Combos (Hand Combinations)
Combos are the specific card combinations that make up a starting hand. Pocket pairs have 6 combos, suited hands 4, and offsuit hands 12.
Combos, short for combinations, are the different specific ways a starting hand can be dealt. "Ace-king" is not one hand but 16: A♠ K♠, A♠ K♥, A♥ K♣, and so on. Counting combos lets you weigh an opponent's range accurately, so you know how often they hold strong hands versus weaker ones.
The basic numbers
| Hand type | Combos | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pocket pair (e.g. 8-8) | 6 | Choose 2 of the 4 eights: 4 × 3 ÷ 2 |
| Unpaired suited (e.g. K-Q suited) | 4 | One for each suit |
| Unpaired offsuit (e.g. K-Q offsuit) | 12 | 4 × 4 = 16 total, minus the 4 suited |
| Unpaired, any suits (e.g. K-Q) | 16 | 4 × 4 |
Across the whole deck there are 1,326 possible starting hands: 78 pocket-pair combos (13 × 6), 312 suited combos (78 × 4) and 936 offsuit combos (78 × 12).
Card removal: when you can see some cards
Cards on the board or in your hand reduce the combos available to your opponent. This is called card removal, and cards that reduce an opponent's strong hands are often called blockers.
- Pairs: if one card of that rank is visible, there are 3 cards left, so 3 combos. If two are visible, only 1 combo remains.
- Unpaired hands: multiply the remaining cards of each rank. With one ace on the board, ace-king has 3 × 4 = 12 combos. If you also hold a king, it drops to 3 × 3 = 9.
Worked example: value or bluff?
The board is K♠ 8♦ 3♣ 5♥ 2♠, the pot is 100, and your opponent bets 100. You hold A♥ K♥. Imagine you believe their betting range is:
- Value: a set of kings, eights or threes, plus king-eight for two pair.
- Bluffs: missed straight draws like 7♥ 6♥ and 7♣ 6♣.
Count the combos, remembering the cards you can see:
- K-K: one king on the board and one in your hand, so 2 kings left = 1 combo.
- 8-8 and 3-3: one of each on board = 3 + 3 = 6 combos.
- K-8: 2 kings × 3 eights = 6 combos.
- Bluffs: 7♥ 6♥ and 7♣ 6♣ = 2 combos.
That is 13 value combos against 2 bluffs. Your hand only beats the bluffs, so you win about 2 ÷ 15 ≈ 13% of the time. Calling 100 to win a final pot of 300 needs 33.3% (pot odds), so this is a clear fold against that range. Notice how holding the K♥ removed most of the K-K and K-8 combos; without it, the value side would be even larger.
Tips for counting at the table
- Start with categories. Group hands as sets, two pair, top pair and draws, then count each group.
- Always check your own cards and the board first. Card removal can change a count by half or more.
- Round sensibly. You need the rough ratio of value to bluffs, not a perfect number.
Combo counting turns vague reads like "they probably have it" into a clear comparison with your equity needs.
Frequently asked questions
How many combos does a pocket pair have?
A pocket pair has 6 combinations, because there are 6 ways to choose 2 cards from the 4 of the same rank.
How many combinations of AK are there?
There are 16 combinations of ace-king: 4 suited and 12 offsuit. Visible aces or kings reduce that number.
How many starting hands are there in Texas Hold'em?
There are 1,326 possible two-card combinations, which group into 169 distinct starting hands when you ignore specific suits.
Related poker terms
- Range — A range is the full set of hands a player could hold in a given spot. Thinking in ranges instead of single hands is the core of modern poker strategy.
- Pocket Pair — A pocket pair is a starting hand where both hole cards share the same rank, such as 7-7 or A-A. You are dealt one about 1 in 17 hands.
- Set — A set is three of a kind made with a pocket pair plus one matching card on the board. It is stronger and better disguised than trips.
- Pot Odds — Pot odds compare the cost of a call to the size of the pot you could win, telling you the minimum equity you need for a call to be profitable.
- Equity — Equity is your share of the pot based on how often your hand would win if all remaining cards were dealt, expressed as a percentage.
- GTO (Game Theory Optimal) — GTO (Game Theory Optimal) is a balanced poker strategy that cannot be exploited: no opponent can gain an edge against it by changing how they play.