Hold-em poker hand questions?

1. Technically best hand going up against A-A is A-A since you're likely to split the pot. Since that's probably not the answer you're looking for, I would then suggest something like 9-10 suited but not the same as any of the opponent's aces. 10 is the most commonly used card in straights and you also have the chance for a flush, in addition to having outs such as flopping a set or trips.

2. I think the worst matchup would be A-A vs. A-6, unsuited with the 6 sharing a suit with one of the opponent's Aces. No chance for the A to connect with the 6 on a straight.

3. Best hand obviously is A-A, worst hand is 2-7 unsuited. Some people do argue that A-K suited is second best for novice players in the sense that it's very strong preflop but it's also easy to lay down when you miss the flop. Mid pairs can be tricky to play post flop unless you are good at reading your opponents.

Going up against AA, there is NO better hand.

The worst statistical matchup against AA would be a spread of cards, low suit, and off-suit, like a 2 and an 8 of different suits.

Yes, 2-7 is bad, about the same as 2-8, because the flop, turn, and river cannot show enough cards to bridge them together for a straight, and the cards are too low to form a solid pair, obviously against A - A.

1) While I don't know statsically if this is the best, but I would think a consectitive, suited cards, such as the 9 and 10 of clubs would give you the best shot due to the straight and flush draw that you would have. Give you more outs than having a lower pocket pair.

2) That would be a painful call to make having AK, needing either a straight or 2 kings to win. I think A 9 would be worse because you would still want to bet it, but you lose the straight draw.

3) I would think a pair of King and Queens would beat AK suited, but AK suited would be slightly favored over a pair of Jacks.

Worst 7-2 off, 8-2 off, 8-3 off. No straight or flush draws and just low bad cards.

1) preflop, nothing is better. nothing comes very close.

2) AA vs 72 offsuit. edit: nope, you're right. it has to be a dominated hand. and AKo is worse off than, for example, A7o, because AA also steals some of AKo's straight possibilities...

3) yeah :) but AKs is not second best - that goes to KK, then QQ. JJ is fourth best. Then comes AKs. (note: these are Sklansky's order. technically speaking, a middle pair like 99 is a slight favorite to AKs)

Edit #2:

You also need to specify whether the hand will be played out til the river (is it an all-in situation?).... or whether this is just about preflop/flop.

1) The best hand to have against AA "IS" AA;

2) The worst possible mismatch is actually A6os (os=offsuit);

3) Statistically speaking The best possible hand is AA and the very worst is 72os.

All In,

Randy C~

MA Director

Poker Players Alliance

ma@pokerplayersalliance.org

The mad genious(Mike Caro) says that poket nines is the winning starting hand, not the best but the winningist. I guess the logic is that you can make an up and down str8 from cards from the middle of the deck, and with the hands people would be in against you on say like ace-king or even like a king-jack you can hit on the top or bottom of your cards! I would rather have ace-ace but they dont call him the mad genious for nothing

1. I would want to have J-J or 10-10 against A-A just because I prefer them, I don't think they are the statistically the best have to have against A-A though.

2. I would think the worst possible mismatch would be something like A-A and 3-2.

3. Best = A-A, Worst = 7-2

It looks like you've answered your own question. I don't know about the odds, but I would throw away 7-2 off suit. You've gotta play pocket Aces to at least see the flop. The same for Ace King to see the flop.

Your friend was just playing the board and had a boat, 7s over 8s. You however had a better one, 8s over 7s (in fact, he was drawing dead after the turn.)

double ace or double king would problebly be better than K Q and if you ever get double ace then you should play your cards real well.