A POKER LESSON
STARTING HAND REQUIREMENTS IN TEXAS HOLD'EM
You should always be willing to alter your basic starting hand requirements -- depending on the dynamics of the game and your table image.
-- Nolan Dalla
IDEA #1: I'm not a believer in, nor a supporter of, "starting hand requirements" in limit Texas holdem. Some poker theorists have published comprehensive lists of two-card starting hands in hold'em -- assorted by group -- which tell you specifically what hands should be played from various positions. For example, the theorists universally recommend playing only premium hands from early position, and so forth. These lists are beneficial to poker novices who have little or no grasp of the relative strength of starting hands in hold'em. But once you progress to an intermediate level of play and go higher in limits, following these starting hand requirements to the letter is like continuing to ride a bicycle with the training wheels attached. That is, they will slow you down in the long run and will impede your ability to outplay your opponents in specific circumstances. The will cost you money (additional profits), if you follow them unquestionably.
THE POINT IS: Starting hand requirements are good for beginners. But if you play against more sophisticated opponents, TO WIN at poker you will need to adjust your starting hand requirements in most circumstances.
IDEA #2: The reason why most of these zombie texts on starting hand requirements are useless in games above the $10-20 level (this varies by geographical location -- some areas have very tight play, other areas have games where the action is fast and loose) is because all poker games are different. Because of these subtle and not-so-subtle differences, some games are simply not subject to broad generalities as to what hands can be played in a certain position. Admittedly, starting hand requirements can provide some rough guidelines, but they should not be relied upon for anything other than a very broad directional signpost. In other words, if starting hand requirements are like training wheels for novices, they are merely the highway stripes for advanced and intermediate players. Sure, we try to stay within the lanes of traffic when we drive forward, but to get where we are going, we sometimes have to ignore them completely.
THE POINT IS: Starting hand requirements are worth thinking about no matter what limit you play. But TO WIN at $10-20 and up occasionally requires that you go against the basic starting recommendations and develop poker skills which will enable you to outplay your opponents after the flop.
IDEA #3: Here's something to think about. I've played more than 10,000 hours of limit hold'em -- at limits ranging from $10-20 to $40-80 in the last decade, at over a hundred different casinos, at all hours of the day and night, against all types of players and versus varying strength of competition. From California to Foxwoods, from Europe to Seattle, playing against drunks and world champions alike -- I've discovered that no single strategy is applicable to every game. Again, let me stress that EVERY SINGLE POKER GAME IS DIFFERENT. There are some games where following starting hand requirements precisely is clearly the correct strategy. There are other games where following those same guidelines would cost you money, since you would be playing way too tight under the circumstances. In these games, which are quite common, some players play so poorly after the flop that you should be willing to assume more risk and see more flops (which goes against the basic starting hand recommendations in the zombie books). Most of my poker profits over the last ten years came from my ability to play well after the flop -- not from waiting for Aces and Kings. I think most pros and semi-pros would share this view. I tend to see more flops than is generally recommended by the "experts," then I quickly get away from hands which I fear might end up being costly. In loose-passive games (games where there is little or no pre-flop raising), I believe the cost of paying one small bet to see 5/7ths of your total hand is often well-justified. In other words, you are paying only $20 in a standard $20-40 game to see five of the seven cards which will comprise the totality of your hand. This is even more true if you enjoy the advantage of a strong table image and have the implied edge of causing timid opponents to fold with a bluff on a later round of betting.
THE POINT IS: At middle limits, most of your profits comes from your ability to outplay opponents after the flop. Starting hand selection is not going to make you a winner unless you also have the skills to fold marginal hands, bluff at opportune times, and maximize profits when you hold the winning hand.
