Anybody familiar with live or online poker will tell you that it’s undoubtedly one of the most competitive and popular casino games. Not only do poker players dedicate countless hours to perfecting their strategy and analyzing poker hands, but they’re also on a never-ending search for secret weapons to help them gain an advantage over their opponents when they play poker online or in person. While many poker hands have been brought to the forefront over the years, there are other lesser-known hands that may be worth exploring.

Underrated Poker Hands

Certain hands are already expected to lead to success in poker, but ones with unexpected wins and gameplay are the hands that go down in poker history. With the effective use of these underrated poker hands, you could make a name for yourself in poker — gaining acclaim for your keen eye and ability to see potential in hands that often go unnoticed. This is true for both online poker game enthusiasts and those who enjoy playing at land-based casinos.

1. Pocket Nines

Pocket nines are also known as the “Wayne Gretzky” and may be overlooked because they aren’t as strong as some of the top starting hands in poker. But that’s not to say that they aren’t worth playing. In fact, pocket nines may very well be the secret weapon to your success. Understanding that poker is a game involving strategy, you need to give some thought to how to best play this hand, as it can be somewhat vulnerable to stronger hands.

It’s better to play pocket nines when the stack size is small, and you should avoid playing them aggressively if there are deep stacks in play. You should also be mindful of your opponents and their pre-flop gameplay; if they keep raising or calling, that’s a green light to play more aggressively. However, if it’s a tight table, practice caution to avoid putting yourself in an unfavorable position.

2. Pocket Jacks

Although categorized as a premium hand, pocket jacks (alternatively referred to as “fishhooks” or just “hooks”) don’t always get the acclaim and recognition they deserve. They are often in both categories of best and worst starting hands in Texas hold’em. As with most types of poker hands, it’s all about knowing when and how to play them successfully. Jacks are a great starting hand. Contrary to popular belief, they should be played aggressively preflop, but some players opt for passive preflop gameplay to hit a set postflop. While this might work with other smaller hands, it’s not advised for a premium hand such as pocket jacks.

Playing and raising more aggressively preflop can also be a good way to pinpoint weaker opponents. Postflop, it’s good to remember that you’re dealing with a premium hand, and you should find comfort in knowing that there aren’t too many hands that are better than yours so that you can feel comfortable value betting pocket jacks.

3. Ace-Five Suited

Alternatively known as A5s, ace-five suited is a hand with a lot of potential for flushes and straights, but only if you know how to play it correctly. A prime example of this is using ace-five as a semi-bluffing hand, where even though you don’t have a strong hand yet, it has potential. When opting for the semi-bluffing strategy with ace-five, you could either win by getting your opponents to fold or enjoy delayed gratification at a later stage and potentially a bigger pot when you get called.

4. Jack-Nine Suited

Also known as J9s, jack-nine suited is a poker hand that can be useful in forming straights and flushes. It’s also best for postflop gameplay, where it can be quite profitable. A hand like a jack-nine is a pretty sneaky one that can be concealed and not easily identified by your opponents because of its implied odds. Essentially, jack-nine is a great speculative hand and can be most profitable when played from a late position.

5. King-Nine Suited

While not as revered or hailed as much as pocket aces, suited kings deserve a bit more recognition than they get — and so does the king-nine suited. This poker hand can be profitable when played from a late position and has the potential to form straights and strong flush combinations. Preflop, you can play king-nine as a bluffing hand to confuse and deceive your opponents. Moreover, king-nine also has blocker power to decrease various strong combinations from your opponents’ range and possibly help you get ahead instead, especially when played aggressively postflop. 

6. Pocket Fours or Pocket Fives

Most players learn to be cautious with low-ranking pocket pairs, especially when learning to play poker, but their status as underrated hands provides an opportunity for a new look. If playing at a tight table, raising preflop from any poker position with pocket fours or pocket fives is a solid move. At an aggressive table, it might be best to do this from the late position only. Either way, the goal is to get to the flop and represent a set, no matter what cards land on the table. In fact, there are entire articles dedicated to low pocket pairs, specifically how to play pocket fours in cash games.

Put Your Skills to the Test at BetMGM

With a better understanding of these potentially lucrative poker hands that aren’t known by many, you could put yourself at an advantage. Live or online poker games aren’t for the faint-hearted, and the stakes can be high. But with this newfound knowledge at your disposal, you could walk away as one of the biggest winners in cash online poker games or poker tournaments. If you’re ready to try some of these strategies and play poker with real money, register at BetMGM today. Access an exciting world of poker, where you can put your skills to the test, even at micro or low stakes, and get started the right way with an online poker welcome bonus.