If it's true that in holdem "any two cards can win", what makes some cards better starting hands than others? Well, some cards are more likely to grow into hands that will be the best at the table.

The best cards to start with are high pairs, with a pair of Aces being the best starting hand possible. Other high pairs include all of the face cards. These cards are not guarenteed winners, but if you're starting out with a pair, you are usually well ahead of the rest of the table.

Another set of cards that have a lot of potential are Aces with a suited face card. Ace-King suited is particularly powerful, since if an Ace comes up on the flop you will have top pair with the best "kicker" possible. The same is true if a King is the high card on the flop. You will have top pair with the best possible "kicker".

Since the cards are suited, you have an improved chance of landing a flush, and if you do it will be the best flush possible. Remember, you have the Ace. And finally, because the cards are close to one another in rank, there is a chance that your hand will grow into a straight. And once again, if it does, it will be the best possible straight. Ace high.

Another set of premium hole cards are suited face cards. You have a chance to land both a flush and a straight since the cards are suited and close in rank. Since they are high in rank, your straights and flushes will be better than most others that are made on the hand. And even if you only hit a pair, both your pair and your kicker will be high.

More cards that are considered solid starting hands include Aces or Kings with an unsuited high card. These hands are quite as powerful as suited cards, but still hold the advantages of high ranking cards. Your pairs and kickers will be high. And since they are close in rank they can still develop into straights.

Beginning with a premium starting hand is a solid way to play poker, but does not guarentee success by itself. Poker doesn't work that way. Still, these playing these hands is a good place to start if you are interested in playing winning poker.

"Why is playing quality starting hands important?"
The short answer: it saves trouble down the road. And chips as well.

I just finished a two-table session at Party Poker and one thing that kept occuring to me was that by sticking to premiuim starting hands, I was saving myself from making a lot of tough decisions and losing some extra chips along the way.

One hand that comes to mind right away was a classic example of what can go wrong when playing Ace-anything. You can get your Ace. And then the trouble starts.

Staying with premium hands, I played an A-K offsuit. When an Ace hit the board, I had top pair, high kicker.

Someone behind me raised, meaning I didn't have the only Ace in the hole. But, with such a strong kicker I felt confident in calling his raise.

We bet until the river, and at the showdown I turned over my A-K. It topped my opponent's A-7. The pot was mine.

By not staying with the premium hands, my opponent left himself open to the possibility of being "outkicked" should he hit his top card. And that's what happened.

When playing hands like A-7, you not only have to make your Ace. You might have to be the only person to make their Ace, since your kicker is not likely to be strong enough to outkick an opponent that plays premium starting hands.

Depending upon the circumstance, even a pro will play cards that are "off the chart". But, if you consistently play starting hands that have weaknesses in them, you will come up against hands that exploit that weakness. And that will cost you chips.

Another instance this afternoon where sticking to premium hands helped win a pot came when my opponent and I both made flushes. By playing two suited, but low ranking cards my opponent left his hand open to the possibility of being beaten by a higher rankings flush.

That's what happened. Playing QJ suited, I was able to outrank my opponent and take down the pot.

Hands like (A or K)-anything, or two suited cards can be tempting to play. It appears that hitting your cards will give you a good hand. And a flush is a good hand. But a low-ranking flush is only a good hand when it's the only flush at the table.

Playing less than premium starting hands puts you in a position where you will have to ask yourself, "Is my flush strong enough to take the pot?". And you may find, after paying a price, that you it isn't.