Sklansky Poker Hands

In a message board thread, David Sklansky and Victor Chubukov (Karlson) develop a method to rank the 169 possible starting hand based on heads up strength. The results were dubbed the “Sklansky-Karlson All In No Limit Holdem Rankings”, or SK hand rankings.

• Sklansky Poker Starting Hands
• Sklansky Poker Hand Rankings
• Sklansky Poker Hands
• Sklansky Poker Hands

The SitNGo Wizard uses the SK hand rankings when referring to opponent hand ranges. For example, if you estimate an opponent’s calling range to be 20%, it means you predict he will call with any hand that is in the top 20% of the SK hand rankings.

Sklansky Poker Starting Hands

Note that SK hand rankings are only used in determining opponent opening and calling ranges. The hand range computed in the analysis summary usually does not match the SK hand rankings. The ranking of hands in the computed range varies depending on game situations.

Poker Hand Rankings - Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart At the bottom of this page is a comprehensive listing of Texas Hold'em starting hands based on their EV (expected value). Expected value is the average number of big blinds this hand will make or lose.

The table below lists the SK hand rankings and each hand’s hand range grouping.

Hand Hand Range % Description
AA 0.5 AA
KK 0.9 KK
AKs 1.2 KK,AKs
QQ 1.7 QQ,AKs
AK 2.6 QQ,AK
JJ 3.0 JJ,AK
AQs 3.3 JJ,AK,AQs
TT 3.8 TT,AK,AQs
AQ 4.7 TT,AQ
99 5.1 99,AQ
AJs 5.4 99,AQ,AJs
88 5.9 88,AQ,AJs
ATs 6.2 88,AQ,ATs
AJ 7.1 88,AJ,ATs
77 7.5 77,AJ,ATs
66 8.0 66,AJ,ATs
AT 8.9 66,AT
A9s 9.2 66,AT,A9s
55 9.7 55,AT,A9s
A8s 10.0 55,AT,A8s
KQs 10.3 55,AT,A8s,KQs
44 10.7 44,AT,A8s,KQs
A9 11.6 44,A9,A8s,KQs
A7s 11.9 44,A9,A7s,KQs
KJs 12.2 44,A9,A7s,KJs
A5s 12.5 44,A9,A5s,KJs
A8 13.4 44,A8,A5s,KJs
A6s 13.7 44,A8,A6s,KJs
A4s 14.0 44,A8,A4s,KJs
33 14.5 33,A8,A4s,KJs
KTs 14.8 33,A8,A4s,KTs
A7 15.7 33,A7,A4s,KTs
A3s 16.0 33,A7,A3s,KTs
KQ 16.9 33,A7,A3s,KQ,KTs
A2s 17.2 33,A7,A2s,KQ,KTs
A5 18.1 33,A5,A2s,KQ,KTs
A6 19.0 33,A6,A2s,KQ,KTs
A4 19.9 33,A4,A2s,KQ,KTs
KJ 20.8 33,A4,A2s,KJ,KTs
QJs 21.1 33,A4,A2s,KJ,KTs,QJs
A3 22.0 33,A3,A2s,KJ,KTs,QJs
22 22.5 22,A3,A2s,KJ,KTs,QJs
K9s 22.8 22,A3,A2s,KJ,K9s,QJs
A2 23.7 22,A2,KJ,K9s,QJs
KT 24.6 22,A2,KT,K9s,QJs
QTs 24.9 22,A2,KT,K9s,QTs
K8s 25.2 22,A2,KT,K8s,QTs
K7s 25.5 22,A2,KT,K7s,QTs
JTs 25.8 22,A2,KT,K7s,JTs
K9 26.7 22,A2,K9,K7s,JTs
K6s 27.0 22,A2,K9,K6s,JTs
QJ 27.9 22,A2,K9,K6s,QJ,JTs
Q9s 28.2 22,A2,K9,K6s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
K5s 28.5 22,A2,K9,K5s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
K8 29.4 22,A2,K8,K5s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
K4s 29.7 22,A2,K8,K4s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
QT 30.6 22,A2,K8,K4s,QT,Q9s,JTs
K7 31.5 22,A2,K7,K4s,QT,Q9s,JTs
K3s 31.8 22,A2,K7,K3s,QT,Q9s,JTs
K2s 32.1 22,A2,K7,K2s,QT,Q9s,JTs
Q8s 32.4 22,A2,K7,K2s,QT,Q8s,JTs
K6 33.3 22,A2,K6,K2s,QT,Q8s,JTs
J9s 33.6 22,A2,K6,K2s,QT,Q8s,J9s
K5 34.5 22,A2,K5,K2s,QT,Q8s,J9s
Q9 35.4 22,A2,K5,K2s,Q9,Q8s,J9s
JT 36.3 22,A2,K5,K2s,Q9,Q8s,JT,J9s
K4 37.3 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q8s,JT,J9s
Q7s 37.6 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q7s,JT,J9s
T9s 37.9 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q7s,JT,T9s
Q6s 38.2 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q6s,JT,T9s
K3 39.1 22,A2,K3,K2s,Q9,Q6s,JT,T9s
J8s 39.4 22,A2,K3,K2s,Q9,Q6s,JT,J8s,T9s
Q5s 39.7 22,A2,K3,K2s,Q9,Q5s,JT,J8s,T9s
K2 40.6 22,K2,Q9,Q5s,JT,J8s,T9s
Q8 41.5 22,K2,Q8,Q5s,JT,J8s,T9s
Q4s 41.8 22,K2,Q8,Q4s,JT,J8s,T9s
J9 42.7 22,K2,Q8,Q4s,J9,J8s,T9s
Q3s 43.0 22,K2,Q8,Q3s,J9,J8s,T9s
T8s 43.3 22,K2,Q8,Q3s,J9,T8s
J7s 43.6 22,K2,Q8,Q3s,J9,J7s,T8s
Q7 44.5 22,K2,Q7,Q3s,J9,J7s,T8s
Q2s 44.8 22,K2,Q7,Q2s,J9,J7s,T8s
Q6 45.7 22,K2,Q6,Q2s,J9,J7s,T8s
