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To those who are familiar with the complexity of poker it is obvious that there is no true "best starting hand." There are entirely too many factors, not to mention luck, that come into play during a game. Many people will throw out the term pocket rockets, a term that indicates a player is holding two aces, and claim that this is the greatest hand in poker.

Don't believe them; they are mistaken. Although it is the highest starting hand in poker, there are few possibilities of improving that hand. Hitting a straight or flush is virtually out of the question, and there are only two cards that will improve that hand the other two aces, good luck. Therefore, instead of simply listing combinations of high cards that are posted on websites or in strategy books, I will attempt to explain some of the factors that come into play before the flop and how to deal with them.

Before I discuss these hands it is important to know that the cards in your hand may actually be the least important factor of whether or not you fold before the flop. Other factors should also weigh in on your decisions such as: the number of players at the table, the amount of chips you have in relation to your opponents, where you are sitting in relation to the dealer, the action that has occurred before your turn, and the playing style of your opponents. These factors should affect whether or not to fold before the flop. For example, If I begin with a 2-7 unsuited, the worst statistical hand in poker because of the small chances of winning with a pair, hitting a straight, or a flush, I would usually fold. However, if I had a lot more chips than my opponents and I was in last position in a small handed game and everyone checked to me; I would be tempted to go all in to steal the blinds with a hand that normally would not win any money. For now, we will put those special situations aside, and focus on the hands that can win you big pots.

Notice that I indicated that I would tell you the hands that would earn you big money, as opposed to hands that people tend to win with. Any pocket pair is a good hand to start with but how much can one win with a pocket pair aside from the rare occasion of hitting a set (three of a kind)? You may have the best hand to start out with, but there are only two more cards in the deck that can help you, and one of your opponents may have one! So while pocket pairs are good pre-flop there is not much room for improvement. I want to share with you the hands

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