Monster Hands
AA, KK, QQ, AKo and AKs
These are the group of hands that you can almost always feel comfortable putting all your chips in the midle preflop. And this is what your goal should be. Dont be tempted to slowplay them in order to get more value, you will just find yourself in trouble later on.
Bubbling Under Hands
JJ, TT, AQ and AQs
These are the hands that are not quite as good as monsters, but you can still happily get it in before the flop under certain circuimstances:
1. You or your opponent has short stack 70bb (big blinds) or less.
2. Your opponent is a maniac, a player you know doesnt really need a big hand to play for stacks. If you know he will get it in with all pairs and hands including ace, you are more than happy to gamble with your bubbling under hands.
With these hand your best play mostly is to 3bet preflop, if given the chance (meaning re-raising the original raiser). Its ok to fold if your opponent 4bets you (raising your 3bet), he is still likely to call your 3bet with hands that you crush, therefore making a mistake and pissing out money into your pocket. 4bets means usually very strong hand, so paying respect to them will save you alot of money before you have better reads on your opponent.
Strong Hands
22- 99 pocket pairs, KQo and KQs, AJo and AJs, KJs, (QJs)
These hands you want to see the flop with because they have alot of potential hitting it hard and stacking off your opponent.
Actually, I still need to divide these strong hands into 3 categories because they all need a slightly different approach.
Pairs 22- 99
Smallish pairs like these doesnt have that much value as just being a one small to medium sized pair hand and you will see overcards at the flop quite often, but good thing is you will be flopping three of a kind about once every 8th flop (odds to flop a set with pocket pair is approx 8-to-1). So just calling your opponent raise hoping to hit the trips is often the best play.
KQo AJo
Big offsuit broadways plays the best when there is as few people in the pot as possible. Ideally you want the pot to be heads up, just you and one opponent. So best play most of the time is to 3bet to avoid getting in family pot. If you are in late position and just 1-2 opponents behind you, its ok to call aswell.
The reason is quite simple; With offsuit broadways you are likely to hit alot one pair good kicker type of hands. These play rather well when the pot has 1-2 opponents, but can lead you in serious trouble when more people packs in.
KQs, AJs, KJs, QJs
Basicly same rule applies with these suited broadways aswell, but they are also alot more playable in family pots also. When its suited it gives you more chances to flop big hands and draws that can stand the heat. So with these type of hands both calling and 3betting original preflop raiser is a decent play.
Playable hands
45s-TJs, TJ+, Axs
With hands like these in general you are looking to play smallish pot before the flop, hit it big and scoop in a monster pot. If someone bets before you, you should really fold your ATo type of hands, and only proceed with suited connectors and maybe suited broadways. Reason is simple, with hand like KTo you are most likely to hit top pair with good kicker type of hands that can easily get you in trouble, meanwhile suited connectors and suited broadways can connect with the flop alot better.
Junk hands
57s-9Js, A7o-A9o, Kxs
Just because they are called junk hands doesnt mean they shouldnt get any love. You can still play them profitably from time to time, for example when the pot already has people in it and you have position. You can limp or raise these hands after your opponents, cross your fingers and hope to flop it big time.
Again hands like A7o-A9o you should never limp it, if you are considering playing them, consider a RAISE.
Rest of the hands
Basicly, under certain circuimstances you can pretty much play any hand profitably. How ever if you are beginner player I strongly advice you to play with just the hands stated above.
Avoid by all causes hands
A2-A6o, K2o-K9o, 27o
Any ace or king is good and 27o is just so legendary that you HAVE to play with it anyway, right? Well forget about it. Weak aces and kings flops terribly bad, just giving you trouble after the flop. And having threesome with your best friends mother and sister can be looked as EPIC and LEGENDARY in some cultures, but you still propably wouldnt want to do it. So dont play 27o either.
Click here to read part two of Poker Preflop Strategy |
