One of a novice player's biggest leaks is playing hands with poor kickers. People should generally stick to quality hands.
I was visiting my dad today. He installed the Texas Hold'Em application on Facebook.
He sat down at a 2/4 game and bought in for 358. (An interesting amount to say the least.) His first hand he gets A6o. UTG limps, UTG+1 limps. I advise him to fold, but he calls saying, "I just want to see a flop." MP2 raises to 8, HJ folds, CO makes it 48.
And I told him, this is why you fold. Because now you commited money to the pot where you don't know the action behind you, are out of position, and don't know where you stand. You know you are probably beat, but by what?
Regardless he decides to call the 48, as does the BB, UTG, and UTG+1. MP2 makes it 114. CO calls, as does everyone else. My dad almost folded at this point, but called anyways. I mentioned he is basically pot commited to call at this point because there is 600 in and you only have to call 70 more.
Flop is As 9d 6s.
How lucky.
As it turns out, my dad pushed all in for his remaining 244, and got 3 calls, and the BB's J4s took the pot. He was also up against ATo, and T7o.
What went wrong?
First he commited money with a hand that plays poorly in a multiway pot. It's very unlikely one pair will win when you have 6 people heading to the flop. Given how loose the game is there is no reason to be playing a hand like A6o. You are rewarding their loose play by giving yourself difficult decisions for the remainder of the hand.
Even if you catch two pair, you can still be beaten by a straight or flush draw, which someone is very likely to have picked up on the flop. When you catch one pair, you will often be beaten by a better hand, and if you aren't it's likely you won't get any action. Since you have a lot of opponents stealing is nearly impossible.
Playing offsuit face-rag hands (hands like K2, Q6, A8, J5, or basically hands that contain a face card and a non connecting card.) is begging for trouble. A lot of the time, you will be beaten. Sometimes you will be dominated. And when you connect with the low card, often you won't know if you're good or not. So you're really playing a hand with no virtues. When you become an extremely high calibar player you may be able to realize a profit playing these hands in only VERY specific circumstances.
While this idea breaks down a little in tournaments (particulary with Ax, because when you are short stacked any Ace is valuable.), in cash games this idea is PARAMOUNT. I would strongly suggest that 99%+ of all players should fold hands that are unconnected, unsuited, and unpaired. Now connectedness doesn't have to be 98, but even 95 is connected, although not very closely. A hand that can make a straight with both it's hole cards, has a great deal more equity than one without. For example, in many situations A5 is far superior to A6 because of this issue. Where many people would assume A6 is the better hand because it is ranked higher, it's about how well it plays vs other people hands not other hands you could have. For example, I would much rather have QJo then A7o, despite the fact A7 is a "stronger hand."
This all funnels into a simple idea of what to play preflop.
There are 3 catagories of strength. You shouldn't play a hand that has none of these, and should aim to play hands that have 2 or 3. If a novice only played hands that had at least two of these qualities, they would probably be much better off.
1. Connectedness - 67, JT and even hands like Q8 are much superior to hands like K7 which have no connectedness.
2. Suited - Suited cards will only make a flush 6% of the time. That doesn't seem like a big gain, but when you make a flush you usually win the entire pot. If you take AKo against AA, you will only win about 9% of the time. But if you have AKs, that jumps to 15%. That's a gain of over 60% in equity.
3. Big Pair potential - This means making one pair that is likely to be best. AK has the highest big pair potential, because if it connects, it always has Top Pair, Top kicker. (TPTK) This is extremely valuable for the same reason K8 is a flawed hand. You can never be dominated by another unpaired hand, and could dominate someone else. If the flop comes out K83, and he has KQ, it's better to have AK then AA. This gives him fewer cards to improve to. Big pair potential is most contained in hands that have a strong chance of making top pair and it being best. That would mean, AT+, KJ+, and sometimes QJ. Most big pair hands also have connectedness.
Finally there are pocket pairs which are valuable for another reason.
Pocket pairs can make sets by catching a matching hole card. Sets are EXTREMELY powerful. Sets singlehandily win the most money for any kind of player. This is because sets tend to destroy other monster hands like top two pair. Even when up against a straight or flush, they only need to pair the board to evolve into a crushing full house. Sets are also disguised which strengthens their hand.
Premium pocketpairs JJ+ also have big pair value. When pocket pairs make an over pair to the board it's quite likely, they are the best hand. However, all pocketpairs have no value in connectedness or suitedness. Regardless much of the time, it's profitable to see a flop with pocketpairs in an attempt to catch a set, and only continuing with a set or an overpair.
My general guidelines for a beginning player. If no one has called or raised yet, it's generally best to raise yourself. If someone has raised in front of you, fold the weaker hands in the range.
In reality, most novices don't have the skill to play this many hands, so tightening up even further is suggested.
Assuming 9 handed game (if it's ten add one to EP, if it's 6 handed, there is two MP, two LP.)
In early position, EP (First 2 seats) : AK, AQ, AJs, AA - TT
- In English, Ace King, Ace Queen, Ace Jack suited, Tens and better.
In middle position, MP (next 3 seats): AT+, JTs+, KQ, 22+
- In English, Ace Ten through Ace King, Any two suited broadways, King Queen, any pocket pair
In late position, LP (next 2 seats) - 56s+, JT+, 22+
- In English, Any two broadways, 56 suited and better, any pocket pair
Small Blind, SB - complete (call the bb) with any hand that has one of three requirements. Raise with same hands from from LP if folded to.
Big Blind, BB - Check anything that you wouldn't raise from EP. Raise with the rest.
These guidelines are for novices. If you are having trouble with poker at the lower levels, I suggest trying this. Preflop is much simpler than postflop play, but by playing stronger hands preflop, you make it easier on yourself postflop.
good luck!
I'll see you across the felt soon.
- Bryce
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