Sure, you know that a pair of aces are the best hand in Texas Hold'em, but do you know the worst starting hands? Knowing that these hands are almost-always-fold'em hands in hold'em is just as important to improving your poker game and not playing like a donkey.
Some of these "worst hands" are bad in the same way and will lose at about the same rate, so I've called them ties, even when one is a slightly better hand.
7-2 off suit is considered the worst hand in Texas Hold'em. They are the lowest two cards you can have that cannot make a straight (there's 4 cards between 2 and 7). Even if they are suited, they will make you a very low flush, and if either pairs, it's an awfully low hand.
Because it is the worst, some players will play it for fun and in online games, it is known as "the hammer."
This is the same basic problem as above, only you've got an 8 instead of a 7. Still pretty bad for a high card. Suited or not, this is a fold'em hold'em hand.
The 3 makes this hand able to beat the two above it, but with the 3-8 you still can't make a straight and the 3-7 still, well, just sucks.
While if the board gives you a miracle flop of 3-4-5, you will have a straight, someone with a 6-7 will have a higher straight. If you get a flush, someone will probably have a higher flush. Against even 4 players, this hand will lose about 90% of the time. Not good odds.
The only thing these three hands have going for them over the hands above is the 9. If the 9 pairs, you'll have a middle pair that could still be beat by anyone holding pocket 10s, jacks, queens, kings, or aces, yet you might be fooled by a board filled with low cards into thinking you have the best hand and losing a lot of money. No straights can fill the gap between these cards, either. Beware.
This hand has a legendary quality because Doyle Brunson captured two World Series of Poker Bracelets with it. But it's not a good hand -- Doyle Brunson is one of the all-time best in the game and unless you're a Texas road gambler who's logged thousands of hours at the table, you shouldn't try and win with the Doyle Brunson.
Another hand people play because it's fun is the old 9 to 5, the "Dolly Parton." If you're playing to win, it's not a good idea to play hands because they have a funny name. That may be how you pick the winning horse in a race, but poker's a marathon, not a sprint, and over the long term there's no doubt this hand is a statistical loser.
All these hands will rarely win, especially unsuited. Toss 'em. Just toss'em. Yes, even in the little blind. If you see two low cards in the hole, unless you're in the big blind and you can see the flop for free, fold.
One of the most common mistakes I see beginners make is that when they see any paint in their hand, they play it. J-2, Q-3, K-4 whatever -- and most of these hands are losers. They're junk that may win a few pots, but more often will lose you huge cash when you find the other player has a higher kicker and the winning hand.
This is another common beginner mistake, playing any ace. Again, it may win occasionally, and heads-up it's a fine hand, but at a table of 4 or more, this hand shouldn't be played if there's a raise in front of you. You're going to be outkicked a lot with Ace-little, and it's going to feel like a kick in the junk when the other player shows their higher ace.
Good Luck & Have Fun.
Most poker players are too loose with their starting hand selection. You’ve got to stick with PREMIUM hands... especially when you’re at a 8-man or 10-man table.
Quit limping in with bad cards in hopes of hitting something on the flop. All those blinds add up... and it’s not worth it.
At an 8-player table, focus on playing hands like pocket pairs, suited connectors, A-X suited, or two face cards.
Leave hands like K-3, J-8, Q-2, and 10-7 alone. Just fold them pre-flop.
The REASON most people play too many hands is because they want ACTION. They don’t want to just sit and there and wait forever until they get good cards.
But if you want to win, you must be patient.
In fact... if you’re playing good poker, you should often be bored. That’s right: BORED.
Positioning is EVERYTHING in Texas Holdem poker.
Good positioning means you get to see what your opponents do FIRST before you have to act. Based on their behavior and betting, you can make an informed decision about what YOU want to do.
Good positioning is LATE positioning. That means you’re one of the last to act after the flop. The most IDEAL position is the dealer (or button).
The mistake most players make is playing the CARDS without considering their positioning. For instance, the way to play pocket Aces in the big
blind is totally different than the way to play it in the dealer position.
And that goes for all starting hands... and all positions.
The basic strategy you need to know is that you want to play MORE starting hands from a later position. And you want to play these hands more
aggressively.
Most of your bluffs should come with good positioning too... because that’s when you’ll have the best read on the players at the table.
In early positioning you want to play FEWER hands.Especially when you’re immediately to the left of the big blind (also known as “under the gun”).
It’s amazing how often I hear someone say, “I’m a natural poker player...”
What IS a “natural” poker player anyway?
The truth is, poker is an extremely complex and multi-faceted game. It involves math, psychology, body language skills, self control, performing under pressure, and a ton of other things.
