The little ’s’ indicates that the cards are suited, which will increase the value of the cards because it makes it more likely that they will be able to make a flush compared to if the cards were not suited. So some of the top starting hands would be: Good Texas Holdem starting hands are typically hands like big pocket pairs and big connecting cards. Top tier starting hands - top 2% of starting hands. So if we stick with the good hands, then we should see better results in the long run. It is true that any hand can win in Texas Holdem (or poker in general for that matter), but the fact of the matter is that some hands will win more than others. 'Starting hand selection' is simply choosing the good hands over the bad, and thus folding the bad hands when you get them. This is important as it prevents you from entering pots with sub-standard hands, which could eventually lead to you losing a lot of money in the process. In Texas Holdem, it is important to have good starting hand selection. Starting Hand Selection: Chen Formula : Sklansky Starting Hand Groups