What Hands To Play In Hold Em
Pocket Aces (Ace-Ace) and other big-pocket pairs (like King-King) are the best starting hands in any position in Texas Holdem.
Play Tight in the Beginning. This tip contradicts what Ive discussed so far. Nevertheless, you should.
Winning Texas holdem players do a good job of choosing the correct hands to enter the pot with. They resist the urge to enter the pot with marginal or poor hands, and always consider their position before making a decision to call, raise, or fold before the flop.
I remember when I started playing Texas holdem, I quickly learned how important starting hand selection was. The problem was that I couldnt find specific information about what hands to play and which hands not to play in this version of casino poker gaming.
Hands like A2o and A3o are at the very bottom of this range and should only sometimes be played from late position. Trashy Hands like Q5o, J6o, 52o and 84o are among the weakest starting hands in Texas Holdem and should never be played as a raise first in.
Of course, you can find a short list of hands you can always play, and its fairly easy to put together a list of some hands you should never play. But what do you do about all of the hands in between? Its still almost impossible to find a list of specific hands you can play.
Im going to give you a specific list of hands to play in Texas holdem. But you also need to understand a few things before you just blindly use this list. Its important that you read the two sections below before reading the list. How the List Was Developed
Over the years, Ive developed the list of starting hands listed below. The hands I consider playing are based on table position. But I never play all of the hands blindly. The list is just the first thing I consider, and its only a small part of what you need to consider also. The best way to start using the list below is by recognizing what isnt on it. Any hand thats not on the list should be folded.
Most poker players play too many hands, and one of the fastest ways to improve your results is to play fewer hands. If you fold all the hands that arent on the list, you wont enter the pot often with hands that lose in the long run.
I learned that the optimal percentage of hands for me to see the flop with is around 20. This is somewhat game-specific because, in some games, I can push the percentage up to close to 25 and in others, I push it down closer to 15.
The starting hand recommendations below will see the flop from 20 to 25 of the time, including the blinds. As youre going to learn, some of the hands are marginal and should only be played in certain situations. If youre in doubt about a marginal hand, the best play is to fold before the flop. Starting Hand Warning
If you want to be a winning Texas holdem player, you must learn about position and how to use it to help you make profitable plays. Its much deeper than this, but as a short explanation, you can play more hands in late position than early position.
The reason is because you have an advantage when you get to act after your opponents. When you have to act first, your opponents have an informational advantage over you. This is why you can only play your strongest starting hands from early position.
The list below is just a starting point. Once you see the flop, you have to make smart decisions based on your position, the strength of your hand, and your odds of improving your hand. Most of the hands you see the flop with should be folded in order to save money for when you hit a good flop.
You also need to learn how to judge the abilities of your opponents. Against poor competition, you can get away with playing a few more hands because they make more mistakes. But against good competition, you cant afford to make mistakes because they make you pay for every mistake. Early Position Hands
At a nine or 10-player table, early position is the first three seats to the left of the blinds. At a six-player table, its the first two seats to the left of the blinds. This list is designed for play at nine or 10-player tables, but its a good starting point for short hand tables as well.
You can play a few more hands at short hand tables, but you shouldnt add too many more hands.
Here are the only hands to consider playing from early position: How To Play Texas Holdem For Beginners
AA
KK
QQ
AKs
AK
AQs
I know this is a small list, but youre at such a strong disadvantage in early position that you must remain tight to have a chance to profit. And even though this list is small, in some games, I fold AQs from early position. Though its rare, Ive also folded AK from early position in particular games.
When you enter the pot from early position with these hands, you need to raise over 90 of the time. Playing in an aggressive manner forces weaker hands that can outdraw you on some flops to fold or pay a higher price to see the flop.
You also need to learn how to play each of these hands correctly after the flop. If you raise with QQ and the flop has an ace, youre in a weak position on the flop. If you enter with AKs or AK and the flop doesnt have an ace or king, youre also in a tricky spot. Middle Position Hands
Middle position is the two or three seats to the left of early position. The list of hands you can consider entering the pot with include the hands in the previous section as well as the following hands:
JJ
10 10
99
88
77
AQ
AJs
AJ
A10s
A10
A9s
KQs
KJs
Some of these hands are weaker than others and must be folded when you face a raise from early position. In most games, the only hands on this list I consider laying when facing an early raise are the pairs. And if I dont flop a set, I usually fold them after the flop. Late Position Hands What Hands To Play In Limit Holdem
Late position is the button and one seat to the right of the button.
