Starting Requirements

[aroddolla]

I figure most of you are succesful players so your input would be helpful. I was wondering what kind of starting hand requirements you employ. Are you a fan of skanklys starting hands and strategy? Mainly whats your take on raising/reraising/calling the blind/cold calling two bets/folding with marginal hands. Hands like AJo KQo QJo KJo K10o. What about these hands when they are suited. (assuming the players are good to tough, and you are in middle positon.) This area just seems like a big leak in my game.

[mike l.]

there's a beginner's forum for just this sort of question.

[tolbiny]

(assuming the players are good to tough, and you are in middle positon.)


First hand you are delt. Fold
get up, put name on change table list.
fold all hands not AA-JJ and AK
sit out when the blinds get back to you and wiat for table change.

[AKQJ10]

It's fine that they moved it, but it would be most helpful to know where they moved it from. Is this limit hold 'em we're talking about?

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]
I was wondering what kind of starting hand requirements you employ.


[/ QUOTE ]

Starting hand charts are okay as you're just starting out. But you need to quickly come to understand why the charts tell you to play the hands in the various situations. You'll come to understand the reasons as you study and play more. The best course of action is Ed Miller's Getting Started In Hold'em and then his Small Stakes Hold'em. Those books give starting hand suggestions as well as explain them.

raising...reraising

There are plenty of hands where raising preflop is right. It's difficult to synopsize it as you need to take into account the other players, your position, your image, etc.

calling the blind

Commonly referred to as "limping" and there are many good times to do this also. Again, how your hand plays, the table texture, position, your image, etc., all influence when you can limp.


cold calling two bets

Just say no. There are rare situations where it's okay, but usually you want to raise or fold when facing two bets.

folding with marginal hands. Hands like AJo KQo QJo KJo K10o. What about these hands when they are suited.

Big broadway cards are good, generally, (AJ, KQ) but the middle broadway cards are easily dominated and not nearly as good as they look. SSHE covers this in detail.

I hope that's some help.

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]
I figure most of you are succesful players so your input would be helpful. I was wondering what kind of starting hand requirements you employ. Are you a fan of skanklys starting hands and strategy? Mainly whats your take on raising/reraising/calling the blind/cold calling two bets/folding with marginal hands. Hands like AJo KQo QJo KJo K10o. What about these hands when they are suited. (assuming the players are good to tough, and you are in middle positon.) This area just seems like a big leak in my game.

[/ QUOTE ]

See

http://www.pokerroom.com/games/evsta...php?players=10

These are average limit holdem EV stats across all players and all blind levels for 10-handed games on Poker Room. Position 3 is UTG. Position 9 is the cut off. D is dealer. You can change it to 9-handed tables or less. You can also look at specific blind levels.

Note the EV figures are expressed in terms of big bets. If you were playing 2-4, you multiply the EV number by 4 to come up with a dollar figure.

In this way, hands that are better than -.25 (ie -.1) are profitable for a call in the small blind where the SB is half the BB. Where the blind structure is 1-3, the SB EV stats need to be better than -.17. Where the blind structure is 10-15, then SB EV stats need only be better than -0.33 to complete the blind.

Looking at the stats, your hands that are profitable from every position outside the blinds are AA-77, AK-AJ, ATs-A8s (+ A5s-A4s, presumably for straight value), KQ, KJs-KTs, QJs and QTs.

This is not to say you should open raise with all these hands. Nor is it to say all these hands are always profitable to limp UTG in every game. But AA-77, suited cards that add to 20-21 and AK-AJ + KQ offsuit are your bread and butter hands. This is the mix Ed recommends in early position for "tight" games in SSHE.

You can also look at the chart and see which hands gain EV as your position improves. For example, 66, ATo, A7s, K9s, Q9s and JTs become profitable in middle position.

Remember too that these are average stats, including a bunch of terrible players. Good players will have slightly higher EV stats than these, and can play a few more hands for a profit.

Enjoy

[Poker Plan]

Try to read some material (GSIH / SSHE) that explains WHY certain hands are good, bad, better, etc. Poker isn't about playing to a pre-defined script- that's a recipe for disaster.

You need to get a feel for certain starting hands- that you can adjust for your position and your opponents

Ian