Poker

Poker starting hands chart

A poker starting hands chart ranks or groups the possible two-card holdings in a poker variant, showing which combinations are stronger or weaker before any community cards are dealt.

Number of hands (Texas hold 'em): 169 non-equivalent starting hands: 13 pocket pairs, 78 suited hands, 78 unsuited hands¹
Purpose: Strategy aid for comparing preflop holdings at a glance¹⁵
Variants: Primarily Texas hold 'em; also used in seven-card stud and five-card draw¹³
Not a rule: Shows relative preflop strength, not final hand value, which depends on the board and variant rules¹³

Key points

A starting hands chart organises the 169 possible two-card combos into tiers or groupings for quick preflop comparison.¹⁵
The chart is a strategy aid, not a hand-ranking rule: actual hand value changes after the community cards are dealt.¹³
Different charts use different rankings or groupings; there is no single universal standard.¹⁵
A position-based chart adjusts opening ranges by table position, while a general chart shows overall hand strength regardless of position.¹³

Breakdown of the 169 starting hands in Texas hold 'em

The 169 non-equivalent hands consist of pocket pairs, suited hands, and unsuited hands.¹
Type	Count
Pocket pairs	13
Suited hands	78
Unsuited hands	78

Where this term is used

Not the same as

Poker hand odds chart — a chart of probabilities or odds for starting hands, whereas a starting hands chart is a strength-ranking or grouping chart⁴¹
Poker hand rankings — the standard made-hand rankings after cards are combined, not the initial dealt holdings²¹

Poker Preflop poker chart A chart showing recommended actions before the flop based on hand strength and position. Poker Poker hand odds chart A chart displaying the probability of winning with a given hand against random opponents. Poker Poker hands chart preflop A preflop reference chart for Texas hold 'em, grouping hands by playability. Poker Omaha starting hands chart A starting hands chart adapted for Omaha hold 'em, where players receive four hole cards. Poker Poker hand rankings The official hierarchy of made poker hands, from high card to royal flush. Poker Poker hands probability The mathematical likelihood of being dealt each type of starting hand.

Sources

Texas hold 'em starting hands - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Provides the definition, number of starting hands (169), and explanation of how the chart works.
List of poker hands - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Distinguishes starting hands from standard poker hand rankings.
Glossary of poker terms - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Explains that the chart applies to Texas hold 'em and other variants, and that it is a strategy aid.
Poker probability - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Distinguishes a starting hands chart from a poker odds chart.
File:Sklansky Texas Holdem Starting Hand Strategies.JPG - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Supports the description of hand groupings and the lack of a universal standard.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.