Strength is a measure of the likelihood a hand will win, or in some cases the playability of the hand. Rather than of absolute values, people speak of weak hands, marginal hands and strong hands.

Whether a hand is playable factors into the strength of a hand. Without this the exact statistical chance of winning could be derived. Yet that value doesn't always give the whole picture of how a hand should be, or could be played. The other players at the table, which cards they are showing, or which cards are on the board, are all factors in the strength of a hand.