Like I've said, I've only been playing for a little over 2 years consistently. In that time, I've stupidly played many of the hands that I'm about to tell you not to play. It's funny looking back on it because the other experienced players I played with must have been over-come with anxious anticipation to play against me and take my money. Now - I know exactly how they felt. Here's the Top 10 List of Starting Hands that you should avoid (note that all of these hand combinations are off-suit meaning they are of 2 different suits).
1. 2-7 - This is the WORST starting hand in poker. (I actually got this 6 times last Friday night, but still managed to win the game.) Don't play stupid is the lesson here.
2. 2-8 - Not a whole lot better obviously.
3. 3-8 & 3-7 - They both basically are equally terrible.
4. 2-6 - You could MAYBE make a straight with these, but the odds aren't great and it would be easy for someone else to make a bigger straight. Fold.
5. 2-9, 3-9, 4-9 - The 9 is a better-than-average card, but the kicker sucks. Fold it.
6. 2-10 - Poker Legend Doyle Brunson won a couple of WSOP's with this, but you're not a legend. Fold it.
7. 5-9 - I was just telling a friend, "I sometimes still almost get sucked into playing hands with catchy names like Dolly Parton". You know. . . 9 to 5. Don't do that. It's just silly. Fold.
8. 4-7, 4-8, 5-8, 3-6 - All of the high cards are low and all of the kickers are worthless. All you can do with these hands is lose unless you want to depend solely on luck. If that's the case, I play every Friday night and you're invited.
9. K,Q,J + 2,3,4 - So many people get drawn in by the face card, but then someone else has the same one you have or bigger, along with a real kicker. Then, you donate. Instead, why don't you fold?
10. A + Any Low Card - "But I had an Ace. . ." And - you lost. Don't play stupid. An Ace high with a low card can get beat by a pair of 2's if you don't pair your cards. Also, someone else might be playing their Ace with a real card. Why would you want to put yourself thru that? Just fold.
I play on Full Tilt Poker a lot and the people on that site love their Aces, but I get all of their chips. When you play these starting hands, the odds are heavily against you. It's better to fold and wait patiently for a real hand. ***The only exception to any of this is if you're in the big blind and nobody raises you out of the hand. In that case - CHECK. You might be able to make a ridiculous raise that nobody else calls - maybe. Or, someone might just be holding pocket K's and you just stepped right off into it.
Game Over.
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