Hole Cards
The private cards dealt face down to each player that only they can use and see.
Definition
Hole cards are the concealed cards each player receives at the start of a hand and keeps hidden from opponents until (or unless) a showdown. In Texas Hold'em each player gets two hole cards; in Omaha, four. Players combine their hole cards with the shared community cards to make the best five-card hand. Because hole cards are private information, they are the primary source of the hidden-information element that makes poker a game of incomplete knowledge and skill. Strong starting hole cards (such as a pair of aces in Hold'em) are statistically favored before the flop, but position, opponents, and later cards can change everything.
Worked example
In Texas Hold'em a player peeks at their two hole cards, sees the ace and king of spades, and decides to raise before any community cards are dealt.
Why it matters
Learners must understand that hole cards are private and combine with shared cards, not stand alone. Professionals think less about their exact hole cards and more about the full range of hands they could hold in a given spot, which is what opponents must guess at.