IDEA #4: That said, I do believe starting hand requirements should be followed in some circumstances. For instance, there are certain starting hands which are far more dangerous than others and should either be avoided altogether, or played with extreme caution. The genesis of this idea came about in the following story:
From October 1996 through December 1997, I wrote down every single poker hand I played. That's a lot of poker hands! I tracked my hands in Texas hold?em, at limits ranging from $5-10 all the way up to pot-limit. By far, my greatest number of hours were spent in middle-limit games -- including $10-20, $15-30, and $20-40. One of the most interesting things I learned was of the danger of so-called "trap hands." For example, I lost more money with K-J than with any other hand. K-J is problematic for many reasons. It?s difficult to throw away if you flop a pair -- and is very often the second-best hand. This means you lose the maximum amount of money on a hand that is frequently dominated. Of course, the hand can be played selectively, but falling in love with paint cards is a very costly mistake. It?s even more dangerous calling raises with it. In fact, it?s suicide. Other hands fell into this trap, as well (meaning, I lost money overall), including hands such as A-8, A-9, and Q-T. But K-J proved to be the most costly holdem hand of all for me, based on several hundred (admittedly unscientific) examples.
THE POINT IS: It can be just as useful to know which hands NOT to play, as which hands TO play. Hands which are proven to be trouble-makers (potential "second-best" hands) can be discarded with confidence -- according to my hand-tracking experiment. Your results may vary.
IDEA #5: My "starting hand requirement" includes throwing away K-J, Q-T, and A-x (x is unsuited and 9 or lower), unless I'm in late position and there have been no pre-flop raises. In middle position, I would much rather play a hand such as 6-7 or 8-6 suited than a K-J offsuit, because I can easily fold the 6-7 or 8-6 unless I make a solid connection to the flop (Note: I do not always play those weak hands -- I'm only pointing out that they are "easier" to play post-flop than the K-J and Q-T?..this is because if you hit either big pair, you are probably obliged to play the hand through to the end, which can be very costly). Hands like K-J and Q-T are particularly problematic because even if you hit the hand hard on the flop -- say you hit top two pair -- your hand is still quite vulnerable because any card above an 8 can potentially give your opponent a straight. This is less likely with connectors and suited one-gap hands of lower ranks (6-7 and 6-8 for example), since most opponents will not play hands like 8-5 and so forth which potentially kill your hand if you hit two pair on the flop. Based on my hand-tracking experiment, here are the "deceptive-looking" above-average hands which should be mucked pre-flop (in most circumstances), except in late position, when there has been no raise:
K-J unsuited
K-T unsuited
Q-T unsuited or suited
A-T unsuited
A-x (x lower than 9) unsuited
A-x suited in early position
A-J unsuited, under the gun
J-T unsuited
Small pairs, under the gun
While some of these recommendations may be controversial, I contend that these hands either win very small pots, or lose big ones. For instance, since most decent holdem players will not play a hand such as K-x (where x is 9 or lower), if you play K-T and hit top pair, you will get action only if you are beat, where an opponent holds a better kicker. If you play K-T and flop a king, you will be guessing on the next three rounds and could lose 2.5 big bets (or more) if you are wrong. But if you bet your K-T when the king flops, since it's unlikely anyone else holds a king with a worse kicker (except the blinds perhaps), you are not going to make much money. All of the hands above run into similar problems, especially when you are out of position.
CONCLUSION: Naturally, every game and situation is completely different and requires a unique approach. These ideas listed above are intended to make you think about what might work for you, so you can develop your own playing style best suited to the game (which should never be constant by the way). I have found that by playing "extremes" -- either very strong hands in early to middle position and/or some questionable hands (that are easy to fold after the flop) this gives me a look at more flops than average, and puts me in a better position to outplay opponents after the flop. After a time, it also confuses opponents who have no idea if I hold A-A or 6-7 suited (but they can be sure I'm not playing K-T). Also note that if I am running bad or my opponents have caught on to the fact I'm losing in the game, I will either leave the table, or tighten up my starting hand requirements considerably. You should always alter your basic starting hand requirements, depending on the dynamics of the game and your table image.
