| |
| |
|
Casino & Gambling Information |
|
|
|
Texas Holdem Poker Tournament Strategy - Starting Hands
Welcome to the fifth in my Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Series, focusing on no limit Texas Holdem poker tournament play and associated strategies. In this article, we'll examine starting hand decisions. It may seem obvious, but deciding which starting hands to play, and which ones to skip playing, is one of the most important Texas Holdem poker decisions you'll make. Deciding which starting hands to play begins by accounting for several factors: * Starting Hand "groups" (Sklansky made some good suggestions in his classic "Theory of Poker" book by David Sklansky) * Your table position * Number of players at the table * Chip position Sklansky originally proposed some Texas Holdem poker starting hand groups, which turned out to be very useful as general guidelines. Below you'll find a "modified" (enhanced) version of the Sklansky starting hands table. I adapted the original Sklansky tables, which were "too tight" and rigid for my liking, into a more playable approach that are used in the Poker Sidekick poker odds calculator. Here's the key to these starting hands: Groups 1 to 8: These are essentially the same scale as Sklansky originally proposed, although some hands have been shifted around to improve playability and there is no group 9. Group 30: These are now "questionable" hands, hands that should be played rarely, but can be reasonably played occasionally in order to mix things up and keep your opponents off balance. Loose players will play these a bit more often, tight players will rarely play them, experienced players will open with them only occasionally and randomly. The table below is the exact set of starting hands that Poker Sidekick uses when it calculates starting poker hands. If you use Poker Sidekick, it will tell you which group each starting hand is in (if you can't remember them), along with estimating the "relative strength" of each starting hand. You can just print this article and use it as a starting hand reference. Group 1: AA, KK, AKs Group 2: QQ, JJ, AK, AQs, AJs, KQs Group 3: TT, AQ, ATs, KJs, QJs, JTs Group 4: 99, 88, AJ, AT, KQ, KTs, QTs, J9s, T9s, 98s Group 5: 77, 66, A9s, A5s-A2s, K9s, KJ, KT, QJ, QT, Q9s, JT, QJ, T8s, 97s, 87s, 76s, 65s Group 6: 55, 44, 33, 22, K9, J9, 86s Group 7: T9, 98, 85s Group 8: Q9, J8, T8, 87, 76, 65 Group 30: A9s-A6s, A8-A2, K8-K2, K8-K2s, J8s, J7s, T7, 96s, 75s, 74s, 64s, 54s, 53s, 43s, 42s, 32s, 32 All other hands not shown (virtually unplayable). So, those are the enhanced Sklasky Texas Holdem poker starting hand tables. The later your position at the table (dealer is latest position, small blind is earliest), the more starting hands you should play. If you're on the dealer button, with a full table, play groups 1 thru 6. If you're in middle position, reduce play to groups 1 thru 3 (tight) and 4 (loose). In early position, reduce play to groups 1 (tight) or 1 thru 2 (loose). Of course, in the big blind, you get what you get. As the number of players drops into the 5 to 7 range, I recommend tightening up overall and playing far fewer, premium hands from the better positions (groups 1 - 2). This is a great time to forget about chasing flush and straight draws, which puts you at risk and wastes chips. As the number of players drops to 4, it's time to open up and play far more hands (groups 1 - 5), but carefully. At this stage, you're close to being in the money in a Texas Holdem poker tournament, so be extra careful. I'll often just protect my blinds, steal occasionally, and try to let the smaller stacks get blinded or knocked out (putting me into the money). If I'm one of the small stacks, well, then I'm forced to pick the best hand I can get and go all-in and hope to double-up. When the play is down to 3, it's time to avoid engaging with big stacks and hang on to see if we can land 2nd place, heads-up. I tend to tighten up a bit here, playing very similar to when there's just 3 players (avoiding confrontation unless I'm holding a pair or an Ace or a King, if possible). Once you're heads-up, well, that's a topic for a completely different article, but in general, it's time to become extraordinarily aggressive, raise a lot, and become "pushy". In tournaments, it's always important to keep track of your chips stack size relative to the blinds and everyone else's stacks. If you're short on chips, then play far fewer hands (tigher), and when you do get a good hand, extract as many chips as you can with it. If you're the big stack, well, you should avoid unnecessary confrontation, but use your big stack position to push everyone around and steal blinds occasionally as well - without risking too many chips in the process (the other players will be trying to use you to double-up, so be careful). Well, that's a quick overview of an improved set of starting hands and some general rules for adjusting starting hand play based upon game conditions throughout the tournament. Until next time, best of luck to you at the Texas Holdem poker tables! Rick Rick Braddy is an avid writer, Texas Holdem player and professional software developer and marketer for over 25 years. His websites and Texas Holdem poker software helps people become better Texas Holdem players. If you're a poker player, be sure to visit his Texas Holdem poker poker today and learn how you can play better Texas Holdem poker, too.
