Poker is a game of skill but there is also some luck involved. After all, if you get dealt an absolute donkey of a starting hand, there is only so much you can do. Which is why these are the starting hands you don’t want to see.
Whether you are a seasoned pro or a beginner looking for a poker guide, knowing more about your starting position can go a long way. The game is one of skill but there is certainly luck involved and no one will win if the cards go against them.
We know that classic poker hands worth having include pocket Jacks, Queens, Kings, and the vaunted pocket Aces. But there are a handful of hands that you can be dealt that kill your momentum dead in its tracks. These are the most dreadful starting hands to look out for.
Any Form of Poker
First and foremost, we’re talking about starting hands. In any form of poker, you’re looking to make the best five-card hand possible. Being dealt an awful first two cards will most likely put you in a hole you can’t get out of.
The case is true in 5- and 7-card poker as well as Texas Hold’Em. There are plenty of promising hands that are worth taking a roll of the proverbial dice on, but these hands will make you fold as fast as can be.
2-7 (Off-Suit)
In both real and online poker games, this is the single worst hand you can get. Not only is it the lowest card in the game (the 2) but it offers so very few options from which to build off of. There is no flush draw, no straight draw, and even a pair is probably dead in the water. Fold this one fast.
2-8 (Off-Suit)
This is basically the same as starting off with the aforementioned hand. Once again, you are left with no draw possibilities that have a realistic chance of showing up. Even if you pair up the eight, having the lowest kick possible means you’re probably outgunned.
3-8 (Off-Suit)
By now, you’re probably sensing a theme. Any hand that offers little in the way of pairs or draws is a bad place to be. There isn’t much that will come from the flop with this hand unless you manage to get incredibly lucky and spike a set.
2-9 (Off-Suit)
Honestly, there are some who might find this hand worse than 2-7. At least with that hand, there is a smaller bridge to gap if you were to string a straight together. Here, the nine is slightly better than virtually everything else on this list but it is still a middle pair with a weak kicker in most situations. Drop these as soon as you can.
2-6 (Off-Suit)
In a ranking of all 169 possible starting Texas Hold’Em hands, this is ranked 165th (you can guess what the other four are). The only saving grace is that it is still possible to flop a straight if the 3-4-5 should come up. Most of the time, however, this is an easy fold.
Playing Band Hands
For the most part, hands like these are easy folds. That said, getting stuck in the blinds with a hand like this can feel daunting. The key is to use positional strategy, read the betting habits of other players, and attempt to pick your spot to take down an easy pot or two.