98s 46.0 22,K2,Q6,Q2s,J9,J7s,98s
Q5 46.9 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J9,J7s,98s
J8 47.8 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J7s,98s
T9 48.7 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J7s,T9,98s
J6s 49.0 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J6s,T9,98s
T7s 49.3 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J6s,T9,T7s,98s
J5s 49.6 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J5s,T9,T7s,98s
Q4 50.5 22,K2,Q4,Q2s,J8,J5s,T9,T7s,98s
J4s 50.8 22,K2,Q4,Q2s,J8,J4s,T9,T7s,98s
J7 51.7 22,K2,Q4,Q2s,J7,J4s,T9,T7s,98s
Q3 52.6 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J4s,T9,T7s,98s
97s 52.9 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J4s,T9,97s
T8 53.8 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J4s,T8,97s
J3s 54.1 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J3s,T8,97s
T6s 54.4 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J3s,T8,T6s,97s
Q2 55.4 22,Q2,J7,J3s,T8,T6s,97s
J2s 55.7 22,Q2,J7,J2s,T8,T6s,97s
87s 56.0 22,Q2,J7,J2s,T8,T6s,87s
J6 56.9 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T8,T6s,87s
98 57.8 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T6s,98,87s
T7 58.7 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T7,T6s,98,87s
96s 59.0 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T7,98,96s,87s
J5 59.9 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,98,96s,87s
T5s 60.2 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,T5s,98,96s,87s
T4s 60.5 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,T4s,98,96s,87s
86s 60.8 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,T4s,98,86s
J4 61.7 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T7,T4s,98,86s
T6 62.6 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T4s,98,86s
97 63.5 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T4s,97,86s
T3s 63.8 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T3s,97,86s
76s 64.1 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T3s,97,76s
95s 64.4 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T3s,97,95s,76s
J3 65.3 22,Q2,J3,J2s,T6,T3s,97,95s,76s
T2s 65.6 22,Q2,J3,T6,T2s,97,95s,76s
87 66.5 22,Q2,J3,T6,T2s,95s,87,76s
85s 66.8 22,Q2,J3,T6,T2s,87,85s,76s
96 67.7 22,Q2,J3,T2s,96,87,85s,76s
T5 68.6 22,Q2,J3,T5,T2s,96,87,85s,76s
J2 69.5 22,J2,T5,T2s,96,87,85s,76s
75s 69.8 22,J2,T5,T2s,96,87,75s
94s 70.1 22,J2,T5,T2s,96,94s,87,75s
T4 71.0 22,J2,T4,T2s,96,94s,87,75s
65s 71.3 22,J2,T4,T2s,96,94s,87,65s
86 72.2 22,J2,T4,T2s,94s,86,65s
93s 72.5 22,J2,T4,T2s,93s,86,65s
84s 72.9 22,J2,T4,T2s,93s,86,84s,65s
95 73.8 22,J2,T4,T2s,95,93s,86,84s,65s
T3 74.7 22,J2,T3,T2s,95,93s,86,84s,65s
76 75.6 22,J2,T3,T2s,95,93s,84s,76,65s
92s 75.9 22,J2,T3,95,92s,84s,76,65s
74s 76.2 22,J2,T3,95,92s,76,74s,65s
54s 76.5 22,J2,T3,95,92s,76,74s,65s,54s
T2 77.4 22,T2,95,92s,76,74s,65s,54s
85 78.3 22,T2,92s,85,76,74s,65s,54s
64s 78.6 22,T2,92s,85,76,54s
83s 78.9 22,T2,92s,85,83s,76,54s
94 79.8 22,T2,94,92s,85,83s,76,54s
75 80.7 22,T2,94,92s,83s,75,54s
82s 81.0 22,T2,94,82s,75,54s
73s 81.3 22,T2,94,82s,75,73s,54s
93 82.2 22,T2,93,82s,75,73s,54s
65 83.1 22,T2,93,82s,73s,65,54s
53s 83.4 22,T2,93,82s,73s,65,64s,53s
63s 83.7 22,T2,93,82s,65,53s
84 84.6 22,T2,93,84,82s,65,53s
92 85.5 22,92,84,82s,65,53s
43s 85.8 22,92,84,82s,65,43s
74 86.7 22,92,82s,74,65,43s
72s 87.0 22,92,74,72s,65,43s
54 87.9 22,92,74,72s,65,54,43s
64 88.8 22,92,72s,54,43s
52s 89.1 22,92,72s,63s,54,52s,43s
62s 89.4 22,92,54,52s,43s
83 90.3 22,92,83,54,52s,43s
42s 90.6 22,92,83,54,42s
82 91.6 22,82,54,42s
73 92.5 22,82,73,54,42s
53 93.4 22,82,73,64,53,42s
63 94.3 22,82,53,42s
32s 94.6 22,82,53,32s
43 95.5 22,82,43,32s
72 96.4 22,72,43,32s
52 97.3 22,72,63,52,43,32s
62 98.2 22,52,43,32s
42 99.1 22,42,32s
32 100.0 Allhands

