In poker, the best hands to play are typically high-ranking combinations that maximize your chances of winning. The strongest starting hand is pocket aces (AA), followed by pocket kings (KK) and pocket queens (QQ). Other strong hands include ace-king suited (AKs), which offers both high card strength and flush potential, and pocket jacks (JJ). Suited connectors like 10-9 suited (T9s) can also be valuable for their potential to create straights and flushes. Understanding position and table dynamics is crucial, as even strong hands can be played differently based on the situation.