Hand value is one of the first things you learn when you start to play poker. Hands are ranked by how likely you are to form them during a round. The rarer the hand, the higher its value. In most poker games, the highest ranking hand at the table wins.
The hand you are dealt at the start of the game has a huge influence on your subsequent playing strategy. Of course, you need to consider your opponents’ skills and playing style, the community cards, your position at the table, and other aspects. But your hand is the first step towards defining how you are going to play this round.
While theoretically you can win a game of poker with any two cards, some starting hands have little to no chance of forming a winning hand. That’s why most players consider it not worth the while to carry on playing with these combinations.
In this article we will guide you through ranking of the worst poker hands and answer the question “What is the worst hand in poker and how to play it?”
The main characteristics setting apart good starting hands and bad starting hands is their ability to create a winning hand once the flop hits.
What works in this situation: pairs, such as two nines; cards that are close to each other in the ranking, for example, a Jack and a King, or a Queen and a King.
What doesn’t work in this situation: cards that don’t form a pair and aren’t close to each other, for example, a three and a King; offsuit cards that eliminate the possibility to form a flush or a straight flush.
As poker is a game of chance, you can’t expect to always get a good starting hand. Depending on your position at the table, actions of your opponents, and several other factors, you can still continue playing with some of the marginal (i.e. unfavourable or weak) hands, with the hope to form a competitive hand when the flop hits.
However, certain combinations are considered so low value that most tutorials will advise you to fold if you happen to draw them.
Below you will find top 10 hands that are universally acknowledged as the worst hands to play a game of poker with. Later in the article we will discuss what makes each one of them bad for your game.
72 Offsuit. This is probably the most hated combination for poker players. Both cards are low, so even if they make a pair, those would be weak. The gap between them eliminates the possibility for a two card straight, and since they are not suited chances for a flush are practically non-existent. It has been statistically recognised as the worst possible starting combination, and players are advised to fold immediately.
82 Offsuit. The only reason this hand is slightly better than the previous one is because a pair of eights is a little bit better than a pair of sevens. Otherwise, every other negative quality we mentioned above applies to this starting combination as well. You are highly recommended to fold it just as quickly too.
62 Offsuit. The only reason that makes this combination a little playable is that these two cards are less disjointed and can potentially create a two card straight if the board brings you a 3, a 4, and a 5. While odds of drawing a straight are rather low in general, this combination gives you a possibility to bluff. Still, most of the time you are better off folding it.
32 Offsuit. The cards in this starting combination are too low to make a decent pair, but it does have a potential to make a straight in two different ways. It can be playable from the small blind, but don’t include it in your playing range on a regular basis.
T2 Offsuit. Doyle Brunson may have won World Series of Poker Championships with this hand, but let’s be honest, he is dubbed a poker legend for a reason. Since then it has become the most overplayed weak hand because every amateur player thinks they can repeat his success. While this combination can give you a decent pair with tens, it is unsuitable for a straight, so you are better off folding it rather than losing chips over it.
83 Offsuit. This combination can be filed in the same category as 72 offsuit, because the pairs it can make are low value, and there is no opportunity for a two card straight. So if you draw this starting hand, don’t try being fancy and just fold it.
73 Offsuit. While this starting combination has potential for a two card straight, that’s about its only redeeming quality. Some players include it into their playing range, but most tutorials will strongly discourage you from doing so.
94 Offsuit. This starting hand might not be as terrible as the ones described above, but it still requires a lot of caution. Unless you are an experienced poker player playing against outstandingly weak opponents, or you are using a very exploitative strategy, it is far more reasonable to fold this hand.
T3 Offsuit. This combination is not too far away in its value from T2 offsuit. It doesn’t offer any straight or flush opportunities, and the pairs it can form will only win you a small pot (or make you lose unnecessarily). Semi-bluffing opportunities are also insignificant, so trying to play this hand is just a waste of time.
J2 Offsuit. Seeing a face card in your starting hand might feel tempting, but let it not mislead you. Unsuitable to make a two card straight, it is really not worth progressing with. A pair of Jacks can be a winning combination that will bring you the pot, but that’s the only reason why this combination is placed at the bottom of the list of the worst poker hands. The conclusion is that it is quite safe to discard this hand before the flop.
As we mentioned in the beginning of this article, a lot of things go into building your poker strategy. However, the hand you are dealt is the centrepiece of that strategy.
With the worst poker hands we described above, the best course of action you can take is fold them as soon as possible. This means you don’t have to wait for the flop. If you realise that you are holding a very weak starting combination with practically no potential to form a winning hand, fold it before you commit anything to the pot.
Some of these hands, when suited, might be played in certain circumstances, however the offsuit versions are too weak to be considered in any situation. That’s why folding them is always the best course of action that saves your time and chips.
The biggest mistake you can make when dealt a hand that holds almost no potential is not to fold it. Sometimes this is done due to lack of patience. You want to win the round and get to the pot as soon as possible, however what it is really going to do is cost you valuable chips. That’s why it is always a good idea to summon your patience and wait for the next hand for a chance to play and win.
Hands like 72 offsuit or 93 offsuit have been universally acknowledged as extremely weak for your game, so hardly anyone plays them. However, with marginal hands like A7 offsuit or K9 offsuit you are running the risk of overvaluing what you have and trying to play your hand. While you can form these hands into a pair, there is a big chance you will be playing against the same pair with a higher kicker.
Being overly confident that you can turn even the worst possible poker hand into something valuable is not your best friend at the table. It is always more reasonable to follow the optimal poker strategy where you fold your bad hand and play hands that have potential value.
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