Starting Hands

[ffcowboy76]

Here is a piece I penned for another site. Figured I would pass it on here as well.

While most of us like to play tourney's, due to the potential for great return on a small amount, most of the best players started with cash games. I know the WSOP has helped with the tourney boom, but for consistent income one needs to be proficient in the cash game realm as well. I've read many books and websites about how to make money playing cash games. To be a well educated player always read more than one persons writings about a subject, not every theory works for every player. Most of them have said the same thing over and over and over again, with some minor variations on the wording. I'm going to repeat most of them again, but add some of my own insight from my own histories.

Most every book lists hands by there starting strength and then tells you how to play them. This list was published in Sklansky's Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players:
(These lists are by strength in the Group as well)

Group 1: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs
Group 2: TT, AQs, AJs, KQs, AKo
Group 3: 99, JTs, QJs, KJs, ATs, AQo
Group 4: T9s, KQo, 88, QTs, 98s, J9s, AJo, KTs
Group 5: 77, 87s, Q9s, T8s, KJo, QJo, JTo, 76s, 97s, Axs, 65s
Group 6: 66, ATo, 55, 86s, KTo, QTo, 54s, K9s, J8s, 75s
Group 7: 44, J9o, 64s,T9o, 53s, 33, 98o, 43s, 22, Kxs, T7s, Q8s
Group 8: 87o, A9o, Q9o, 76o, 42s, 32s, 96s, 85s, J8o, J7s, 65o, 54o, 74s, K9o, T8o

Sklansky went on in the book to explain how and when to play each group. Some of the information I agree with, some I don't.

Another site, www.performpoker.com, went on the explain starting hands a different way. They listed only 19 hands to play. That's it, only 19. Here is the list:

1) AA, KK
2) AK, QQ, JJ, (AQ)
3) TT, 99, 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22
4) AJ, KQ, KJ, QJ

The list is broken down like this for explanation reasons. I used to know the explanations, but can no longer access them.

Now, when I sit down and play I use my own personal starting list, which is a combination of all of the lists out there. I'm not going to list them like I did above but I will explain my thinking behind groups of starting hands.

AA, KK, QQ, AK

The big 4 hands no matter what list you look at. With these hands I will raise somewhere between 3 and 5x the BB. If I'm holding QQ or AK and I get reraised, my call depends on what I know about the player and how many other players call between me and the raiser. If there are too many, I will muck both hands and carry on with my game. AA or KK in that situation and I usually reraise, but occasionally I will call and see the flop. I don't want many callers in a hand with AA, KK, or QQ. Too many callers, too many hands that can hurt you. Most every pro will tell you that you want AA, KK, or QQ in a heads up situation. Your odds with AA vs any two cards is somewhere between 80 - 20 to 75 - 25. Your odds with KK vs any two cards is somewhere between 80 - 20 to 65 - 35. With KK if you get a caller and the flop contains an A, lead out with a bet. If you get a call or a raise, consider yourself way behind and hope for improvement. Your odds with KK vs AA are 20 - 80 no matter if you share suits or not.

JJ

JJ gets its own section because this is about the hardest pocket pair to play in my opinion. With JJ I will raise 3x the BB and hope for one caller. If I get reraised and there is at least one more caller I will fold the hand instantly. Looking at the odds with JJ shows it's glaring weakness. If you are playing against 1 over card (KT off suit) you are 70 - 30. JJ against 2 over cards (AK suited) and you are on the positive side of a coin flip at 55 - 45. The only way JJ is truly a big favorite is vs 2 under cards, in that situation you are an 80 - 20 favorite.

TT - 22

All of these pocket pairs get played the same way. No matter what your position is you limp into the pot and only call a raise up to 5x the BB <strong>IF</strong> the raiser has more than 20x the BB in their stack. If an opponent raises to 7x the bb you need to fold. After the flop there are three ways to play. The first way is if you miss the flop with overs, which makes the hand really easy. Check and fold to any bet. The second way is if you flop a set, which happens only about 1 in 8 times. If you flop a set the goal is to extract as much money as possible from your opponent with out scaring them off.

AQ, AJ, AT

With these hands, obviously suited is better but all can be played pretty much the same way. If you are first in to the pot, feel free to raise to 3x the bb. If someone limps in before you, limp with them. If along the way there is a raise you should fold, you are more than likely up against a big pp or AK. If the flop brings you an A feel free to lead out if it's checked to you. More than likely you will be up against either a weak A or two face cards. If someone comes out firing at the pot, use your better judgment and what you know about the player to make a decision.

Suited connectors, KQo, QJo, JTo

With this group of hands the best play is to limp into the pot and see what excitement the flop brings you. If you miss the flop or catch a weak pair the best option is to check and fold. If you flop top pair with any of the hands, lead out with a small bet. If you get a action that is too aggressive you should consider the fold, unless you are positive the other player is trying to bully the pot.

There is the list of hands I feel offer you the best chance of making money when playing a cash game. The most important thing in a cash game is keeping a level head and analyzing what the other players are telling you when the act. The other thing I recommend when playing a cash game is some sort of tracking software. I prefer pokertracker when I play, but most any quality tracking software will show you the holes in your game.

[USCTrojans]

Nice post thanks

[GloBug]

yes i agree this is a very informative post. thanks

[NeverWinHere]

Sklansky is good reading!

[ffcowboy76]

If you guys want more, I'm happy to post more things. I've got a couple I've already written and a few ideas that people want me to write about. Let me know.

[USCTrojans]

If you guys want more, I'm happy to post more things. I've got a couple I've already written and a few ideas that people want me to write about. Let me know.

These are always appreciated by us poker players who cant seem to win no matter whatever cards you hold! LOL