STARTING HAND REQUIREMENTS IN TEXAS HOLD'EM
You should always be willing to alter your basic starting hand requirements -- depending on the dynamics of the game and your table image.
-- Nolan Dalla
IDEA #1: I'm not a believer in, nor a supporter of, "starting hand requirements" in limit Texas holdem. Some poker theorists have published comprehensive lists of two-card starting hands in hold'em -- assorted by group -- which tell you specifically what hands should be played from various positions. For example, the theorists universally recommend playing only premium hands from early position, and so forth. These lists are beneficial to poker novices who have little or no grasp of the relative strength of starting hands in hold'em. But once you progress to an intermediate level of play and go higher in limits, following these starting hand requirements to the letter is like continuing to ride a bicycle with the training wheels attached. That is, they will slow you down in the long run and will impede your ability to outplay your opponents in specific circumstances. The will cost you money (additional profits), if you follow them unquestionably.
THE POINT IS: Starting hand requirements are good for beginners. But if you play against more sophisticated opponents, TO WIN at poker you will need to adjust your starting hand requirements in most circumstances.
IDEA #2: The reason why most of these zombie texts on starting hand requirements are useless in games above the $10-20 level (this varies by geographical location -- some areas have very tight play, other areas have games where the action is fast and loose) is because all poker games are different. Because of these subtle and not-so-subtle differences, some games are simply not subject to broad generalities as to what hands can be played in a certain position. Admittedly, starting hand requirements can provide some rough guidelines, but they should not be relied upon for anything other than a very broad directional signpost. In other words, if starting hand requirements are like training wheels for novices, they are merely the highway stripes for advanced and intermediate players. Sure, we try to stay within the lanes of traffic when we drive forward, but to get where we are going, we sometimes have to ignore them completely.
THE POINT IS: Starting hand requirements are worth thinking about no matter what limit you play. But TO WIN at $10-20 and up occasionally requires that you go against the basic starting recommendations and develop poker skills which will enable you to outplay your opponents after the flop.
IDEA #3: Here's something to think about. I've played more than 10,000 hours of limit hold'em -- at limits ranging from $10-20 to $40-80 in the last decade, at over a hundred different casinos, at all hours of the day and night, against all types of players and versus varying strength of competition. From California to Foxwoods, from Europe to Seattle, playing against drunks and world champions alike -- I've discovered that no single strategy is applicable to every game. Again, let me stress that EVERY SINGLE POKER GAME IS DIFFERENT. There are some games where following starting hand requirements precisely is clearly the correct strategy. There are other games where following those same guidelines would cost you money, since you would be playing way too tight under the circumstances. In these games, which are quite common, some players play so poorly after the flop that you should be willing to assume more risk and see more flops (which goes against the basic starting hand recommendations in the zombie books). Most of my poker profits over the last ten years came from my ability to play well after the flop -- not from waiting for Aces and Kings. I think most pros and semi-pros would share this view. I tend to see more flops than is generally recommended by the "experts," then I quickly get away from hands which I fear might end up being costly. In loose-passive games (games where there is little or no pre-flop raising), I believe the cost of paying one small bet to see 5/7ths of your total hand is often well-justified. In other words, you are paying only $20 in a standard $20-40 game to see five of the seven cards which will comprise the totality of your hand. This is even more true if you enjoy the advantage of a strong table image and have the implied edge of causing timid opponents to fold with a bluff on a later round of betting.
THE POINT IS: At middle limits, most of your profits comes from your ability to outplay opponents after the flop. Starting hand selection is not going to make you a winner unless you also have the skills to fold marginal hands, bluff at opportune times, and maximize profits when you hold the winning hand.
