Playing Marginal Hands in No Limit Texas Holdem

In limit hold’em, it’s usually not cost-effective to play too many non-premium hands. The Texas Holdem odds are against you, since the amount you can win when one of these hands hits often fails to make up for the amount invested. In addition, since the bets are fixed, it’s very difficult to bluff opponents off of a hand if your marginal hand misses. When you play Texas hold’em no-limit, the story is very different.

Benefits to Playing Marginal Hands in No Limit Texas Hold’em

There are a number of benefits to playing marginal hands in no limit Texas hold’em. For one, if you hit the flop hard, you have an opportunity to win a big pot. Opponents will rarely put you on 9 4 if the flop is 9 9 4, especially if you raised before the flop. For another, if you miss, you can still bet big and take down the pot.

That same 9 4 can win you the pot on a flop of A 8 6 if no one has an ace. There is advertising value in showing your marginal hand. If you expose your 9 4, you have a better chance of getting action when you raise with aces later. Finally, if you miss the flop and believe another player is strong, you can get away from the hand easily.

Dangers of Playing Marginal Hands in No Limit Texas Hold’em

Marginal hands are tricky to play. The danger comes when you catch a piece of the flop and cannot let go of the hand. If the flop comes A K 4 and someone bets, you had better be able to fold. If you are the type of player who can convince himself that his bottom pair of fours is somehow good, you are likely to lose a lot of money playing these types of hands in the long run.