MORE RESOURCES:
Casino-Gambling - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The History of Poker Chips Gaming chips have been made from a wide range of materials in an almost infinite variety of styles since the birth of gambling and the need to keep track of winnings. The most common material types used today in the manufacture of modern poker chips are plastic, clay composite, and acrylic composite. Video Poker - Best Strategy The table below gives a basic drawing strategy for a Jacks or Better machine (the best kind). There is a perfect draw for every possible combination of cards dealt to you, but that strategy is far too complicated for this article and for the casual player. Please Help My Husband, Wife, Partner, Spouse, or Other Family Member to Stop Gambling It doesn't matter whether you are the husband, wife, partner, spouse or other family member of a compulsive gambler. It's your goal to help your loved one beat their compulsive gambling addiction. Wisconsin Casinos, The Top Three I have been gambling in Wisconsin since I was 16 years old! I snuck in for two years straight. After legally gambling at the age of 18 for a few months they moved the age limit up to 21. Take Your Online Poker Game to the Next Level Playing Poker online can be quite satisfying, and financially rewarding, if one uses the best possible online poker strategies. Some online poker players simply rush into games and hands without thinking about their options. Texas Holdem Tournament Poker Strategy - Betting Is Communicating The "Language" of Poker BetsWe humans are very perceptive creatures. We are able to communicate in many different ways with one another. American Gambling Basics Casinos have always been a destination for the wealthy and the famous, however, these days they are hoping to be a regular stopover. But the gambling cannot be confined to one spot. Poker Tournament - Blind Stealing Strategy Poker tournaments are often not epic confrontations between two premium hands in the later rounds when it all is decided. They are generally 60/40 or closer confrontations, which ultimately decide the outcome. A Trip To Vegas A trip that will always be remembered is the one in Las Vegas, what is sometimes referred to as "Sin City" due to it's casino gambling places, though I prefer to remember it as a "sensational" city, LasVegas, Nevada.From LA to this gambler's city, It was a 4 hour drive during the summer months. How to Play Video Poker Slot Machines Video Poker is a game that requires some skill to play and bridges the gap between slot machines and table games for many players. It's still easy and fun to play, but you have the potential to maximize your gains by being able to put the odds in your favour, making it a more involving playing experience. Texas Holdem Tournament Strategy - Poker Tournament Fundamentals This is the second in the Texas Holdem Strategy Series, focusing on no limit Texas Hold'em poker tournament play and associated strategies. In the first installment, we examined a real-world tournament scenario and how to handle a particular class of difficult players - the "maniacs", aggressive, wild players that are commonly encountered in today's poker tournament venues. How To Improve Poker Skills With Free Online Games When I learned to play poker I did it the hard way. I put out my hard-earned money and promptly lost it to more experienced players. Lucky Texas Holdem Tips Texas holdem poker is one of the few online casino games in which you can actually consistently make money. These lucky texas holdem tips will put you in the driver's seat of most online poker rooms. Las Vegas Interesting Facts Many have had their days of glory in the state of Nevada. But these three step out of the crowd, as they gave the name of the game. A Receipe to Success FreeAdGuru Steven says it is all about pre selling. Do not sell the product Do the preselling. My Casino Blackjack Variation Game I have played millions of hands of blackjack. I started sneaking into the casinos when I was 16. Why Online Poker is Better Than Land Based Poker Online Poker has become the greatest hit in the online gambling industry, being current cash cow and source of income for many people involved. It provides an unique opportunity for the world's top players, who enjoy poker action against each other or any player without leaving home. The Secrets of Remembering True Odds Pssst.. What Your Poker Table Says About Your Personality Who does not have tables at home? Such a queer thing to ask. But in fact of all the tables in a home which one can give you the pleasure of enjoying as if you were in a casino. Roulette System: Chaos Theory This article is going to discuss how Chaos Theory applies to Roulette."Looking at roulette chaos is like looking at a raging white-water river filled with wildly tossing waves and unpredictably swirling eddies.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
