KNOWING THE PRE FLOP STRATEGY
The most common mistake is playing too many hands. A professional player usually plays just 20% of his starting hands. It is the most important decision whether to start a hand or not. Lets look over the pre flop strategy most of the professional players are using.
Loose players do not play selective. That is why it is so profitable playing at PacificPoker, PokerStars, PartyPoker and BetssonPoker. Choose a table with a high percentage of flops seen, this is an indicator for loose players and soft competition.
When to start a hand or not is of course depending on the strength of your hand, but not only. The second factor, that many beginners are more or less ignoring is your table position.
Why is position important?
If you decide to play a mediocre hand in early position, there is a much better chance that you are going to be raised later on. In fact, it is very likely that one of the players have a better hand than you. In the earliest position of the pre flop betting round you have to beat up to nine players. So it is always an advantage to act in late position as you already know how many opponents you are playing against. If you are on the button and everyone folds to you, you have just the blinds to beat. Obviously you need a much stronger hand in early position to open the betting round than in later positions.
At a 10-seat table there are four different positions: The two blinds, then the early position (the three seats after the blinds), the middle position (the next three seats) and the late position (the last two seats).
Watch the players at Pacific and Everest, they play almost every hand in any position. They are simply ignoring a key factor in successful texas hold’em play.
Now lets take a look at the starting hands ranking.
(s means cards from same suit, x means any card)
Group #1: AA, AK, AKs
Group #2: QQ, AK, JJ, TT
Group #3: AQs, 99, AQ, 88, AJs
Group #4: 77, KQs, 66, ATs, 55, AJ
Group #5: KQ, 44, KJs, 33, 22, AT, QJs
Group #6: KTs, QTs, A9s, JTs, A8s, KJ, QJ
Group #7: KT, QT, JT, A7s, K9s, Q9s, T9s
Group #8: Axs, J9s, A9, K9, 98s, 87s
Obviously group #1 and #2 hands are strong and you should play them aggressively in any position. Dont just limp in with these hands, put pressure on your opponents with a raise and re-raise.
With group #3 hands raise in late position only and try to see a cheap flop if you are in early position. Be careful with hands of group #4. Fold them in early and middle position if a player to your right has opened the betting round, otherwise try to see a cheap flop. If you are in late position and everyone has folded to you, then you can raise with them.
Play group #5 hands only in late position to avoid being under pressure later on. This kind of hands are dangerous, so play them only when most of the players folded to you.
Hands listed in group #6 and #7 you should only play occasionally and only in very late position. With these hands you want to see the flop if you are sure to have max. 2-3 opponents left.
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