Key Poker Skills

Key Poker Skills

"Key Poker Skills: Starting Hand Selection"

One of the first key skills you will need to develop as a poker player is starting hand selection, no matter if you’re playing poker online or live. It is important to remember that the player who starts with the best hand will often end up with the best hand. Entering pots with a better average hand than your opponents conveys a natural edge that you can exploit in your poker games.

Starting Hand Selection: Premium Hands

When you start out in poker, the best limit poker strategy is playing mostly premium hands - especially when out of position. These are high pairs and big cards in Texas hold’em, hidden pairs, split over pairs or three flushes and three straights with extra value (suited connectors or big cards) in seven card stud. You should raise often when you enter a pot, not only because you probably have the best hand, but the more you bet, the better your chances to end the hand quickly. This is a plus for a player who is in the lead. If you find that players are all dropping out the instant you bet, you may need to loosen up a bit. Until that happens though, playing premium hands strongly can give you an edge.

Starting Hand Selection: Marginal Hands

Hands like aces and kings with bad kickers or small pairs are best played in position. If you play these hands often, you may find yourself repeatedly facing difficult decisions on the flop. Since your goal in poker should be to put your opponents to the tough decisions rather than the other way around, play these hands sparingly.

Starting Hand Selection: Interesting Hands

Playing hands like suited connectors can pay off in pots with several players. You will often get odds to go on with your hand, and also get paid when you hit a straight or a flush.