The problem with thinking you’re a “natural”-- just because you’re good at reading people’s faces or something-- is that it LIMITS your ability to improve.
No matter how good you are at poker, there is ALWAYS room for improvement. And in each respective area of the game, there’s ALWAYS more to learn.
Not only that, but poker has been around for a LONG time... way before it started appearing on every TV station.
A lot of poker strategy has been DEVELOPED. There are step-by-step techniques, tricks, and “plays” that you can use to win more money at the tables.
These strategies won’t just “come to you” like a little light bulb over your head.
Not a chance.
Instead, you’ve got to STUDY the game, talk to other players, and be constantly LEARNING more in order to push yourself to the next level.
Emotional control is a big part of Holdem. You’ve got to be able to “let go” and become unattached from the outcome of the game.
The REASON emotions run strong in poker is because your mixing MONEY, EGO, and CHANCE... all together.
It’s DEFINITELY a recipe for some strong emotions.
The key is to EXPECT IN ADVANCE that things will get stressful and intense. EXPECT that you’re going to get “rivered” and “sucked out”.
The reason it’s important is because if you let go of your logic and start playing based on EMOTION, you’ll never, EVER win.
Avoid TILT at all costs. It causes more poker players to go broke than any other phenomenon.
Stay in control of yourself and be “unattached” to the game. Don’t let anything affect you... just remain focused on winning.
Period.
The stakes you play is what determines the SKILL you play against.
And if you’re outmatched, nothing else matters... because ultimately you’re going to lose.
But if you’re way better than everyone at your current level, then maybe it’s time to “step it up a notch”.
Playing the RIGHT stakes is a delicate balance.
I’ve found the most effective way to determine the RIGHT stakes is to calculate your profit per hour over time.
The difference in your “profit per hour” at a $5 Sit and Go versus a $10 Sit and Go can be DRAMATIC.
But you may get WHOMPED at the $20 Sit and Go... and lose your bankroll in a snap.
Here’s an important tip...
When you try to move UP in stakes, don’t be afraid to move BACK DOWN if it isn’t working.
The action plan I recommend is to build your bankroll where you KNOW you can win... then move up. If you lose your bankroll, move back down and build it up again. Then move up in stakes and try it again.
Repeat this process over and over and you’ll be continually improving... moving up to bigger games and more money.
This process also LOWERS YOUR RISK. Follow those steps and you won’t be gambling with next month’s rent.
Always remember this principle:
PLAY THE PLAYER, NOT THE CARDS.
Ultimately, the cards determine who’s the winner for a hand... but that’s only when a hand plays out until the VERY END and all cards are flipped over.
GOOD poker players hardly ever make it to that level in a hand. Because they either force their opponents to fold or fold because they pick up a
read on their opponents.
The only times you should be flipping your cards up at the end is when you KNOW you have the best hand and you’ve just milked some sucker for a huge pot.
Get it?
The PLAYER you’re up against is what you need to focus on. Not your cards.
Figure out his betting patterns, his habits, his tells, his movements... EVERYTHING. And then play him like a fiddle for all his chips.
Just as you should be studying your opponents, your opponents should be studying YOU.
The biggest mistake you can make is become PREDICTABLE. When you’re predictable, you can’t win at poker.
Because every time you get good cards, everyone will fold. And every time you get bad cards, everyone will bet.
The key is to BE AWARE OF YOUR BETTING PATTERNS.
Bet strong hands a certain way for awhile... then mix it up a bit. Do crazy things... bet odd amounts... make the same pre-flop raise for both 8-7 suited and pocket 10’s. Whatever.
MIX IT UP and kill any consistencies that appear in your game.
Know when to get up from a table... it will save you a LOT of money over the long term.
This is crucial when you’ve either just WON a ton of money or just LOST a ton of money.
Because in either case, the tendency from that point forward is going to be to LOSE. You’ll either lose your profits or dig yourself in a hole deeper... but either way, it’s not good.
Losing streaks suck... because they take hold of some weird part of your brain that virtually always PREVENTS you from making a comeback.
No matter how determined you are... no matter how SURE you are that your “luck” will change... it’s not going to happen. You’ll lose more. So just
STOP.
With winning streaks, it’s the same way. Having a lot of “new money” makes it less REAL... and there’s a tendency to lose it quickly on stupid
moves.
So if you’re WAY UP or WAY DOWN in a game, just stop playing for the day. Go back at it tomorrow, it’s no big deal.
Knowing the ODDS and PROBABILITY in poker is a standard ingredient for success.