The following list of hands can be played from late position in most games, but many of them must be folded if there has been a raise in the hand.
66
55
A8s
A7s
A6s
A5s
A4s
A3s
A2s
KQ
KJ
K10S
K10
QJs
QJ
Q10s
Q10
J10s
None of these hands are good enough to win on their own very often, so you need to be prepared to fold them on the flop if you dont improve. When you flop a draw to a good hand, you need to start using pot odds and expected value to make all of your post flop decisions. When you enter the pot from late position with one of the hands listed in the early and middle position sections, you should usually raise.
With one of the hands in this section, you can raise occasionally, but most of them are drawing hands so you want to see the flop as cheaply as possible. Blind Hands
The blinds are a big problem for most Texas holdem players. They get in trouble on the flop when they get to see the flop for free, or they decide to call a half bet or a raise with a weak hand because they already have money in the pot.
In the small blind, you need to fold any hand that isnt on the list above. It doesnt matter that you have a half bet in the pot already. The only hands you can consider playing from the small blind are the small pocket pairs not on the list, and its questionable if these are worth playing for a half bet.
Any time you face a raise in the blinds, the only hands you should play with are the ones that are strong enough to play from early position and the pocket pairs that can flop a set. All other hands should be folded. What Hands To Play In Hold Eminem
Once you see the flop from the blinds, always remember that youre in the worst position at the table. This means that if you dont flop a strong hand or a draw that offers the correct pot odds to chase, you should check and fold to the first bet. Its not worth chasing anything questionable from the blinds. Conclusion What Hands To Play In Hold Emoji
Now you have a specific list of starting hands for Texas holdem. You need to learn to make adjustments to the recommendations above based on whether the game is limit or no limit and based on the level of competition at the table. Use this list as a starting point and refine it as you gain experience. Holdem Hand Chart
Shoot for seeing somewhere around 20 of the flops, and youre going to have a better chance to win than most of your opponents. The player entering the pot with the strongest hand has the best chance to win.
Play Tight in the Beginning. This tip contradicts what Ive discussed so far. Nevertheless, you should.
Winning Texas holdem players do a good job of choosing the correct hands to enter the pot with. They resist the urge to enter the pot with marginal or poor hands, and always consider their position before making a decision to call, raise, or fold before the flop.
I remember when I started playing Texas holdem, I quickly learned how important starting hand selection was. The problem was that I couldnt find specific information about what hands to play and which hands not to play in this version of casino poker gaming.
Hands like A2o and A3o are at the very bottom of this range and should only sometimes be played from late position. Trashy Hands like Q5o, J6o, 52o and 84o are among the weakest starting hands in Texas Holdem and should never be played as a raise first in.
Of course, you can find a short list of hands you can always play, and its fairly easy to put together a list of some hands you should never play. But what do you do about all of the hands in between? Its still almost impossible to find a list of specific hands you can play.
Im going to give you a specific list of hands to play in Texas holdem. But you also need to understand a few things before you just blindly use this list. Its important that you read the two sections below before reading the list. How the List Was Developed
Over the years, Ive developed the list of starting hands listed below. The hands I consider playing are based on table position. But I never play all of the hands blindly. The list is just the first thing I consider, and its only a small part of what you need to consider also. The best way to start using the list below is by recognizing what isnt on it. Any hand thats not on the list should be folded.
Most poker players play too many hands, and one of the fastest ways to improve your results is to play fewer hands. If you fold all the hands that arent on the list, you wont enter the pot often with hands that lose in the long run.
I learned that the optimal percentage of hands for me to see the flop with is around 20. This is somewhat game-specific because, in some games, I can push the percentage up to close to 25 and in others, I push it down closer to 15.
The starting hand recommendations below will see the flop from 20 to 25 of the time, including the blinds. As youre going to learn, some of the hands are marginal and should only be played in certain situations. If youre in doubt about a marginal hand, the best play is to fold before the flop. Starting Hand Warning
If you want to be a winning Texas holdem player, you must learn about position and how to use it to help you make profitable plays. Its much deeper than this, but as a short explanation, you can play more hands in late position than early position.
