Preflop hand selection

ericyp · #1 08-13-2006, 03:24 AM

In a run of no good hole cards, I'm starting to get bored and question my pf hand selection. It's wrong to play A5s or A10o UTG at an 8 man table, right? It's getting real boring playing nothing but the blinds. I've been told there's a point when a table is shorthanded enough that a suited Ace can be profitable to play. Is this option ok? Everyone else seems to limp any hand with a face card or suited, and I'm pretty confident these hands are ahead of most the field.

GrandmaStabone · #2 08-13-2006, 03:25 AM

get over it.

00Snitch · #3 08-13-2006, 03:26 AM

you should keep yourself entertained by bitching on the forums.

bbv next time.

ericyp · #4 08-13-2006, 03:32 AM

No I wasn't trying to bitch, I was seriously asking if there's situations in which playing those cards UTG or in early position would be ok. Everyone else was playing anything with a face cards or suited. Is it ever Ok to play those cards?

GrandmaStabone · #5 08-13-2006, 03:37 AM

maybe if everyone on the table timed out and would auto-fold.

GrandmaStabone · #6 08-13-2006, 03:39 AM

At some point you have to make a decision. If you want to play recreationally and have fun then do whatever you want to do and enjoy yourself at stakes you can afford to lose at. If you want to take the game seriously and play for a profit you are going to have to be patient and pick your spots. it can be a grind at times.

Smurph64 · #7 08-13-2006, 03:50 AM

[ QUOTE ]
At some point you have to make a decision. If you want to play recreationally and have fun then do whatever you want to do and enjoy yourself at stakes you can afford to lose at. If you want to take the game seriously and play for a profit you are going to have to be patient and pick your spots. it can be a grind at times.

[/ QUOTE ]

While I respect that opinion completely, I also have to challenge it a bit. Poker isn't just about the cards and at some point you are going to have to learn when and how to play the players at your table in this game with this situation. So if you mean pick your spots solely on what cards you have I disagree but if you mean pick your spots based on what others have done or will likely do based on what you do then I agree picking your spots is the most important skill to develop.

Triggerle · #8 08-13-2006, 04:10 AM

Sometimes, I am at a table that is so weak-tight that you can steal the blinds from UTG. This is when I play hands like these UTG.

Sometimes, I am at a table that is so weak-loose that the flop is 8-handed unraised virtually every time. This is where I play suited aces from any position (for flush value).

Both scenarios are very rare so usually I throw them away and you should, too.

BigBadBabar · #9 08-13-2006, 04:12 AM

i don't really understand most of the posts in this thread. if i understand the original post correctly, he wonders if he can loosen up in a game filled with lots of limpers, and the answer is definitely yes, limp all your pocket pairs, suited connectors, and so forth, and when you have a strong hand like ajs+, 88+, and so on, punish the field with raises and 3bets. in the long run, this should be good. if you have a5s in middle position and some guy limps utg with whatever, raise it up! your aggression + playing good cards will pay off. we've all had bad stretches, so keep your head up and good luck!

bbb

edit- sorry, i didn't see he meant utg specifically. if there are lots of limpers every hand, then hands ahead of that range--say 44 or a9o, should be a limp or maybe a raise. a2 suited, if you limp and it gets raised and there are 4 other calls, is fine to play. but maybe even raising it utg will drive out someone else's k7, or 23suited, and if they call, you're getting your money in with the better hand which is the whole point [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Poker Plan · #10 08-13-2006, 05:00 AM

[ QUOTE ]
No I wasn't trying to bitch, I was seriously asking if there's situations in which playing those cards UTG or in early position would be ok. Everyone else was playing anything with a face cards or suited. Is it ever Ok to play those cards?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, not really. I don;t think you mentioned what level you're talking about, but I assume it's quite low (like myself).

Just remember the whole reason that you tighten right up UTG: Because the rest of the field has yet to act. And you don't KNOW what they have. Trouble with weak aces, etc; is that if an A flops, you may find it very hard to let it go- when in reality you're drawing to 3 outs (for your kicker- even then your 2 pair may not be good)

I know it's difficult when no good cards come- but you have to sit it out. DON'T drop those standards. Every trash hand you dump- just think about the money you've saved (in the long run).

And NEVER let the players who took the pot down with trash, tempt you to play like that.

Ian