Texas Hold'em starting hands
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| Your actions are above all governed by the actions of the players who act before you. Notations: Call 1, 2, 3 etc = Call if 1,2 or 3 have joined. FI = If first in. LMP = Late Middle Position |
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| Hand | Unraised pot | Raised pot |
AA, KK, QQ |
Raise | Reraise |
| JJ | Raise | Call |
| TT(*) | Raise FI SMP, Call | Fold |
| 99 | Call | Fold |
| 88, 77 | Call 1 | Fold |
| 66, 55 (**) | Call 3 | Fold |
| 44, 33, 22 (**) | Call 4 | Fold |
| AKs, AKo | Raise | Re-raise |
| AQs, AQo, AJs | Raise | Call |
| AJo | Raise FI, Call1 | Call |
| ATs, ATo | Call | Fold |
| A9s, A8s | Call 2 | Fold |
| AXs | Call 2 (***) | Fold |
| KQs, KQo, KJs | Call | Fold |
| KTs | Call 2 | Fold |
| QJs | Call 1 | Fold |
| JTs | Call 2 | Fold |
| T9s | Call 3 | Fold |
| (*) Raise in the first place if you think there is a chance to make the players up to the dealer-button to fold. | ||
| (**) Is on principle only played because of the possibility to flop three of a kind. For a dividend to take place many players in the pot are necessary. Never overestimate low pairs. | ||
| (***) Only if it is a very loose and non-agressive game. You want MANY players in the pot. | ||
Other comments: These starting hands differ a bit from the ones recommended in for instance Lee Jones “Winning Low Limit Hold’em” and “Internet Texas Hold’em” by Matthew Hilger. Lee Jones recommends that you raise all the pairs down to 88. This sounds strange to me. 99 and 88 are certainly not very strong hands with which you would like to isolate yourself against the players who might have picked up the strongest hands! Then it is better just to call and watch how the hand developes. You win by spending money when you HAVE the best hand or at least a very good hand and not by taking chances! With more money in the pot you make more money with these hands and with risking less. I am even a bit doubtful when it comes to raising TT but that is a matter of taste. Sometimes you can make players up to the dealer-button fold by raising TT which also means you get the advantage to act last in the coming rounds at the same time as it is a fairly good pair that has a better chance to survive the flop. Your decision should vary depending on the game at the table. Lee Jones also suggests you should raise KJs and QJs. This is totally unnecessary. Instead you should wait and see how the hand developes and spend money when it looks promising. They are after all cards of the same suit but they will run into AA, KK, AK and AQ if there is a raise and if this is the case you will play these hands against a few players and under the worst circumstances. Finally he even recommends to play all AXs if three or fewer players have joined … this is a very good way to spend money without having to… (But of course there ARE games when it is to play AX too, for Matthew Hilger also means you should play all AXs if at least one player has joined. I find (as I have stated before) it hard to see the positive thing with this as many hands will be lost and the total win will be very marginal. Then it is better not to join without risking a loss. This is particularly applicable if you play multiple tables to increase your poker capital quickly. Then you do not have time to spend energy on marginal hands which also demand a lot of time for consideration. It is ok to play those hands if the game is verly loose and non-agressive. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE HANDS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN USED WHEN PRODUCING THE STATISTICS YOU FIND AT FIXEDLIMITHOLDEM.COM |
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