The reason is because you have an advantage when you get to act after your opponents. When you have to act first, your opponents have an informational advantage over you. This is why you can only play your strongest starting hands from early position.
The list below is just a starting point. Once you see the flop, you have to make smart decisions based on your position, the strength of your hand, and your odds of improving your hand. Most of the hands you see the flop with should be folded in order to save money for when you hit a good flop.
You also need to learn how to judge the abilities of your opponents. Against poor competition, you can get away with playing a few more hands because they make more mistakes. But against good competition, you cant afford to make mistakes because they make you pay for every mistake. Early Position Hands
At a nine or 10-player table, early position is the first three seats to the left of the blinds. At a six-player table, its the first two seats to the left of the blinds. This list is designed for play at nine or 10-player tables, but its a good starting point for short hand tables as well.
You can play a few more hands at short hand tables, but you shouldnt add too many more hands.
Here are the only hands to consider playing from early position: How To Play Texas Holdem For Beginners
AA
KK
AKs
AK
AQs
I know this is a small list, but youre at such a strong disadvantage in early position that you must remain tight to have a chance to profit. And even though this list is small, in some games, I fold AQs from early position. Though its rare, Ive also folded AK from early position in particular games.
When you enter the pot from early position with these hands, you need to raise over 90 of the time. Playing in an aggressive manner forces weaker hands that can outdraw you on some flops to fold or pay a higher price to see the flop.
You also need to learn how to play each of these hands correctly after the flop. If you raise with QQ and the flop has an ace, youre in a weak position on the flop. If you enter with AKs or AK and the flop doesnt have an ace or king, youre also in a tricky spot. Middle Position Hands
Middle position is the two or three seats to the left of early position. The list of hands you can consider entering the pot with include the hands in the previous section as well as the following hands:
JJ
10 10
99
88
77
AQ
AJs
AJ
A10s
A10
A9s
KQs
KJs
Some of these hands are weaker than others and must be folded when you face a raise from early position. In most games, the only hands on this list I consider laying when facing an early raise are the pairs. And if I dont flop a set, I usually fold them after the flop. Late Position Hands What Hands To Play In Limit Holdem
Late position is the button and one seat to the right of the button.
The following list of hands can be played from late position in most games, but many of them must be folded if there has been a raise in the hand.
66
55
A8s
A7s
A6s
A5s
A4s
A3s
A2s
KQ
KJ
K10S
K10
QJs
QJ
Q10s
Q10
J10s
None of these hands are good enough to win on their own very often, so you need to be prepared to fold them on the flop if you dont improve. When you flop a draw to a good hand, you need to start using pot odds and expected value to make all of your post flop decisions. When you enter the pot from late position with one of the hands listed in the early and middle position sections, you should usually raise.
With one of the hands in this section, you can raise occasionally, but most of them are drawing hands so you want to see the flop as cheaply as possible. Blind Hands
The blinds are a big problem for most Texas holdem players. They get in trouble on the flop when they get to see the flop for free, or they decide to call a half bet or a raise with a weak hand because they already have money in the pot.
In the small blind, you need to fold any hand that isnt on the list above. It doesnt matter that you have a half bet in the pot already. The only hands you can consider playing from the small blind are the small pocket pairs not on the list, and its questionable if these are worth playing for a half bet.
Any time you face a raise in the blinds, the only hands you should play with are the ones that are strong enough to play from early position and the pocket pairs that can flop a set. All other hands should be folded. What Hands To Play In Hold Eminem
Once you see the flop from the blinds, always remember that youre in the worst position at the table. This means that if you dont flop a strong hand or a draw that offers the correct pot odds to chase, you should check and fold to the first bet. Its not worth chasing anything questionable from the blinds. Conclusion What Hands To Play In Hold Emoji
Now you have a specific list of starting hands for Texas holdem. You need to learn to make adjustments to the recommendations above based on whether the game is limit or no limit and based on the level of competition at the table. Use this list as a starting point and refine it as you gain experience. Holdem Hand Chart
Shoot for seeing somewhere around 20 of the flops, and youre going to have a better chance to win than most of your opponents. The player entering the pot with the strongest hand has the best chance to win.
