Part Two: Preflop Play
written by BeatTheFish.com
Hand Selection
I'm sure that you've read about hand
selection and looked over your favorite author's starting hand
guide. It will tell you the recommended hands that you should play
from early, middle, and late position. There are exceptions, but
their recommendations are usually a very good guide to use. If you
want to keep yourself out of trouble and stay above the gutless play
of the online fish, you'll take your tight-aggressive author's word
and stick to good starting hands. I even kept a photocopy of Matthew
Hilger's starting hand guide from Internet Texas Hold 'em
next to my computer for a while. And remember, we all play garbage
like J-7 offsuit at times, but try to keep those temptations to a minimum.
It'll save you a lot of money in the long run.
In Beat Texas Hold 'em, Tom
McEvoy suggests that "it is unprofitable over the long run to play
anything other than Aces, Kings, AK, and sometimes Queens from first
position." He's right. Position is power in hold 'em. You can loosen
your starting hand requirements as you get closer to the button, but
play very selectively from early position. You'll have to act first,
and you won't know where you stand unless you're holding strong
cards. Most of your opponents will be playing a combination of good
starting cards (even maniacs can wake up with AA) and bad cards.
You'll only be playing the good cards. Don't sink to their level
because you'll probably be stuck with a borderline call that could
cost you a lot of money.
More tips on Hand Selection:
-Texas Hold'em Hand Strength
Suited Connectors
Even though you'll be playing big cards
most of the time, keep an eye on the pot when you're in late
position. This is a great time to play suited connectors if 4 or 5
players are seeing the flop with you. The pot odds justify a call
from you in this situation, plus these types of hands can turn into
real monsters if you hit the right flop. If you've been showing your opponents
good cards, you may even consider a raise in this situation. Your
opponents will put you on a couple of big cards, and it can pay off
when you hit two pair or a set on the flop with your 4-5.
More tips on Suited Connectors:
-Small Suited Connectors
Playing Any Pocket Pair
A couple of table situations make it
profitable to play small and medium pocket pairs (2-2 through 10-10)
from any position. If you're in late position and you have at least
4 or 5 callers ahead of you, definitely play any pocket pair. Also,
if you're table is passive and you don't encounter a lot of preflop
raises, than you might consider playing any pocket pair from middle
and late position. Just remember, if you don't have an overpair to
the board on the flop, NO SET, NO BET!
More tips on Pocket Pairs:
-Small
Pocket Pairs
-Pocket
Jacks
-Pocket
Kings and Queens
Play the Opposite Style of Your
Opponents
When your table is full of stupid
players who are hitting big hands with trash cards, you might be
tempted to play those same trash cards hoping to hit those monsters,
too. You can try it. But the problem is that maniacs and fish like
to intimidate other players by constantly raising the pot preflop.
It's going to cost you to see the flop, and most of the time you're
not going to hit anything with trash hands.
As Doyle Brunson recommends in Super
System 2, you usually want to be playing the opposite style of
the opponents at your table. If your table is full of wild loose
players, you want to tighten up and wait for the right cards to snap
them off. I don't suggest getting involved with mediocre hands and
trying any fancy plays at most loose online tables. Your opponents
aren't going to pay attention, and will probably call you down with
any two cards. Doyle's advice also works well if you're playing at a
tighter site like Ultimate Bet or Full Tilt. At a table full of
tight players, I often mix it up with lots of pot-sized raises from
late positions. Most of the time you'll pick up the blinds and if
you do get called, you can usually win it on the flop if all blanks
fall.
Summary
-Good starting hands are the first
defense against bad online players
-Be very selective from early position
-Loosen up your starting hand
requirements as you gain position
-Consider staying in with suited
connectors from late position with lots of callers
-Play small and medium pocket pairs in
the right situations and remember: no set, no bet
-Don't sink to the bad players level
-Play the opposite style of the rest of
the table
Back to Part
One... Continue to Part
Three...
Back to Poker
Strategy
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