Limit Holdem Starting Hand Charts

[Matt]

We have created starting hand charts for fullhanded limit hold'em games. You can view the charts here:
http://www.blacksburgpoker.com/poker/pokerschool/lessons/poker-starting-hand.php.

We would appreciate any comments or suggestions you might have. Also, be on the lookout for quizzes based on our preflop recommendations. These quizzes will show when to follow our suggestions and when to deviate from them.

Thanks,
Matt

[Nima]

One of the hands I want to talk about is Calling from Under the gun with KJs in an aggressive game.

I think you should fold. Some of the reasons:

1 - It's aggressive and I don't think KJs can not stand a raise (unless there are many players in, which probably won't happen with the raise).

2- KJ (suited or unsuited) is a dangerous hand. If you don't hit the flush, you are probably beat. And the sad thing is most players will call down when they hit their King or Jack (when it is top pair).

2 - Matt mentioned the other day that if you can get away from it easily you can play it from under the gun. I think I would categorize into what we called (on the hand chart page) expert play which players will learn as they gain experience.

For a beginner (or even intermediate) poker players, I think they should fold KJs in an aggressive limit game from under the gun.


Cheers,
Nima

[Matt]

One of the hands I want to talk about is Calling from Under the gun with KJs in an aggressive game.

I think you should fold. Some of the reasons:

1 - It's aggressive and I don't think KJs can not stand a raise (unless there are many players in, which probably won't happen with the raise).

2- KJ (suited or unsuited) is a dangerous hand. If you don't hit the flush, you are probably beat. And the sad thing is most players will call down when they hit their King or Jack (when it is top pair).

2 - Matt mentioned the other day that if you can get away from it easily you can play it from under the gun. I think I would categorize into what we called (on the hand chart page) expert play which players will learn as they gain experience.

For a beginner (or even intermediate) poker players, I think they should fold KJs in an aggressive limit game from under the gun.

Cheers,
Nima

KJs can be a dangerous hand for a beginner in No-Limit Hold'em, but it is a strong hand in Limit, no matter what type of game you're playing. In Small Stakes Hold'em, Ed Miller lists three "valuable attributes" for non-pair starting hands: high card strength, suitedness, and connectedness. KJs has all three of these attributes.

It's wrong to call with KJo in early position; such hands would like to see the flop cheaply. However, suitedness adds a lot to your pot equity. It is true that you will only make a flush about 6% of the time, but you will often win a nice pot when you do make your flush. You can afford to pay two bets to see a flop with KJs. The same is true of QJs.

Keep in mind that aggressive players will raise with a lot of hands that do not dominate yours. They might raise with a suited ace, a medium pocket pair, or even a hand like JTs.

It doesn't take an expert to get away from KJs when you're clearly behind. Suppose you limp UTG with K diamonds J diamonds . Everyone folds to the cutoff, who raises. Only you and the big blind call. The flop comes K spades 7 hearts 9 clubs . You bet, the cutoff raises, and the big blind three-bets. Your decision is now easy: you have to fold. This type of situation occurs all the time, even with strong hands like A clubs K clubs. See Quiz #27 for an example: http://www.blacksburgpoker.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=163.

The type of expert play I mention on the starting hand page is knowing when to open-raise with KJs from early position or when to three-bet with KJs in a later position. That's the type of play that beginners and most intermediate players might have a problem with.

[Steve-O]

Here's what I play from early position, if I'm first in, in a "normal" game.

TT+ AQs+ AK Reraise QQ+ AK

That's it.