Sklansky’s Hand Rankings. When writer and 'poker professor' David Sklansky in 1976 published his book, 'Hold'em Poker', he introduced a revolutionary system for starting hand selection in Texas Hold'em. This system has since then been considered The Holy Grail of Poker. Sklansky's 'Hand Ranking Groups', which he later explored in greater detail in the book, 'Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players' (co-written. Identifying Poker Hand Ranges. Unlike games like chess or backgammon, poker is a game of incomplete information. You know your own hand and the community cards, but you don’t know your opponents’ cards. The following quote is from David Sklansky’s The Fundamental Theorem of Poker. One of the salient facts about this book is that Sklansky discusses poker strategy in the context of many variations, such as razz, stud, and draw poker. One the one hand, this approach allows the reader to see how there are many general principles of poker that hold regardless of the particular rules.

In the poker game of Texas hold 'em, a starting hand consists of two hole cards, which belong solely to the player and remain hidden from the other players. Five community cards are also dealt into play. Betting begins before any of the community cards are exposed, and continues throughout the hand. The player's 'playing hand', which will be compared against that of each competing player, is the best 5-card poker hand available from his two hole cards and the five community cards. Unless otherwise specified, here the term hand applies to the player's two hole cards, or starting hand.

Essentials[edit]

There are 1326 distinct possible combinations of two hole cards from a standard 52-card deck in hold 'em, but since suits have no relative value in this poker variant, many of these hands are identical in value before the flop. For example, A♥J♥ and A♠J♠ are identical in value, because each is a hand consisting of an ace and a jack of the same suit.

Therefore, there are 169 non-equivalent starting hands in hold 'em, which is the sum total of : 13 pocket pairs, 13 × 12 / 2 = 78 suited hands and 78 unsuited hands (13 + 78 + 78 = 169).

These 169 hands are not equally likely. Hold 'em hands are sometimes classified as having one of three 'shapes':

• Pairs, (or 'pocket pairs'), which consist of two cards of the same rank (e.g. 9♠9♣). One hand in 17 will be a pair, each occurring with individual probability 1/221 (P(pair) = 3/51 = 1/17).

Alternative means of making this calculation

First Step

As confirmed above.

There are 1326 possible combination of opening hand.

