Determining The Strength Of Your Hole Cards
You must try to always have a good idea of the strength of your hole cards and how it plays against other players hole cards. You can calculate your pot odds pre-flop using the same principles as the five example above but you will need to factor in your opponents hole cards to determine your hand strength. This can be quite an art as you don’t get to see your opponents cards all that often, and you will need to look for signs of strength or weakness know as tells to help with your decisions.
Below are a list of common groupings of hole cards vs other hold cards along with their odds pre-flop so your have a better idea of the strength of your hand.
Pocket Pair vs. Smaller Pocket Pair
VS 
The Kings are 4:1 favourites but this can vary depending on the number of outs available to make straights.
Pocket Pair vs. Two Over Cards
VS 
Known as the coin-flip situtation but the pocket pair is usually 5:4 favourites. If the pocket pair is very low such as two fours, the odds change to 50:50 because the pair does not interfer with the over cards straight possibility.
Pocket Pair vs. Two Undercards
VS 
4:1 in favour of the pocket pair. The two undercards may increase in odds if they interfere with the pocket pairs ability to make a straight.
Pocket Pair vs. One Overcard and One Undercard
VS 
7:3 in favor of the pocket pair. If the over/over hand contains an Ace and a 2,3,4, or 5 the pocket pair doesn’t interfere with your straight chances and the odds increase.
Pocket Pair vs Same Card and One Overcard
VS 
Almost the same as the above scenario, 7:3 in favor of the pocket pair. The pocket pair’s advantage can end up as low as 5:3 if it’s against suited connectors.
Pocket Pair vs Same Card and One Undercard
VS
This is the worst situation you can be in as you are totally dominated. It’s around a 7:2 in favor of the pocket pair. Even if the pocket pair is up against a suited connector, it is at best 4:1
Two Overcards vs. Two Undercards
VS
It’s typically 7:3 which might be a surprise. If the undercards are significantly far enough away from the overs and suited without matching an overcard’s suit, it can reduce to 3:2.
Overcard and Undercard vs. Two Middle Cards
VS
This is usually around 3:2 in favor of the overcard/undercard. It can reduce the advantage to almost 50:50 with a middle-suited connectors that don’t share a suit with the over/under and where there is no straight interference.
1st and 3rd Highest vs. 2nd and 4th Highest
VS 
Varies from a 7:3 to 3:2 advantage for the 1st/3rd hand but mostly just falls around a 2:1 edge for the highest card.
Dominated with same high card
VS 
Usually the person with the high kicker wins 2 out of every 3 times, but as the kickers get lower, the edge starts to disappear because of split pot possibilities.
Dominated with same low card
VS
The dominated hand has 5:2 odds at best if it’s a suited connector vs. two unsuited cards without little chance of making a straight. Otherwise it’s 2:1 in favor of the higher hand. If the low cards are really low (A3 vs. A2), there is a significant chance of a split pot.
Same ranks
VS
If it’s suited vs. offsuit, the suited cards gain a slight edge due to the flush possibility but in any other case, it’ll be 50:50.
This is all part of the fun of poker, deciding what hands to play and how strongly to bet on them. This is why I enjoy this game so much.