You can win some games just by being able to read your opponents and “guess” at what types of betting decisions to make...
But ultimately, knowing the odds is what it takes to be a REAL Texas Holdem poker player.
The good news is, you don’t have to be a “math genius” to know the odds of a hand. There are a lot of shortcuts and tricks you can use to calculate pot odds, hand percentages, outs, and other important numbers.
Like I said before, you weren't BORN knowing how to play poker.
You had to LEARN it.
In every aspect of the game, you've got to continually ask yourself the question, "Is this EXACTLY what I should be doing in this situation?"
There are two main ways to improve your Texas Holdem poker skills:
1. Learn from experience.
2. Learn from someone who has mastered the game.
The problem with experience is that it takes YEARS and YEARS-- even DECADES-- of playing Texas Holdem again and again...
It's a great way to learn... but just plain inefficient.
On the other hand, learning from proven strategies and "field-tested" techniques is the absolute FASTEST way to pick up the game.
You can SKYROCKET your skills... OVERNIGHT... if you study the techniques and concepts developed by other players.
If you're serious about the game and want to learn more, then I encourage you to read the eBook "Texas Holdem Strategies ".
It's jam-packed with poker shortcuts, step-by-step tips, and the stuff you NEED to know in order to win at Texas Holdem.
Cash games, tournaments, heads-up play, online, offline... odds, tells, starting hands, bluffs... EVERYTHING. It's all in there.
One of the key skills most good poker players have is the ability to read their opponents at the table. That is why you hear so much about “poker tells.” A “tell” is any physical reaction, kind of behavior, or habit that gives (or tells) the other players information about your hand. If you learn the most common tells, you can not only watch your own behavior to make sure your body language isn’t telling all your secrets, but also watch for the habits and tics in the poker players you’re at the table with. If you can accurately read your opponent’s tells, you’ll make the right decisions against them more often and win more money.
Everyone has their own unique tics and tells, and it’s great to watch individuals and pick up on their unique tells.
Luckily, there are also a few involuntary and common tells that you can watch for even the first time you sit down with someone. As a general rule, remember that when a player acts strong, he’s probably weak, and when a player acts weak, he's probably got a really strong hand.
A final note: more experienced players may give off false tells, so the first thing to read about other players is if they’re novices or pros.
Good Luck:
HOW TO PLAY UNDER THE GUN
Hey Friend,
Here is a DANGEROUS MISTAKE that I'd say about 97% of people
make when playing Texas Holdem:
THEY DON'T KNOW THE RIGHT METHOD FOR PLAYING IN FIRST
POSITION, BEFORE THE FLOP.
This is the player immediately to the left of the big blind.
It's the first person to act as soon as the cards are dealt.
This position is nicknamed "under the gun".
And with good reason, too.
Because this is THE most DANGEROUS and COSTLY position at
the table.
Here's why:
1. When you're under the gun, you are FIRST to act BEFORE
the flop... and one of the first to act AFTER the flop.
This means you DON'T EVEN GET A CHANCE to get a read on the
other players before you must make your decisions about
betting...
2. The other players can check-raise you, trap you, and get
a READ on YOU much more easily when you're in this position
at the table...
3. You are more likely to get bluffed, pushed around, out
drawn, and BEAT when you're in this position.
Let's examine WHY this table position is so terrible... and
what proven strategies you can use to play under the gun
PROPERLY, so that you don't lose any more money because of
it.
Here's an example...
Let's say you're under the gun at an 8-man table.
You get your cards and look down at an A-10 off-suit. You
decide to limp in, and you call the big blind (50).
The action goes around the table to the other players. The
man on the button (Don) decides to RAISE and make it 300
total to play.
You're not sure if this is a position raise, or if he really
does have a solid hand.
With all the chips already in the pot... plus the 50 you
already put in from your own stack, you decide to call with
your A-10.
There's one other caller, and both the big blind and small
blind players fold.
The flop comes out:
A-3-6
All different suits.
You've hit top pair. Congratulations.
What sucks is that you're FIRST to act, and you know that
Don is probably going to raise you no matter what you do...
But you don't have a read on Don or the other player. If Don
raises, you have to call, right? I mean, you hit top pair in
a raised pot.
So let's say you throw out a "feeler bet", just to see where
you're at.
Don calls, and the other guy folds.
Hmmmm... so now you wonder if Don is SLOW-PLAYING a big
hand or if he's just going to bluff at this.
The turn comes. It's an 8.
You check... and now Don bets 1000.
What now?
You're "pot committed" and you still have top-pair, so you
decide to call.