Second Step

There are 6 different combos of each pair. 9h9c, 9h9s, 9h9d, 9c9s, 9c9d, 9d9s. Therefore, there are 78 possible combinations of pocket pairs (6 multiplied by 13 i.e. 22-AA)

Sklansky Poker Hand Rankings

To calculate the odds of being dealt a pair

78 (the number of any particular pair being dealt. As above) divided by 1326 (possible opening hands)

78/1326 = 0.058 or 5.8%

• Suited hands, which contain two cards of the same suit (e.g. A♣6♣). 23.5% of all starting hands are suited.

Probability of first card is 1.0 (any of the 52 cards)Probability of second hand suit matching the first:There are 13 cards per suit, and one is in your hand leaving 12 remaining of the 51 cards remaining in the deck. 12/51=.2353 or 23.5%

• Offsuit hands, which contain two cards of a different suit and rank (e.g. K♠J♥). 70.6% of all hands are offsuit hands

Offsuit pairs = 78Other offsuit hands = 936

It is typical to abbreviate suited hands in hold 'em by affixing an 's' to the hand, as well as to abbreviate non-suited hands with an 'o' (for offsuit). That is,

QQ represents any pair of queens,

KQ represents any king and queen,

AKo represents any ace and king of different suits, and

JTs represents any jack and ten of the same suit.

Limit hand rankings[edit]

Some notable theorists and players have created systems to rank the value of starting hands in limit Texas hold'em. These rankings do not apply to no limit play.

Sklansky hand groups[edit]

David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth^[1] assigned in 1999 each hand to a group, and proposed all hands in the group could normally be played similarly. Stronger starting hands are identified by a lower number. Hands without a number are the weakest starting hands. As a general rule, books on Texas hold'em present hand strengths starting with the assumption of a nine or ten person table. The table below illustrates the concept:

Chen formula[edit]

The 'Chen Formula' is a way to compute the 'power ratings' of starting hands that was originally developed by Bill Chen.^[2]

Highest Card

Based on the highest card, assign points as follows:

Ace = 10 points, K = 8 points, Q = 7 points, J = 6 points.

10 through 2, half of face value (10 = 5 points, 9 = 4.5 points, etc.)

Pairs

For pairs, multiply the points by 2 (AA=20, KK=16, etc.), with a minimum of 5 points for any pair. 55 is given an extra point (i.e., 6).

Suited

Add 2 points for suited cards.

Closeness

Subtract 1 point for 1 gappers (AQ, J9)

2 points for 2 gappers (J8, AJ).

4 points for 3 gappers (J7, 73).

5 points for larger gappers, including A2 A3 A4

Add an extra point if connected or 1-gap and your highest card is lower than Q (since you then can make all higher straights)

Phil Hellmuth's: 'Play Poker Like the Pros'[edit]

Phil Hellmuth's 'Play Poker Like the Pros' book published in 2003.

Statistics based on real online play[edit]

Statistics based on real play with their associated actual value in real bets.^[3]

Sklansky Poker Hands

Nicknames for starting hands[edit]

In poker communities, it is common for hole cards to be given nicknames. While most combinations have a nickname, stronger handed nicknames are generally more recognized, the most notable probably being the 'Big Slick' - Ace and King of the same suit, although an Ace-King of any suit combination is less occasionally referred to as an Anna Kournikova, derived from the initials AK and because it 'looks really good but rarely wins.'^[4][5] Hands can be named according to their shapes (e.g., paired aces look like 'rockets', paired jacks look like 'fish hooks'); a historic event (e.g., A's and 8's - dead man's hand, representing the hand held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was fatally shot in the back by Jack McCall in 1876); many other reasons like animal names, alliteration and rhyming are also used in nicknames.

Notes[edit]

Sklansky Poker Hands

1. ^David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth (1999). Hold 'em Poker for Advanced Players. Two Plus Two Publications. ISBN1-880685-22-1
2. ^Hold'em Excellence: From Beginner to Winner by Lou Krieger, Chapter 5, pages 39 - 43, Second Edition
3. ^http://www.pokerroom.com/poker/poker-school/ev-stats/total-stats-by-card/^{[dead link]}
4. ^Aspden, Peter (2007-05-19). 'FT Weekend Magazine - Non-fiction: Stakes and chips Las Vegas and the internet have helped poker become the biggest game in town'. Financial Times. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
5. ^Martain, Tim (2007-07-15). 'A little luck helps out'. Sunday Tasmanian. Retrieved 2010-01-10.