Frequencies of Selected Starting Hands

Starting Hand
Frequency (%) Odds


AA................................................................................0.45 220-1
KK............................................................................... 0.45 220-1
AK (mixed or suited)................................................... 1.2 82-1
Any Premium Pair A A-10 10...................................... 2.3 43-1
Any Royal Draw.......................................................... 3.0 32-1
Any Ace-Face Combination........................................ 3.6 27-1
Any Ace-High Flush-Draw (Including Royals)........... 3.6 27-1
Any Ace-High Straight-Draw...................................... 14.3 6.0-1
Any Hand with an Ace (Including AA)....................... 15.4 5.5-1

A sense of the relative strength of the 169 starting possibilities< can be obtained by examining expected value statistics compiled expressed in units of "big bets." For example, the expected value for pocket Aces was 2.32. That means that at a $5-10 table where the big bet is $10, the average profit from pocket Aces was $10 times 2.32, or $23.20. An "s" designation means suited.