» Issue 17
By
Dave 'El Blondie' Colclough,
the European Poker Player of the Year. Dave is frequently seen playing Poker
on TV at the World Series of Poker or on Late Night Poker. This is Dave's poker
diary, where he regularly details poker tips and strategy and recounts tales of
his experiences playing professionally. Dave is sponsored by the brilliant
online poker site
Bet365 Poker.
For all Dave's amusing and informative Poker articles,
click here
Playable Hands - Part 2
As stated in the previous article, the following are suggested guidelines for an average 9 handed $2/$4 Limit Hold 'em table, where it is neither an aggressive or very tight line up. Slight adjustments would have to be made if the game became too tight, and likewise if the game became a little wild.
Pocket Pairs were discussed in the previous article.
The following is advice for 'suited' starting hands, i.e. both cards are of the same suit:
- AK - Play and raise at every opportunity in any position, only put the brakes on against tight opponents
- AQ - Play and raise in any position. Don't re-raise
- AJ, A10, KQ - Play in any position. Raise in late position. Raise in the blinds heads up
- A9, A8, A7, KJ - Call in un-raised pots. Preferably in mid or late position. Only raise in the blinds heads up against weak opponents
- A5, A4, A3, A2, K10, K9, QJ, Q10, J10 - Only call in late position in un-raised pots. Pass in raised pots or in bad position. Only raise in the blinds heads up against weak opponents
- K8, K7, K6, K5, K4, K3, K2, Q9, Q8, J9, J8, T9, T8, T7, 98, 97 87, 86, 76, 75, 65, 64, 54 - Only call in late position in un-raised pots. Pass in raised pots or in bad position.
- Q7, Q6, Q5, Q4, Q3, Q2, J7, J6, J5, J4, J3, J2, T6, T5, T4, T3, T2, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 85, 84, 83, 82, 74, 73, 72, 63, 62, 53, 52, 43, 42, 32 - Pass these hands. They are unprofitable.
The following is advice for un-suited starting hands, i.e. both cards are of a different suit:
- AK, AQ - Play and raise in any position. Re-raise in late position.
- AJ, A10, KQ - Call in any position. Raise in late position if the pot is un-raised.
- KJ, A9, A8 - Call in any position in un-raised pots. Raise in the blinds heads up
- A7, A6, A5, A4, A3, A2, K10 - Pass in early and mid position. Call in late position. Raise in the blinds heads up
- QJ, Q10, Q9 ,J10 ,J9, T9, 98, 87 - Pass in early and mid position. Call in late position.
- K9, K8, K7, K6, K5, K4, K3, K2, Q8, Q7, Q6, Q5, Q4, Q3, Q2, J8, J7, J6, J5, J4, J3, J2, T8, T7, T6, T5, T4, T3, T2, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 63, 62, 53, 52, 43, 42, 32 - Pass these hands. They are unprofitable.
See you next week!
Dave
For all Dave Colclough's informative Poker articles - click here
