Introduction to Hand Types in Poker
Hands can be grouped into types, such as pocket pairs like As-Ad, suited connectors like 7h-6h, or suited Aces like Ac-6c. In most situations (not all), hands can be ranked within these types. Some of a hand's value comes from features that are intrinsic to the hand, but less of a hand's value is intrinsic than most players think.
Pairs Large and even medium-sized pairs can be powerful hands. Power hands tend to play well anytime. There is no situation where you should refrain from betting with big pairs. A decent-sized pair in Hold'Em is valuable on its own, in almost any situation.
Smaller pairs are more speculative. The small pairs pretty much will need to flop a set to do well. They play well only with the right kind of flop, a flop of low cards, or against the right opponent. If that single opponent is a tough player, these medium-sized pairs tend not to do so well without flopping a set and having many players in the pot. The smaller pairs need either a particularly weak opponent or the money odds from having many opponents.
Suited Connectors The large-suited connectors can flop the top pair, or a flush draw, or a straight draw. Of course, the midsized-suited connectors are looking to flop a draw. Except for the few times that they will flop two pair, the very small-suited connectors have little potential value as pairs, and they have few straight capabilities. The straight draws, they will likely flop but will tend to be draws to second-best straights.
The gapped-suited connectors, cards with a single gap between the ranks, such as Ts-8s, are called one-gap connectors. Hands like Ts-7s are called two-gap connectors, and hands like Ts-6s are three-gap connectors. These hands all have some potential straight value, but not enough to make them generally good hands. They do, however, often flop straight draws that aren't obvious draws and so do have some deceptive value.
Suited Aces A single Ace is not a strong hand in Hold 'Em, even when matched with another card of the same suit. The exception is when the second card is a big card, like a King or Queen. In many multiplayer situations, flushes and potential flushes can win large pots. Because of this potential of making the best possible flush, suited Aces sometimes have significant value.
Unsuited Aces An Ace matched with a card of a different suit has very little potential to make a flush, and although a single Ace is not generally a strong hand in Hold'Em, in short-handed situations just the presence of an Ace in a hand does give it some value.
Suited Kings A single King is much weaker than many players seem to think. Even a hand like Ks-Qs can be deceptive. It looks strong when you peek at your hand and see those two connected face cards, and it is a pretty good hand. It's just not as strong as most players seem to think it is. It does, however, gain a lot of value in loose games. Suited Kings usually need multiple callers to have much value.
Other Hands Pretty much all other hands can be considered weak holdings. At least weak on their own, they may gain value from position or mistakes of the opposition. Two suited cards, in particular, often gain value from a table of players who play way too loose.