Texas Hold’em Starting Hands

While I realize this isn’t quite Stud related, we’ll be adding more information on all kinds of games soon, so I thought to start with this one on Texas Holdem. 

During a session at the Hold’em tables, one of the most important factors that separates winners from losers is the caliber of starting hands they are dealt and how they are played.  While its true that any hand could turn into a good hand after the board cards are turned, there are certain hands which are much more likely to take the pot than others.

Yet, just what actually constitutes a good starter changes depending on the table circumstances. The table circumstances includes; the number of players, the limit you’re playing,  and whether you’re playing regular cash games or tournaments should all vary your starting hand selection.

How many players are at the table:
On a full table it is of more importance to have a premium opener, as lower pairs and other vulnerable hands are more likely to be out-drawn by overcards held by your opponents who ante up to see a flop. As the number of players decrease there are not as many cards to go up against, and therefore less likelihood of being out drawn. When you are playing in a short-handed game, that is one with fewer opponents in the hand,  you are generally able to play with somewhat looser hands than when there’s lots of players. When playing head-to-head a hand consisting of as little as a pair of sevens or eights can be the winning hand and may be worth a call or even a raise. 

The limit you’re playing:
Here we aren’t discussing the betting stakes, but the type of game you are playing; no limit, pot limit, or fixed limit games.  While playing no limit poker it can be very expensive to call drawing hands, especially when another player with a solid starting hand is likely to making big raises pre flop. On the flipside, a fixed limit table with a plentitude of people calling is often the ideal place to try and catch a monster hand, since you usually have to commit fewer chips to see the flop.

Tournaments versus regular games:
When playing tournaments you have got to think about the tournament as a whole instead of each individual hand. During tournaments, while the number of opponents is still important, other things including how many chips you have and the blinds raising should often influence how you play your starting hand. In regular cash games players can always buy more chips, therefore the quality of your starting hand stays consistant.

To recap; winning players know that different game situations influence what a good starting hand is, and alter their playing methods accordingly.