Ever since the early days of Texas holdem poker, players have attempted to analyze and organize the 169 possible two card starting hands found in the game. One traditional way of doing so involves running thousands upon thousands of simulations in which a particular holdem hand is played out against nine random opponent hands. Below, we look at the worst starting hands for both Texas Hold’em and Omaha. Texas Hold’em: 2-7 offsuit (this is well-known as the worst starting hand in poker, due to the fact that it’s often used as side-bets in games.) 7-2 offsuit is followed by 8-2 offsuit, 8-3 offsuit, 7-3 offsuit, 6-2 offsuit, 9-2, 9-3, and 9-4 offsuit. These Are the Worst Starting Hands in Texas Hold’Em. Texas Hold’em is one of the most popular versions of Poker. It has its own set of rules, but the premise is the same. It is being offered in pretty much a lot of casinos on the planet, including the Newtown Casino in Malaysia.

1. Everyone knows that pocket aces are the best starting hand in a game of no limit texas holdem poker, but are you familiar with what the worst hands are? Join me as we go on a trip to the land of Texas Fold’em. 72 is the #1 worst hand of them all.
2. One of the basics of Texas Hold’em is understanding card strength. One of the key aspects of winning a game of poker is to be able to make the most correct decisions as often as possible; therefore, selecting the hands you will go to war with is among the first steps.

What Is The Worst Starting Hand In Texas Holdem Tournament

The Situation:

You’re playing heads-up $5/$10 No-Limit Texas Hold’em cash with full 100bb stacks. Your opponent is a player who will call a shove with any two cards.

The Question:

What’s the worst possible hand you could jam with in this situation?

• (a) 7-2 offsuit

• (b) Q-2 offsuit

• (c) 3-2 offsuit

• (d) Other

Please leave your answer in the comments below before scrolling down and reading the analysis and answer.

Done that? Great. Now read on for the analysis and answer…

What Is The Worst Starting Hand In Texas Holdem Tournaments

The Analysis:

Conventional wisdom in poker is that an offsuit 7-2 is the worst possible hand you can open with before the flop. In fact, many popular side bets in poker center around winning with the so-called 7-2 “beer hand.” Against a top 20% hand, for instance, 7-2 is in fact the W.H.I.P., or Worst Hand In Poker….

…ah, but in the specific situation of this quiz, in which your opponent will call a shove with any two cards, regardless of their strength, offsuit 3-2 is actually a slightly worse hand.

To see this, we can run an equity calculator (such as the awesome Poker Cruncher app) and compare the three quiz answer hands against a range comprised of ATC, or Any Two Cards.

7-2o Against ATC:

The Answer:

(c) 3-2 offsuit is the WHIP—in this specific scenario.

The Discussion:

There are a few things worth adding to the discussion:

• Close Equities. The respective equities of 7-2 and 3-2 against ATC are not very different; they’re both in the low 30% range. And these values actually aren’t terrible. If you were facing an all-in situation with your last $32 and there was $100 in the pot, you’d be justified in making the call with an offsuit trey-deuce.

• Calling Ranges Matter. Against a top 20% hand range, 7-2 offsuit slips below 3-2 offsuit in strength, with just 27.7% equity against 29.2%, respectively.

• The (Not So) Mighty Q-2. The Q-2 offsuit hand is nearly a coin-flip against an ATC calling range. But against a top 20% hand range, the equity drops significantly to just 31.3%. I.e., against someone who calls with ATC, Q-2 is a fairly strong hand, but against someone more discerning with their calling range, Q-2 ain’t great.

• Equity Calculator. If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend getting an equity calculator and learning to use it. For Mac users (like me) and iOS and Android users, I highly recommend Poker Cruncher. And if you’re on a Windows machine, the industry standard is Flopzilla. Both programs are powerful and easy use.

• Other WHIPs. Finally, what was amusing to me when I first posted this question was the number of non-standard responses I received from readers, including AQ, AK, KK, and JJ. The question these folks were actually answering was not “What is the worst preflop starting hand heads-up against ATC,” but rather “What hands do they lose the most money with and/or have the most trouble with?” These are very different kettles of fish altogether…

The Bottom Line:

Always carefully read a hand situation closely before jumping in with the answer/decision to make. Like everything in poker, the answer usually depends. Against a heads-up opponent who will call with any two cards, 3-2 offsuit is the WHIP. But against a stronger calling range, 7-2 offsuit is the WHIP. And if you move beyond the flop… well, all bets are off. Pocket Kings just may in fact be your own personal worst hand in poker!

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The strength of your starting hand in Texas Hold'em can help you determine your chances of winning, even before the remaining cards are dealt. From a pair of aces — the strongest starting hand — to a 2 and a 7, knowing the strength of your starting hand is an important part of your success at the table. When playing Texas Hold'em you need to know which starting hands are worth staying in with—and which you should fold.

Best Starting Hands

Having a strong starting hand can help you determine your chances of winning even before the flop is dealt. In general, you're a strong contender if your starting hand contains:

• Ace/Ace: the strongest starting hand in the game.
• King/king, queen/queen, jack/jack: high pairs set you off well.
• An ace with a face card: sets a good foundation, if the flop works in your favor.

Beyond these cards, you'll also often be happy to see cards in sequence, particularly the high cards and face cards, and pairs in your starting hand. While some of these hands aren't always deemed the ideal hands, they can sometimes pay off if you're willing to take a risk. Don't forget the added bonus if your cards are all in the same suit, too. A flush, especially a straight flush or royal flush, can often win you the game. Again, the flop will play a major role in just how strong your chances are at winning, so assess carefully and determine how much risk you're willing to take.

Worst Starting Hands In Texas Holdem

The specific sequence of cards and the order in which they rank is an important aspect of the game. Studying up on the best starting hands in Texas Hold'em can help improve your game and your odds at winning the pot.

A strong starting hand might also encourage you to make a strong blind (your first bet).

Worst Starting Hands

When you're dealt your starting hand, some combinations greatly reduce your chances of winning. These are generally low numbers that are not in sequence or matched. You might consider folding early if your two cards are:

What Is The Worst Starting Hand In Texas Holdem Game

• A 2 or a 3, paired with a 7 or an 8: you can't make a straight out of them.
• An ace or a face card with an unsuited low card: you're taking a risk relying on a single high card.
• Two unmatched, unsuited low cards (like 4 and 7, 5 and 8, etc.): you'll rarely win with these.

The strategy of what to hold, and why, takes a bit to master, so studying the worst starting hands in Texas Hold'em, even more, can help you improve your game.

What Is The Worst Starting Hand In Texas Holdem Games

Beginner's Advice

Play only the cards in the 10-best list and always fold those in the worst hands list. Following this strategy may improve your results. However, there's no guarantee that receiving a strong starting hand will take the round, or that a weak starting hand is a definite loss. You never know how the flop may run, and while an unsuited 2 and 4 might seem like one to deal, sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised with a two-pair or even a full house. Study up on the various hands you're aiming for.

How you approach the game will also differ based on the game itself. For example, if you're playing No-Limit Hold 'em, knowing the top No-Limit Hold'em hands can help you better understand how to play them.

As your skill increases, you'll also want to learn how position affects your Hold'em starting hand decisions. The more you learn, the more you'll realize how important your starting hands are to your bottom line. Play the good hands and fold the bad, and you'll be well on your way to becoming an expert at Hold'em.