% | 7.24 | -0.0154 | 0.3% | 45.7% |
| 7/4 suited | 13.48% | 7.28 | -0.0187 | 0.3% | 46% |
| J/8 unsuited | 13.68% | 7.11 | -0.0278 | 0.9% | 46.91% |
| T/4 suited | 13.64% | 7.11 | -0.0304 | 0.3% | 47.21% |
| Q/8 unsuited | 13.6% | 7.11 | -0.0331 | 0.9% | 48.11% |
| 4/3 suited | 13.09% | 7.37 | -0.0351 | 0.3% | 48.42% |
| T/3 suited | 13.3% | 7.15 | -0.049 | 0.3% | 48.72% |
| A/2 unsuited | 13.54% | 7.01 | -0.0507 | 0.9% | 49.62% |
| K/7 unsuited | 13.48% | 7 | -0.0557 | 0.9% | 50.53% |
| 6/3 suited | 12.85% | 7.33 | -0.0587 | 0.3% | 50.83% |
| 8/4 suited | 12.98% | 7.22 | -0.0626 | 0.3% | 51.13% |
| T/2 suited | 12.95% | 7.19 | -0.0682 | 0.3% | 51.43% |
| 5/2 suited | 12.5% | 7.33 | -0.0839 | 0.3% | 51.73% |
| 8/7 unsuited | 12.79% | 7.13 | -0.0877 | 0.9% | 52.64% |
| 9/4 suited | 12.71% | 7.16 | -0.0908 | 0.3% | 52.94% |
| K/6 unsuited | 13.02% | 6.94 | -0.0972 | 0.9% | 53.85% |
| 4/2 suited | 12.08% | 7.38 | -0.1079 | 0.3% | 54.15% |
| 7/3 suited | 12.25% | 7.27 | -0.1101 | 0.3% | 54.45% |
| 9/3 suited | 12.37% | 7.19 | -0.1108 | 0.3% | 54.75% |
| 9/7 unsuited | 12.54% | 7.09 | -0.1114 | 0.9% | 55.66% |
| T/7 unsuited | 12.55% | 6.98 | -0.1238 | 0.9% | 56.56% |
| 9/2 suited | 12.03% | 7.24 | -0.1287 | 0.3% | 56.86% |
| K/5 unsuited | 12.65% | 6.88 | -0.1298 | 0.9% | 57.77% |
| 7/6 unsuited | 12.08% | 7.09 | -0.1433 | 0.9% | 58.67% |
| 8/3 suited | 11.88% | 7.19 | -0.1452 | 0.3% | 58.97% |
| 3/2 suited | 11.49% | 7.43 | -0.1454 | 0.3% | 59.28% |
| 6/2 suited | 11.62% | 7.32 | -0.1492 | 0.3% | 59.58% |
| Q/7 unsuited | 12.22% | 6.95 | -0.1511 | 0.9% | 60.48% |
| J/7 unsuited | 12.18% | 6.97 | -0.1514 | 0.9% | 61.39% |
| K/4 unsuited | 12.21% | 6.9 | -0.1579 | 0.9% | 62.29% |
| 8/2 suited | 11.57% | 7.23 | -0.163 | 0.3% | 62.59% |
| 8/6 unsuited | 11.7% | 7.04 | -0.1767 | 0.9% | 63.5% |
| K/3 unsuited | 11.79% | 6.94 | -0.1818 | 0.9% | 64.4% |
| 6/5 unsuited | 11.51% | 7.07 | -0.1865 | 0.9% | 65.31% |
| Q/6 unsuited | 11.81% | 6.87 | -0.189 | 0.9% | 66.21% |
| 7/2 suited | 11.19% | 7.24 | -0.1897 | 0.3% | 66.52% |
| K/2 unsuited | 11.41% | 6.98 | -0.2035 | 0.9% | 67.42% |
| 5/4 unsuited | 11.12% | 7.06 | -0.2149 | 0.9% | 68.33% |
| 9/6 unsuited | 11.22% | 6.97 | -0.2182 | 0.9% | 69.23% |
| Q/5 unsuited | 11.46% | 6.82 | -0.2191 | 0.9% | 70.14% |
| 7/5 unsuited | 11.07% | 7 | -0.2249 | 0.9% | 71.04% |
| T/6 unsuited | 11.18% | 6.83 | -0.2361 | 0.9% | 71.95% |
| Q/4 unsuited | 11.03% | 6.84 | -0.2454 | 0.9% | 72.85% |
