Holdem Starting Hand Section

• Poker Strategy - Home

• Poker Room Reviews

• Poker Deposit Bonuses

• Poker Deposit Options

• Poker Strategy Guide

• Best Online Casinos

• Poker News

• Fulltilt Poker Referral Code

• PDC Poker Coupon Code

• Reefer Poker Coupon Code

• Cake Poker Signup Code

• Titan Poker Bonus Code

The following preflop hand selection chart is a solid guideline for profitable play but should not replace common sense or your own ability to hand read and make dynamic decisions.  It is only of use for 9 handed games.  It assumes everyone in front of you has folded but there are instructions on how to handle alternate scenarios following.

UTG, UTG+1, UTG+2:

> Call 77-JJ
> Call AQ, AJs
> Raise AK, QQ, KK, AA

MP, The Hi Jack

Raise 77-AA
Raise A10s+
Raise KQ
CO (Cut Off), Button
Raise 22+
Raise A10+
Raise KJ, KQ
Raise J10s, JQs

Blind play is extremely technical but generally do not raise from the small blind or big blind without a big pocket pair or AK and tend to fold from the small blind because the position disadvantage is extremely severe.  Hands like J10s or Axs or even Kxs can be completed in multi way pots because of the strong implied odds advantage you receive by only having to put in half a bet.

When there are a few limpers (2 or more) in front of you, unless there is a maniac or a number of extremely aggressive players in the game, you can limp behind with Axs or any pocket pair.  If the texture of the game is such that there will be a raise nearly every hand, it is generally extremely profitable to limp in with a big pair and then re-raise heavily after the dead money has entered the pot.  When you open raise, you will generally want to raise the amount of 4x BB + 1 BB for each limper.  You should be hesitant to raise limpers with weak hands, remember the advice above assumes it has been folded to you.  You will generally want JJ or AK before you want to start raising limpers, although 10-10 or AQ can suffice, depending on the texture of the players limp (if they are prone to limp in frequently, you can raise them with less fear).  If the game texture is such that you can expect it will rarely be raised, or raised only a small amount if raised, you can limp in with pocket pairs from early position.

Against a raise you will want to fold all hands except AK and pocket pairs.  You will want to always re-raise AK, AA and KK and sometimes re-raise QQ and JJ.  Whether to call with a hand like 44 depends on a number of factors; namely the willingness of your opponent to lose their stack with a single pair, the size of your stacks in comparison with the raise (if it is 5% or less you will almost always want to call the raise, assuming a re-raise is not likely, if it is higher than 10% you almost never want to call the raise) and the number of callers (the more the better).