Poker Articles

Starting Hands In Early Position

One of the biggest mistakes I see made over and over again by beginning poker players is playing too many hands. Sure, on any given hand, any two cards can win, but in the long run some cards win significantly more than others. Truth be told, poker is not the glamorous, action packed game it is often portrayed as on television. Even the loosest players fold a majority of the hands dealt to them before the flop. In this article, we’ll discuss the types of hands you should be calling (or raising) with before the flop, from both early position and late position.

There is no exact formula to follow when considering which hands you should or shouldn’t play; that’s the beauty of the game. All of the poker books out there have their own recommendations, but it is impossible for any to have all the answers. Generally speaking, they are pretty consistent across the board in terms of the advice they provide relative to starting hand requirements. There are many things to consider before committing even a minimum bet to any poker hand, none perhaps more important than your position.

The first player to act in a poker hand is considered to be ‘under the gun.’ He will be the first person to make a play (call, fold or raise) that everyone else must react to. Before the flop, this is the earliest position on the table, as well as the most unfavorable. The player in this position has the maximum number of other players with live action behind him, creating a situation where it becomes unprofitable to play many hands that you would not seriously consider calling a raise with. Suited connectors, both small and medium pairs, small aces and most face card combinations lose much of their value in early position because of the potential that someone will make a big bet that you simply cannot afford to call.

When you’re in early position, your options are few. Occasionally, you’ll see players on television play very weak hands from early position, but they usually have a method to their madness. If you still consider yourself an amateur player, don’t get too fancy with your early position starting hands. Stick to the big pocket pairs (AA, KK, QQ and even JJ) and aces with very big kickers. You can also limp into hands with smaller pocket pairs, but be weary about calling any raises behind you. Those types of hands are fairly simple to play after the flop – you’re either going to hit the flop hard or miss completely, after which you can act accordingly.

In late position, or the first few positions to the right of the dealer button, hands that are not playable in early position become extremely manageable. Any pocket pair, small suited connectors and most big aces can turn a profit. When in late position, you should always consider your pot odds before entering a pot with a marginal hand. You have the advantage of seeing everyone act before you and have more information than everyone else when the decision comes to you. Certainly, you shouldn’t play all of the hands we’ve discussed all the time. For example, if you’re sitting on the button and everyone folds to you, there is really no reason to get involved with a hand like 5 6 suited, because the pot not offering you very good odds to call. On the other hand, if four or five players limp into the hand before you, a hand like 5 6 suited becomes very playable.

Whether you’re in early position or late position, always keep in mind there’s no shame in folding! The most successful poker players in the world make careers out of folding. Though it might not be the most exciting approach to the game, it’s certainly one of the most profitable ways to play. Good luck!

By Garry Gates
Poker Expert