Now the river comes, you check again, and Don goes all-in
for 3000 more.
You've already got about 1500 in the pot. You're getting
over 2:1 on your money, and you're really not sure if Don's
bluffing or not. So you call...
And sure enough, Don throws over his Big Slick (A-K), and
rakes in the pot.
Ouch.
And the REASON you lost that big pot wasn't just the
cards... it was your POSITIONING.
If you're under the gun and you hit top pair on the flop,
you're just ASKING for trouble...
Because it's very difficult to get an accurate read on your
opponents when you're first to act.
I mean... let's just look at the many ways you can LOSE your
money when playing under the gun:
- If you call the blinds, but then the pot gets raised
before the flop and you fold. (You've lost your blinds.)
- If you call the blinds (and maybe a pre-flop raise) and
the flop is no help to you. You check, and there's a big bet
by another player and you are forced to fold.
- If you bet after the flop but get raised and are forced to
fold.
- If you have a good hand but someone else has a MONSTER and
slow-plays you. (It's much easier for someone to slow-play
you when you're first to act.)
- And more...
Now multiply all of these LOSSES by the number of times you
will be under the gun every single time you play cards.
The result is a TON of lost chips...
But I do have good news:
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
You don't have to lose money every time you're first to act
before the flop...
You just have to know EXACTLY WHICH HANDS TO PLAY and HOW TO
PLAY THEM.
Let's take a look...
In our example above, the biggest mistake made was playing
A-10 in the first place.
Since under the gun positioning is so dangerous, you
shouldn't play anything except PREMIUM HANDS.
The rule is this: TIGHTEN UP YOUR GAME.
Only play these exact hands:
A-K, A-Q, K-Q, and pairs.
The only other hand you may want to play is suited
connectors, but that just depends on your style...
Personally, I don't like to play them here.
OK, now let's look at HOW to play the starting hands. There
are basically two groups:
Group 1: A-A, K-K, Q-Q, and A-K.
Group 2: A-Q, K-Q, and all other pairs.
Got it?
Now stick with me here, because this is VERY SIMPLE to
understand and will save you a lot of money at the Holdem
tables.
When you're under the gun, you should always CALL THE BLINDS
(LIMP-IN) when you get any hand in Group 2.
That means if you get any pair between 2's and Jacks... or
A-Q or K-Q... you should CALL.
Period.
The goal is to hit something good on the flop. If someone
makes a reasonable raise before the flop, you can feel
comfortable calling it with one of these hands.
I love playing small pocket pairs, because if you spike your
card on the flop (giving you a three of a kind or a "set"),
your opponents will usually never see it coming.
Now let's talk about Group 1 hands. The monsters:
A-A, K-K, Q-Q, A-K
The way you play these depends on whether the table you're
at is LOOSE or TIGHT.
Here's the rule:
If you're at a LOOSE table (where a lot of pre-flop raises
occur), you should LIMP-IN (call) with your monster.
If you're at a TIGHT table (where not many pre-flop raises
occur), you should RAISE the pot before the flop.
Here's why...
If the table is LOOSE, and you limp-in before the flop, the
pot will most likely get RAISED and the action will come
BACK to you.
This is good. It means more money in the pot for your
monster hand.
But if you make a big bet, there's a good chance you will
NOT get raised. Because you're first to act and everyone
will know you probably have a good hand.
If you limp-in and the pot gets raised, you should probably
make a RE-RAISE. Always try to get as much money in the pot
whenever possible with your monster hand...
But you DON'T want more than 1-2 callers, because that would
increase the odds of catching a bad beat.
Now if the table is TIGHT, you want to make a RAISE before
the flop. You don't want a bunch of players to all limp-in
and see a cheap flop...
Instead, you want to narrow down the field to 1-2 players
and get some money in the middle before the flop. Period.
Playing first position before the flop is just plain
tricky...
You're first to act pre-flop, in early position after the
flop, you can't get as good of a read on your opponents, and
you're at risk to getting slow-played.
So just remember, the next time you're under the gun, follow
these three simple rules:
1. Only play premium hands: pairs, AK, AQ, or KQ.
2. With AA, KK, QQ, and AK, you should RAISE at a tight
table and LIMP-IN at a loose table.
3. With the other starting hands you should just LIMP-IN.
Play by these easy rules and you'll stop losing money and
start MAKING money from this very dangerous position.
And you'll have a MAJOR ADVANTAGE over everyone else at the
table who DOESN'T know this strategy.
Which brings me to my next point...
You should always try to have MORE POKER KNOWLEDGE than the
other guys at the table... because if you do, you've
literally "stacked the deck" in your favor.
