The power of poker hands

The great thing about the game of poker is that once players get their first cards in their hands there is no way to make accurate predictions, everything depends on the skill and luck of the players themselves, and the strength of the poker hands at some stage of the game with the same cards is very different. After all, it has happened more than once that in one game the high pair is already a good card, and in another flush, not so much. Good cards on the preflop and flop aren't always a win, because things can change dramatically on the river.

Let's look at the strength of hands at some stages of the poker game

Preflop. At this stage there is an absolute leader - two aces, this combination is considered the best (it is clear that other pair combinations are also quite strong, but two kings on hands and two sevens are not on the same level). But the strength of the hand at this stage also depends on the number of opponents; when playing against one opponent, two sevens are much stronger than, say, 10 and 9, but if there are five opponents, the odds are the same. That's why when playing the preflop the number of opponents has a huge influence, with a small number some cards are very good, and with a big number these cards are rather mediocre, if not bad.

Flop. On the flop, the situation can be seriously worsened or improved by the common cards that came out. There is such a thing as a ""dangerous flop"" in poker, and this category includes a paired flop (example - 2,B,C), a one-card flop, a connected flop (three cards in a row or with a gap like 2,3,5). In this case, the odds of a set, a flush, and a straight are quite high. It's worth mentioning that the number of players on the flop can also affect the final result. As an example, the probability that a player has one of the two remaining cards for a set is about 8.5%, but if there are several opponents, this figure should be multiplied by their number.

To sum it up, it can be said that estimating the strength of each hand in poker is quite difficult and this estimation is influenced by many factors and that is why poker is primarily a game of intelligence and skill, not luck.

Strong and weak hands in poker

Every poker game starts with the player receiving pocket cards and making his first decision, which directly depends on the strength of his hand - that is, what cards he gets. This article will talk about the strength of the starting hands.

• Weak and trashy starting hands
• Medium strength pocket cards
• Strong or Premium Hands in Poker

A player should be able to quickly figure out how strong his hand is, what his chances are for a good draw and for strengthening to the optimal hand. Based on this, the player chooses to pass or raise, either by folding or raising.

For those who are already experienced poker players, recognizing the strength of the cards received is quick and easy, they literally "see" the situation and are ready to choose further actions. But for beginners, it will be useful to know more about what cards he can be dealt in the starting hand and what the probability of their further strengthening in the course of the game will be.

Weak and Trashy Starting Hands

Statistically speaking, weak or garbage hands have literally negligible chances of winning or playing well. Experienced players discard them immediately to avoid wasting their stack. Let's take a look at the pocket cards on this list.

Deuce and Seven and Deuce and Eight - Having these cards in the starting hand, even if they are a single-suit, gives the player virtually no chance of winning.

Three and Eight are slightly better than the above cards, but their chances of winning are also very slim. You should agree that it's nearly impossible to make a straight with such an internal split.

Deuce and Six - can turn into a flush or straight combination with a certain probability, but it leaves too many chances for opponents, as their similar combination can be just older, let's say the straight from Three is already stronger than Deuce.

Pocket cards with a Nine such as Two and Nine, Three and Nine, or Four and Nine may be promising if the Nine later becomes a Pair. But even a Pair of Tens and all the cards above, will defeat her.

There is also a list of cards that experienced players discard because they have no prospect in the draw. These include: Two Ten, Five Nine, Four Seven, Five Eight, and Three Six.

Beginners are recommended to discard pocket cards, which consist of cards with a number and a picture of different suits, as well as duos of different-sized Ace and a small card. To draw them successfully, you need good experience in the game.

Medium Strength Pocket Cards

Medium strength pocket cards are those hands that have limited showdown value. These are weak pairs of the starting hand or top pairs (pairs of high value cards - queens, kings, aces) with a weak kicker.

But here, too, you have to look at the circumstances - your opponent's style of play, his reaction, and the board's general cards. You don't want to fold your middle hand right away. If no one is betting heavily or busting, you can see if your hand gets stronger on the next street and how your opponents will react to the new common cards. Then you can make your final decision.

Strong or Premium Hands in Poker

Strong or Premium Hands in Poker offer their owners the best chance of a successful draw and win. Such cards have an internal division into "strong hand" and "monster hand." Let's see exactly what combinations make up this coveted list.

The "strong hands" include the following: Pair of Eights, Pair of Nines, Pair of Tens and Pair of Jacks. All of the duos listed can be quite a good combination, with the right draw, of course.

But "monster hands" are pocket pairs of Ladies, Kings, Aces, and sets of Aces and Kings (one-suit and multi-suit). With such a starting hand, you can and should start raising in the preflop. These cards can help you not only win, but they can also help you draw your own windfall during a well-thought-out hand.

Strong hands also include pocket cards, as long as one of them is a Jack or a higher card. This set can be the basis for a future Flush if the board gives you the outs you need to strengthen.

Once we get our hands on cards of any strength, we should remember that in poker, it's not just a good hand that determines victory, but also the right strategy to play. You need to take into account your place at the table and the manner or style of your opponents' play, the size of bets and stacks at the table. And also soberly estimate not only your possibilities, but also your experience in poker.