IDEA #4: That said, I do believe starting hand requirements should be followed in some circumstances. For instance, there are certain starting hands which are far more dangerous than others and should either be avoided altogether, or played with extreme caution. The genesis of this idea came about in the following story:
From October 1996 through December 1997, I wrote down every single poker hand I played. That's a lot of poker hands! I tracked my hands in Texas hold?em, at limits ranging from $5-10 all the way up to pot-limit. By far, my greatest number of hours were spent in middle-limit games -- including $10-20, $15-30, and $20-40. One of the most interesting things I learned was of the danger of so-called "trap hands." For example, I lost more money with K-J than with any other hand. K-J is problematic for many reasons. It?s difficult to throw away if you flop a pair -- and is very often the second-best hand. This means you lose the maximum amount of money on a hand that is frequently dominated. Of course, the hand can be played selectively, but falling in love with paint cards is a very costly mistake. It?s even more dangerous calling raises with it. In fact, it?s suicide. Other hands fell into this trap, as well (meaning, I lost money overall), including hands such as A-8, A-9, and Q-T. But K-J proved to be the most costly holdem hand of all for me, based on several hundred (admittedly unscientific) examples.
THE POINT IS: It can be just as useful to know which hands NOT to play, as which hands TO play. Hands which are proven to be trouble-makers (potential "second-best" hands) can be discarded with confidence -- according to my hand-tracking experiment. Your results may vary.
IDEA #5: My "starting hand requirement" includes throwing away K-J, Q-T, and A-x (x is unsuited and 9 or lower), unless I'm in late position and there have been no pre-flop raises. In middle position, I would much rather play a hand such as 6-7 or 8-6 suited than a K-J offsuit, because I can easily fold the 6-7 or 8-6 unless I make a solid connection to the flop (Note: I do not always play those weak hands -- I'm only pointing out that they are "easier" to play post-flop than the K-J and Q-T?..this is because if you hit either big pair, you are probably obliged to play the hand through to the end, which can be very costly). Hands like K-J and Q-T are particularly problematic because even if you hit the hand hard on the flop -- say you hit top two pair -- your hand is still quite vulnerable because any card above an 8 can potentially give your opponent a straight. This is less likely with connectors and suited one-gap hands of lower ranks (6-7 and 6-8 for example), since most opponents will not play hands like 8-5 and so forth which potentially kill your hand if you hit two pair on the flop. Based on my hand-tracking experiment, here are the "deceptive-looking" above-average hands which should be mucked pre-flop (in most circumstances), except in late position, when there has been no raise:
K-J unsuited
K-T unsuited
Q-T unsuited or suited
A-T unsuited
A-x (x lower than 9) unsuited
A-x suited in early position
A-J unsuited, under the gun
J-T unsuited
Small pairs, under the gun
While some of these recommendations may be controversial, I contend that these hands either win very small pots, or lose big ones. For instance, since most decent holdem players will not play a hand such as K-x (where x is 9 or lower), if you play K-T and hit top pair, you will get action only if you are beat, where an opponent holds a better kicker. If you play K-T and flop a king, you will be guessing on the next three rounds and could lose 2.5 big bets (or more) if you are wrong. But if you bet your K-T when the king flops, since it's unlikely anyone else holds a king with a worse kicker (except the blinds perhaps), you are not going to make much money. All of the hands above run into similar problems, especially when you are out of position.
CONCLUSION: Naturally, every game and situation is completely different and requires a unique approach. These ideas listed above are intended to make you think about what might work for you, so you can develop your own playing style best suited to the game (which should never be constant by the way). I have found that by playing "extremes" -- either very strong hands in early to middle position and/or some questionable hands (that are easy to fold after the flop) this gives me a look at more flops than average, and puts me in a better position to outplay opponents after the flop. After a time, it also confuses opponents who have no idea if I hold A-A or 6-7 suited (but they can be sure I'm not playing K-T). Also note that if I am running bad or my opponents have caught on to the fact I'm losing in the game, I will either leave the table, or tighten up my starting hand requirements considerably. You should always alter your basic starting hand requirements, depending on the dynamics of the game and your table image.