But if other guys you're up against know MORE about the game
than YOU, you're going to be in DEEP TROUBLE...
Because poker is a SKILL game... and it is very complex. If
you want to learn how to play and WIN, you've got to know
the strategies and techniques of the pros.
Why Poker Players Lose On Line
There are three crucial reasons why most players lose money at on line poker.
Iv'e listed them below...keep reading to see if they sound familliar for your situation.
Reason # 1: Not picking the right game type.
OK, so here's my big "aha" for on line poker.
It was this "aha" that INSTANTLY transformed my winnings from "decent" to "tremendous"...
Are you ready?
Here we go:
One of the biggest SECRETS to winning online is to play the RIGHT GAME for your
UNIQUE STYLE.
Not only that... bit you need to ADAPT your your strategy for EACH GAME TYPE you enter.
Let me explain...
When I say "game type", I 'm referring to the many variations of ring games and tournaments.
That includes shorthanded games, 'turbo" versions,heads-up matches and more.
The key is that your strategy should NOT be the same for each game.
For example, the "tight-aggressive-squared" method works great for 10 player sit and go's..
But you certainly woulden't want to use it in a four person game.
Or as another example:You woulden't approach a milti-table tournament the same way you'd
approach a heads-up match...
Evert tactic and technique around starting hands,positioning and betting is
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Period.
In some game types, BLUFFING is very effective. In other types you'll hardly EVER want to bluff.
The same goes with slow-playing,check-raising,and so on.
So the question becomes..
How do you know the RIGHT strategy for any given game type?
I'll share my answer with you in a moment,but first let's take a look at the SECOND REASON
why most players lose on line....
Reason # 2: Choosing The Wrong Stakes
This is fairly straightforward.Most players UNDERSTAND that they shoulden't play a game that's
too "high stakes" for them.
But what most players FAIL TO DO is adjust their "poker approach" ACCORDING to the stakes.
To put this in perspective, let's use baseball as an example.
Your strategy in a game with a bunch of 14-year olds would certainly be a lot different than
if you were playing against the WHITE SOX, am I right?
Obviously you'd have to adjust your HITTING. since you'd be facing a more skilled pitcher.
And you'd have to adjust your DEFENCE..since the hitters would be better. And so on.
But these are just ADJUSTMENTS.
Now let me ask you: Would you have to change your FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY to go
from 14-year olds to the "pros"?
The Answer Is YES.
Because CORE PARTS of the game would be affected.
Not as many "runs" would be scored...the field would be much bigger..there would be nine
innings instead of seven..and so on.
OK. so now lets relate this back to Poker.
In low stakes games,you can get away with certain things that you CANNOT get away with
in high-stakes games...
You may be able to time all your bluffs when your on the button in a low-stakes game,because
not everyone is aware of your positioning.
You might be able to consistently buy pots when the flop comes rags,because no one has the
guts to make a stand against you.
These Are Adjustments:
Your FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY will be different too.
At some stakes, you'll be able to "play around" more with special traps,feeler bets,and bluffs.
At other stakes,there will be NO ROOM for these tactics since every pot will be CRUCIAL.
(The blind structure is also a big determinant in this.)
OK, so the point is things ARE NOT the same for each level of stakes.
THere are clear and distinct differences between low-stakes, middle -stakes, and high stakes..
and therefore CLEAR STRATEGIC DIFFERENCES FOR WINNING.
Reason # 3: Not Playing At The Right Online Casinos
The third crucial mistake is thinking that every online casino is the same.
Let me say this as clearly as possible:
ALL CASINOS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL.
And here's why:
A big reason is because the PLAYERS are different from casino to casino...since the
WAY each poker room attracts its players is different.
Some online casinos give huge bonuses..others do mass advertising targeted at "beginners"..
others try to be "exclusive" for high-quality players.
And So On:
GET IT:
Do you see how this could have a DRAMATIC IMPACT on how the GAMES will be different?
At one casino you may be playing against a bunch of fresh "newbies". But the same game type and
same stakes at a DIFFERENT casino might be full of EXPERIENCED players.
This means you might consistently LOSE at $10 Sit and Go's at onr room...but WIN all the time
at another. Crazy, Huh?
Iv'e seen it happen all the time.
You may be LOSING at online poker right now...and the problem may not be your SKILLS.
It may be that your simply playing in the WRONG PLACES!
So how do you know what the RIGHT places are exactly?
Unfortuntely there's no "one size fits all" answer to this.But the good news is,you and only you
can decide which game is right for YOU.
I hope this helps and good luck!
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