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The starting hands chart: the 15% worth playing

Out of 169 possible starting hands, you'll play roughly 25 of them. Here they are, grouped by how they make money — because the three groups want different things.

A quick notation note: A-K means an Ace and a King. A little s means suited — both cards the same suit, like 9♥8♥, which matters because it adds flush possibilities. Pocket pair means your two hidden cards match, like 5♣5♦.

♠ THE STARTING HAND CHART ♠

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  GROUP A — PREMIUM            play from ANY seat, and raise    │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   A-A    K-K    Q-Q    J-J    A-K                              │
│                                                                │
│   These win without improving. Dealt ~3% of hands.             │
│   If you played only these, you'd bore everyone and            │
│   still beat most small-stakes tables.                         │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  GROUP B — STRONG             play from MIDDLE and LATE seats  │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   10-10   9-9    A-Q    A-J    A-10    K-Q                     │
│                                                                │
│   Good hands that usually make a good Tier 1 pair.             │
│   They want few opponents and a decent seat.                   │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  GROUP C — SPECULATIVE        LATE seat only, and only cheap   │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   Small pairs:        8-8  7-7  6-6  5-5  4-4  3-3  2-2        │
│   Suited connectors:  10-9s  9-8s  8-7s  7-6s  6-5s            │
│   Suited face cards:  K-Js   Q-Js   J-10s                      │
│                                                                │
│   These hands are lottery tickets aimed at Tier 2.             │
│   Small pairs want three-of-a-kind (see gate ♠E).              │
│   Suited connectors want straights and flushes.                │
│   They miss most flops — so they need a cheap ride in          │
│   and a big payday when they hit.                              │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Everything not on this chart — the K-8s, the Q-3s, the A-4 offsuit that looks so tempting because it has an Ace in it — is a fold. Those hands make second-best Tier 1 hands, and second-best is how stacks disappear.

Notice the chart already talks about seats. That's the ♣ CLUB section — hand strength and seat position are one decision, not two.