1. Hand rankings: what beats what
From strongest to weakest. Any hand higher on the list beats any hand below it. Highlighted cards make the hand; dimmed ones are kickers.
- 01Royal flushA, K, Q, J, 10 of one suit.A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
- 02Straight flushFive cards in a row, all one suit.9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
- 03Four of a kindFour cards of one rank.Q♣ Q♦ Q♥ Q♠
- 04Full houseThree of a kind plus a pair.K♠ K♥ K♦ 7♣ 7♦
- 05FlushFive cards of one suit, not in a row.A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦
- 06StraightFive cards in a row, mixed suits.10♣ 9♥ 8♠ 7♦ 6♣
- 07Three of a kindThree cards of one rank.8♠ 8♥ 8♦
- 08Two pairTwo different pairs.J♠ J♥ 4♣ 4♦
- 09One pairTwo cards of one rank.A♠ A♥
- 10High cardNo combination.K♦
2. The 10 best starting hands
Raise these from any seat. Win % is against one random hand and against five (300,000+ simulated deals per hand).
| # | Hand | Win vs 1 | Win vs 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A-A | 85% | 49% |
| 2 | K-K | 82% | 43% |
| 3 | Q-Q | 80% | 38% |
| 4 | A-Ks | 67% | 31% |
| 5 | J-J | 77% | 34% |
| 6 | A-Ko | 65% | 28% |
| 7 | A-Qs | 66% | 29% |
| 8 | 10-10 | 75% | 30% |
| 9 | A-Js | 65% | 28% |
| 10 | K-Qs | 63% | 29% |
Worst hands: unconnected offsuit low cards (7-2o, 3-2o, 8-3o) — fold them everywhere except a free big blind. All 169 hands are in the interactive starting hands chart.
3. What to open from each seat (6-max)
When everyone before you folded. Later seat = more hands. “+” means that hand and better, “s” suited, “o” offsuit.
| Seat | Hands | Range (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| UTG | 15% | 5-5+, A-8s+, A-4s+, K-9s+, Q-10s+, J-10s, 10-9s, 9-8s, A-10o+, K-Jo+ |
| HJ | 20% | + 4-4, all suited aces, Q-9s, J-9s, 10-8s, 9-7s, 8-7s, K-10o, Q-Jo |
| CO | 28% | + 2-2, 3-3, K-5s+, Q-8s, J-8s, 7-6s, 6-5s, 5-4s, A-8o+, Q-10o, J-10o |
| BTN | 45% | + all suited kings/queens, low connectors, any suited ace or offsuit ace, K-8o+, 10-9o, 9-8o |
Small blind: open roughly the CO range. Big blind: defend wide against one raise. Seat map and 9-max adjustments: poker positions.
4. Outs and odds: the rule of 2 and 4
Count your outs (cards that improve your hand). On the flop, outs × 4 ≈ your chance to improve by the river; on the turn, outs × 2. Exact numbers:
| Outs | Draw | Next card | By the river |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Gutshot straight draw | 8.5% | 16.5% |
| 8 | Open-ended straight draw | 17.0% | 31.5% |
| 9 | Flush draw | 19.1% | 35.0% |
| 12 | Flush draw + gutshot | 25.5% | 45.0% |
| 15 | Flush draw + open-ended | 31.9% | 54.1% |
Full table for 1–20 outs: odds calculator.
5. Pot odds: the price of a call
Call only if your chance to win beats the share of the pot you are putting in. Equity you need against a bet:
| Bet | You need |
|---|---|
| ¼ pot | 17% |
| ⅓ pot | 20% |
| ½ pot | 25% |
| ⅔ pot | 28.6% |
| ¾ pot | 30% |
| Pot | 33% |
| 2× pot | 40% |
Example: flush draw on the flop (35%) against a pot-size bet (need 33%) — a close but profitable call. Check any spot with the pot odds calculator.
6. Betting order
- PreflopTwo cards each. Action starts left of the big blind: fold, call or raise.
- FlopThree community cards. From here, action starts left of the button.
- TurnFourth community card, one more betting round.
- RiverFifth card, final bets, then showdown: best five-card hand wins.
Full rules with a worked example: how to play Texas Hold’em.
Cheat sheet FAQ
What is a poker cheat sheet?
A one-page reference with the facts you need while learning Texas Hold’em: the hand rankings from royal flush to high card, which starting hands to play, how position changes that, and the odds of hitting common draws. This one is free and prints on one sheet.
Is it OK to use a cheat sheet while playing?
In a free game or a casual home game, yes: it is a learning aid, like having the hand rankings open at the table. Appeak even shows the rankings in-game, one tap away. In serious live play, checking notes mid-hand is usually against the house rules, so learn the sheet first.
How do I print the cheat sheet?
Press the Print button at the top of the page (or Ctrl+P / Cmd+P). The print version drops the menus and colours automatically and fits the tables on one or two pages. In the print dialog you can also choose “Save as PDF”.
Does this cheat sheet work for Omaha?
The hand rankings section does: Omaha ranks hands in exactly the same order. The starting hands and odds are Hold’em-specific; for four-card poker see the Omaha hand rankings page and the PLO starting hands guide.
What is the most important thing on the sheet?
The rule of 2 and 4 plus the pot odds row. Count your outs, multiply by 4 on the flop (2 on the turn) for your chance to improve, and call only when that number beats the price of the call. That one habit alone fixes the most expensive beginner mistake: chasing draws at any price.