| J/6 unsuited | 10.94% | 6.8 | -0.2562 | 0.9% | 73.76% |
| 6/4 unsuited | 10.39% | 7.05 | -0.2677 | 0.9% | 74.66% |
| Q/3 unsuited | 10.63% | 6.88 | -0.2679 | 0.9% | 75.57% |
| 8/5 unsuited | 10.47% | 6.92 | -0.2757 | 0.9% | 76.47% |
| J/5 unsuited | 10.64% | 6.73 | -0.2837 | 0.9% | 77.38% |
| Q/2 unsuited | 10.26% | 6.93 | -0.289 | 0.9% | 78.28% |
| 5/3 unsuited | 10.04% | 7.04 | -0.2936 | 0.9% | 79.19% |
| J/4 unsuited | 10.22% | 6.76 | -0.3091 | 0.9% | 80.09% |
| 9/5 unsuited | 9.97% | 6.82 | -0.3206 | 0.9% | 81% |
| 7/4 unsuited | 9.73% | 6.95 | -0.3238 | 0.9% | 81.9% |
| T/5 unsuited | 10.06% | 6.65 | -0.3308 | 0.9% | 82.81% |
| J/3 unsuited | 9.83% | 6.81 | -0.3312 | 0.9% | 83.71% |
| 4/3 unsuited | 9.38% | 7.08 | -0.336 | 0.9% | 84.62% |
| J/2 unsuited | 9.46% | 6.86 | -0.3512 | 0.9% | 85.52% |
| T/4 unsuited | 9.66% | 6.67 | -0.3554 | 0.9% | 86.43% |
| 6/3 unsuited | 9.08% | 7 | -0.3642 | 0.9% | 87.33% |
| 8/4 unsuited | 9.12% | 6.84 | -0.3766 | 0.9% | 88.24% |
| T/3 unsuited | 9.28% | 6.72 | -0.3767 | 0.9% | 89.14% |
| 5/2 unsuited | 8.73% | 7 | -0.3892 | 0.9% | 90.05% |
| T/2 unsuited | 8.93% | 6.76 | -0.3962 | 0.9% | 90.95% |
| 9/4 unsuited | 8.76% | 6.71 | -0.4126 | 0.9% | 91.86% |
| 4/2 unsuited | 8.3% | 7.06 | -0.4138 | 0.9% | 92.76% |
| 7/3 unsuited | 8.41% | 6.88 | -0.4219 | 0.9% | 93.67% |
| 9/3 unsuited | 8.4% | 6.74 | -0.4338 | 0.9% | 94.57% |
| 9/2 unsuited | 8.04% | 6.8 | -0.4531 | 0.9% | 95.48% |
| 3/2 unsuited | 7.67% | 7.12 | -0.4543 | 0.9% | 96.38% |
| 6/2 unsuited | 7.79% | 6.94 | -0.46 | 0.9% | 97.29% |
| 8/3 unsuited | 7.96% | 6.73 | -0.4646 | 0.9% | 98.19% |
| 8/2 unsuited | 7.61% | 6.77 | -0.4844 | 0.9% | 99.1% |
| 7/2 unsuited | 7.28% | 6.77 | -0.5073 | 0.9% | 100% |
| Total | 7.2 | 0 | 100% |
Methodology
This table is the result of a random simulation of 25,729,704,000 games and assumes all players stay in until the end of the hand.
The following table shows my power rating for each initial 2-card hand in a 8-player game. The numbers are on a 0 to 40 scale. Basically, you should only play hands that are dark green, blue, or purple. Of course you should be more be more liberal in late position and picky in early position.
Use the top table if you have a pair, the middle table if your cards are suited, and the bottom table if your cards are unsuited. Except for a pair,look up your high card along the left and your low card along the top.