How to Play Pre Flop (Poker)
Pre Flop strategy is important to understand as adopting a simple strategy in your own head as to what you play and when will give you an advantage over the player who simply plays anything depending on what mood he/she is in. The table shows before the flop, the big starting hands and the comparison on how they stand up against each other. It gives you an indication of how ahead or behind you are keeping in mind that low limit Hold'em players love to play these hands.
Title |
Example |
Percentage and Odds Win |
|
One Pair v No Pair (both with top card) |
QQ v QJ |
88% v 11% (8 to 1) |
|
One Pair v No Pair |
QQ v J10 |
85% v 15% (5.7 to 1) |
|
One Pair v Lower Pair |
KK v QQ |
81% v 19% (4 to 1) |
|
Two Big v No Pair |
AQ v KQ |
74% v 26% (3 to 1) |
|
Two Big v No Pair |
KQ v KJ |
74% v 26% (3 to 1) |
|
One Pair v No Pair (with one card above pair) |
KK v AQ |
71% v 29% (2.4 to 1) |
|
One Pair v No Pair (bottom duplicated) |
QQ v KQ |
69% v 31% (2.2 to 1) |
|
No Pair v No Pair (both cards over opponents) |
KQ v J10 |
64% v 36% (1.8 to 1) |
|
No Pair v No Pair (one over and one middle) |
KJ v QT |
62% v 38% (1.6 to 1) |
|
No Pair v No Pair (one over and one under) |
K10 v QJ |
59% v 41% (1.4 to 1) |
|
One Pair v No Pair (both over pair) |
33 v AK |
53% v 47% (1.1 to 1) |
The table is based on heads up play and although you will often be in play with more than one player, it acts as a good indication of how hands hold up against each other. Remember pre flop to keep it simple. If you are looking for a more detailed approach to hand selection check out our guide to all 169 possible starting hands.
Pre Flop, all you should be doing (in any low limit Hold'em game) is trying to start with good quality cards. In other words, bet when you have the best hand, call when you have a good draw and fold everything else. One of the biggest mistakes that new players make when they start to play poker is that they play way too many hands. Over time you will start to develop some prowess and understand that calling with lesser hands and trying to catch cards costs chips and as you are calling with lesser hands, you are an underdog which means that you will lose more than you win (and so lose in the long run).
Low limit players love to play any and all hands that show potential. Ideally when you play a crap hand (excuse the bluntness) the only way you will win with out getting very lucky is by bluffing your opponents out of the pot. In a low limit game you will not be able to do this - or at least it is far more difficult. Players in low limit games are less skilled and for this reason they do not know when to fold. In a higher stakes game when you post a big raise with a marginal hand you have the chance to bluff others off the pot. In a low limit game, if they have a sniff of catching a card that might help their cause they will call. So to cut a long story short, in low limit games, get in with the best hand and let them call away their chips.
Copyright © 2003 - Top15Poker.com- Top for Poker Strategy Guides.
