Favorite hand, I always play this when I get it..............

[PokerXanadu]

Like a friend of mine says, "my favorite hand to play is the one where i'm ahead." It is silly to pick out a hand ahead of time which is right to play every time (except a category 1, of course - and even then there are exceptions to playing it). 6-5 suited can be great, but depending on what position, how many limpers, size of chip stacks, reads on opponents, blind level, etc. And the same can be said about any starting hand.

On TV, one can see players like Gus Hansen, Jamie Gold, Tony G and the like mixing it up with what would be considered a poor starting hand. But, they know how to play them, how to use their reads and stacks against their opponents when playing such hands. Keep in mind that on TV you usually only see such hands when they are significant - not the 9 out 10 times they play such hands and then throw it away after the flop.

Personally, J-10 suited is a favorite (although not favored in my mind over AA and the like). You can make high straights both ways, a fairly high flush, etc., and often without you opponent putting you on the hand if you are playing it in a raised pot.

The problem with hands like 8-5 is that they are often bad even when they hit. E.g., if flop comes q-8-5 and your opponent is playing kq, chances are fairly good you will be counterfeited by the river. You really have to hit such hands strong - like a straight trips, or boat - to make them work for you. And then, you often don't get paid off as the board looks too dangerous to the person holding just high cards or one pair.

That said, sometimes it does work. I lost a tournament once when a player reraised me all in because he had his "favorite hand" - 6-9 offsuit. Darn donkeys.