Pairs, suited cards and connected cards
A pocket pair is two cards of the same rank, such as two queens. Suited cards share a suit, while connected cards have neighboring ranks, such as a ten and a jack. These are ways to describe a hand, not a promise about how it will perform.
High cards can make strong pairs, while suited or connected cards may sometimes improve into a flush or straight. The final hand still depends on the community cards and the action at the table.
Consider your position
The same two cards can be a different decision depending on when you have to act. If several players act after you, they may raise; from a later position, you have already seen more of the action. Learn the seat order in our guide to poker positions.
Notice the action before you
A hand begins differently when nobody has entered the pot than when a player has already raised. Also consider how many opponents are still in the hand and whether the game is heads-up or multiway.
There is no single starting-hand chart that fits every table and situation. Rules, position, previous action and the format of the game all affect what makes sense.
Learn the hand rankings
Starting cards are only the beginning: in Texas Hold'em, the best five-card hand uses any combination of your two private cards and the five community cards. Review the poker hand rankings to see how those final hands compare.
As you learn, focus on following the action and knowing what each option means. The Texas Hold'em rules explain the full hand from deal to showdown.