While all starting hands are capable of winning, it is important to select those with the best potential for winning, i.e. those which are more likely to win than lose.
These are the most powerful hands in Holdem Poker. They give you a significant initial advantage over your opponents. Therefore, you should try to take full advantage of them at the flop by raising.
Raising allows you to reduce the risk of opponents with weaker hands getting lucky with the final cards on the board.
These are good hands but they don’t give you a significant advantage over your opponents. Calling allows you to see the flop. Any improvement to your hand at the flop will obviously give you a good advantage and it’s up to you to see whether you can turn it into the nuts. On the other hand, if the flop doesn’t bring you the cards you were hoping for, don’t hesitate to fold.
Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that. The quality of your hand does not just depend on the cards that you’re dealt. It is also influenced by the number of players at the table and their playing styles. With fewer players at the table, the more you should call or raise with poor hands before the flop.
Your position at the table is also extremely important. If you’re the last player to bid, you should be more confident about calling or raising with a weak hand. Why? Because bidding last gives you the advantage of important clues about the quality of your opponents’ hands. What if nobody has raised before you and you’re the last to bid? Take full advantage by calling or raising, even with a relatively weak hand!
Bluffing: Timing it right
The Flop: call, fold or raise?
The best hands to play before the flop
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