Welcome to part 2 of The Poker Monkey's Guide to better poker skills. Here you will learn about which starting hands to play, depending on your table position. Do not underestimate the power of a good table position! It's a key in the winning process in most poker players' strategies.
If you only play for fun (I totally understand that (if you are a total wuss!)), with play money, you can call all you like. It's kind of fun to get a three of a kind on the flop with 5-3 as a starting hand, but that just won't work if you want to start earning big bucks. You have to be careful which hands you call with.
I will say it again, just to be sure you get it:
To know which starting hands to play at different table positions is the key of winning in Texas Hold'em Poker.
Below you will find which starting hands to play. Nedan hittar du vilka starthänder som du ska föredra framför andra. A=Ace, K=King, Q=Queen, J=Jack, s=suited (two cards in the same color).
You might remember me saying that your table position is important. Well, i repeat it just to make sure you won't forget it. I forgot it once, and lost lots of money! So don't forget it. Please don't. I beg you.
If you are to the left of the dealer, you are up first (when the flop is shown). Therefore you won't have a clue what the other players might have until after you have acted. The others at the table might raise the pot to a level you can't handle. This lack of information might cost you plenty.
You can lose a lot of money just by calling. Don't be afriad to fold a lot of hands if you don't have the cards that's necessary to win a round. Saved money is worth just as much as earned money!
It's always good to be the last one to act after the flop, cause then you have more info about your opponents.
Also - notice how many players you are up against. If you play against few opponents, you don't have to be as careful as against many opponents, cause then the risk of someone catching anything good increases.
Early position at the table
If you are among the first players to act at the table (if you are sitting with one of the two blinds, or the three next positions at a 10-player table), you are at early position. This is a tricky position to play from, especially at No Limit poker. Only the best starting hands are good enough to be played here. These are:
Pair: AA KK QQ JJ 10-10
Suited: AK AQ AJ A-10
Unsuited: AK AQ AJ A-10
With a pair of Aces, Kings, Queens or Jacks - bet first if no one else have, and raise if someone has bet before you (well you shouldn't go all in with a pair of Jacks, but this is a good strategy at limit tables). That way you take control of the round. Furthermore, a lot of players will chicken out and fold, especially those with a straight or flush draw. If you can get rid of those, you have a lot won already. But don't overbet, you still want someone to play against for the pot. Make sure you get as much out of a good hand as possible, cause with my strategy, you won't call a lot of hands. You have to be patience, that's another key. If you can't be patient, play at many tables at once. Then you will get a lot more action.
Middle position
You are in middle position if you are fifth, sixth or seventh player to act at a 10-player table. At this position you shouldn't be as tight as at early position. You should know that is an 11% chance you get a three of a kind when you have a pair, so play the pairs if no one have bet before you. But if the flop doesn't suit you in any way, fold directly someone bets.
Play these cards at middle position:
Pair: AA KK QQ JJ 10-10, and if no one have bet before you: 99 88 77 66 och 55
Suited: AK AQ AJ A-10, and if no one have bet before you: A9 A8 A7 A6 KQ KJ K-10
Unsuited: AK AQ AJ A-10.
Late position
If you are eigth, ninth or last to act at the flop, you are at late position at the table. To be the dealer (to be behind the dealer button) is the best position. Then, everybody have acted before you, which gives you relevant info about which cards they might have. If someone at early or middle position have bet, they ought to have a pretty good hand. Therefore, only play good hands against them. Never assume your opponents are bluffing.
If you are sitting at late position, there are a few more playable hands:
Pair: AA KK QQ JJ 10-10, and if no one have bet before you: 99 88 77 66 55 44 33 22
Suited: AK AQ AJ A-10, and if no one have bet before you: A9 A8 A7 A6 A5 A4 A3 A2 KQ KJ K-10 K9 K8 K7 K6 K5 K4 K3 K2 QJ J-10 10-9 98 87 76
Unsuited: AK AQ AJ A-10
Standard rules
- Only play really strong hands at early position.
- Loosen up a bit at middle position, but be on your toes - look out for big bets from other opponents.
- Loosen up totally at late position. Always play hands that could give you a straight or a flush (or both) if you only have to call the blinds.
- Watch how different situations have developed at "your" table. Is it a tight game, or a loose one?
- Try to find a pattern of mistakes. The more you play, the more you learn how to use your starting hands and develop a unique playing style of your own.
Also, you might know that the above strategy is quite defensive. If it's a tight table, you don't have to be. But be careful anyway!
An interesting fact is that there are 2.598.960 possible five card poker hands, 1.326 possible two card start hands in Texas Hold'em, and 19.600 possible flops. There you go!
Click here for the next part of the guide: How to play the flop!