Poker Tips: Understanding Good Hands From Bad Hands

Though poker is predominantly a game of chance, there is quite a bit of skill that is associated with your becoming a good player. Knowing what action to take and precisely when to take it can be crucial to your winning or losing the game.

Also being able to recognize the habits and gestures of your opponents, which are commonly referred to as poker tells, will help you decide which hands you should and should not play. It is, however, important to remember that since poker is primarily a game of chance, your game is only as good as your hand, so if your hand is bad and you are unable to successfully bluff your opponents, or even if your hand is just bad, you are not likely to be the one left standing at the end of the game.

Below is a list of the top worst starting hands In Texas Hold'em poker.

Texas Hold'em is fast becoming one of the most popular poker variants in casinos, and in private games as well. Your starting hand can affect your entire game, and how you play it can be very important.

Since some of these hands are considered bad in the same way, and will lose at about the same rate, they can be considered ties, even when one is a slightly better hand.

2-7. 7-2 off suit is considered the worst hand in Texas Hold'em poker. They are the lowest two cards you can have that can't make a straight. Even though there are four cards between 2 and 7, even if they are suited, they will cause you to have a very low flush and if either pairs, the hand is extremely low.

Because it is the worst, some players will play it for fun in an online game. Here, it is known as "the hammer".

2-8. This poses the same basic problem as above, only this time, you have an eight instead of a seven as the high card. Suited or not, this is considered a "fold'em Hold'emm".

3-8 and 3-7. This is considered to be a tie. The three enables this hand to beat the two above it, but you still can't make a straight. You have the same problem with the 3-7 hand.

2-6. Though you might be lucky enough to have a flop of 3, 4, and 5, thereby giving you a straight, another player with a 6-7 will have a higher straight. If you have a flush, it is likely someone will have a higher one. Your odds are just lower with this hand.

2-9, 3-9, and 4-9. These, too are considered to be a tie. The only thing these hands have over the ones listed above is the nine. Even if the nine pairs, you'll have a middle pair that could still be beat by another player holding pocket tens, jacks, queens, kings, or aces. No straights can fill the gap between these cards.