Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Cheat Sheet
A Texas Hold'em starting hands cheat sheet: the exact hands to raise, call, or fold by position, plus a printable tier chart and easy way to memorize it.
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Use this cheat sheet to make a fast, correct pre-flop decision: raise premium hands from any seat, play strong hands from most seats, play speculative hands only cheaply in late position, and fold everything else. There are 169 distinct starting hands in Hold’em, but you only need to remember a handful of groups. The chart below is your at-a-glance reference; the memory trick after it means you’ll never need to print it.
The cheat sheet: what to play, and from where
| Tier | Hands | Action | From position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs, AKo | Raise / re-raise | Any |
| Strong | TT, 99, AQs, AJs, ATs, KQs, AQo | Raise | Most |
| Playable | 88–22, KJs, QJs, JTs, KQo, suited aces | Raise / call | Mid–late |
| Speculative | small suited connectors (T9s–54s), suited one-gappers | Call cheaply | Late only |
| Fold | offsuit junk (J4o, 92, K3o, etc.) | Fold | Always |
This is a foundation, not a rigid law. As you improve you’ll widen on the button and tighten under the gun, but a player who follows this chart cleanly is already ahead of most opponents. For the reasoning behind each group, see the full starting hands guide.
Open ranges by seat, at a glance
Position changes everything: the same hand is worth more when you act last. Here’s roughly how wide to open when it folds to you:
| Position | Open about | Play only |
|---|---|---|
| Under the gun | ~10–12% | Premium + strong |
| Middle | ~15% | + better playables |
| Cutoff | ~25% | + most suited hands |
| Button | ~40–50% | Widest — you have position |
| Small blind | ~20–25% | Tighter — out of position |
Notice the button opens several times more hands than early seats — that’s position at work, not a different set of “good” cards. For a modern, solver-informed take on these ranges, the pre-flop GTO hub goes deeper.
How to memorize it: four buckets
Don’t memorize 169 hands — memorize four groups and one rule each:
- Big pairs (AA–TT): already a made hand pre-flop. Raise them; re-raise the biggest.
- Big broadways (AK, AQ, KQ, KJ): make the strongest top pairs and nut straights. Suited versions jump a tier.
- Small pairs (99–22): set-mining hands — call cheaply hoping to flop three of a kind, then give up if you miss.
- Suited connectors (T9s down to 54s): rarely win unimproved but make disguised straights and flushes. Play them cheaply, in position.
If a hand doesn’t fit a bucket — most offsuit combinations — it folds. That single sentence covers the majority of the 169 hands. Many of these holdings have famous nicknames that make them even easier to recall.
A quick win-rate reality check
Even the best starting hand is far from a lock. Rough heads-up equity (one hand all-in versus a random hand pre-flop):
| Hand | Approx. win % vs. random hand |
|---|---|
| AA | ~85% |
| KK | ~82% |
| AKs | ~67% |
| 22 | ~50% |
| 72o | ~35% |
Even pocket aces lose roughly one time in seven heads-up — and far more often against several opponents. The cheat sheet gets you into pots with the best of it, but it never guarantees the pot.
Worked example: same cards, different seat
You’re dealt A♣ J♣ (suited, a playable hand).
- On the button: raise. You’ll act last for the rest of the hand and the hand is well above your button threshold.
- Under the gun: fold. Six players still to act behind you, and you’ll likely play out of position — the same two cards aren’t worth it here.
That’s the whole cheat sheet in one hand: the cards set the floor, the seat sets the decision.
The takeaway
Raise premium hands anywhere, add strong and playable hands as your seat improves, play speculative hands only cheaply in late position, and fold the rest. Memorize the four buckets rather than the full list, and lean on the position table when it folds to you. Keep this next to you for your first sessions, then internalize it and move on to the deeper Texas Hold’em strategy.
Frequently asked
What is a Texas Hold'em starting hands cheat sheet?
It's a quick-reference chart that tells you which two-card starting hands to play and from which seat. Premium hands like AA and AK play from anywhere; speculative hands like small suited connectors only play cheaply in late position; junk hands fold. The goal is a fast fold-or-raise decision without deep thought.
How many starting hands should you actually play?
Tighter is better for most players. From early position, roughly the top 10–12% of hands; from the button, up to 40–50%. Playing 15–20% of hands overall is a solid, disciplined baseline that already beats most loose opponents.
What are the top five starting hands in Hold'em?
Pocket aces (AA), pocket kings (KK), pocket queens (QQ), ace-king suited (AKs), and pocket jacks (JJ) or ace-king offsuit are the strongest. These premium holdings can be raised from any position and are the backbone of a winning range.
How do you memorize a starting hands chart?
Group hands instead of memorizing all 169. Learn the buckets: big pairs, big broadways, suited connectors, and small pairs. Then remember one rule per bucket about when to play it. Grouping turns a long list into four simple ideas you can recall at the table.