- Starting Hand Selection
- Playing Aggressively Pre-Flop
- Post-Flop Play
- Predicting Odds on Historic Data
Starting Hand Selection
In low stakes poker, you just have to be selective about the hands you play. This means playing only very good hands, e.g., AA, KK, QQ, AK. When you play, play aggressively. Put some heat on opponents with raises pre-flop. If you are dealt pocket aces, for example, you should raise 3-5 times the big blind.
Example: You get KK in a $1/$2 game. You raise to $10. Two players call. The flop comes K-7-3. You probably have the best hand, so make a sizeable bet to protect the hand and build the pot.
Understand Position
The place you sit at the table matters. The later your position, the more hands you can play. Turn the lights out even with the very best of hands quite often in early positions like AA, KK, QQ, and so on. Include hands like 98s or small pairs, depending on your exact position in later positions.
Case in point: You hold A-Q suited on the button. Everyone folds to you. Raise 3x the Big Blind. If the small and big blinds call, you will be in an excellent position to act last on future betting rounds.
Use Hand Charts
Hand charts are always a handy tool, especially for beginners. You may only play high pocket pairs and AK and maybe AQ in early position. Obligatory hands to open with in late position: suited connectors (J-10 suited) & lower pairs.
Truth: Using hand charts can raise your win rate by 15%.
Adapt to Opponents
Change up what you hold onto based on the other players in the game. If you are at a table of all nits, you can play more hands and bluff more! If the table is loose, don’t try to run anything fancy; play strong hands and throw away a lot of monster and medium hands.
Example: You find 9-9 in middle position in a $1/$2 game. Two tight players in EP fold. Raise to $8. However, if the big blind is a weak or generally loose player, after he calls your bet, put him on a shorter stack, and bet strongly if the flop hits.
Do Not Play Marginal Hands from Early Positions
Avoid hands like A-10 or K-Q when in early positions. Redrawing against stronger hands is a possibility for this kind of hand.
Truth: It is much easier to lose a lot of unprofitably by folding marginal hands in early positions. For instance, an early position A-10 call might cost 25% of your stack if you run into A-K.
Flow Example: Playing Pocket Aces
Pre-flop: You are in a $1/$2 game in middle position with AA. Raise to $10.
Flop: A-9-3 (rainbow). Bet $20 to build the pot.
Turn: The turn is a 7. Bet $50. If they call, they could be on a flush draw or holding a worse Ace.
River: The river is a 2. In this case, go all-in if your opponent has a lot of chips already invested in the pot. You are almost certainly way ahead with your set of aces.
Playing Aggressively Pre-Flop
When you have a very strong hand, always raise, never call. If you have pocket jacks (JJ) in a $1/$2 game, raise to $10-$12 instead of calling.
Example: You are late with AQ suited. Two players limp in. Raise to $12.
Reposition Bet Sizes
Raise more in early position due to the number of players left to act behind you. In late position, raise a touch less with the blinds ready to steal. Raise to 4-5 times the big blind from early position, for example, and 2.5-3 times the big blind from the button.
Example: You have QQ from early position. Raise to $10 in a $1/$2 game. (The same hand on the button: raise to $6–$7 to maximize pressure on the blinds.)
Use Semi-Bluffs
A semi-bluffing with hands that can improve is going to work well. Great implied odds with hands like suited connectors or suited aces.
Example: You are holding suited connectors in middle position. Raise to $8 in a $1/$2 game. If you get called, the best scenario is that you have a straight or flush draw, meaning you can catch two cards to win the hand.
Sample Flow: Pocket Queens Hand
Pre-flop: You are in middle position with QQ in a $1/$2 game. An early position player raises to $6. 3-bet to $18 to isolate and get the action going.
Flop: 9-5-2 rainbow. Bet $25 to keep the lead and protect your hand.
Turn: J. Bet $60. If your opponent calls or raises, proceed with caution, but you are very likely still good.
River: The river is a 3. If the pot is large and your opponent is showing weakness, then go all in.
Post-Flop Pl3ay
Maintaining aggression after the flop is crucial, which is done through a continuation bet (c-bet). Your pre-flop raise should be followed by a c-bet on the flop, such as a flop of 10-7-2 and you raised with AK. Continue betting 50-70% of the pot to keep the pressure on opponents.
Example: You have AQ and make a pre-flop $10 raise in a $1/$2 game. The flop is J-6-3. Bet $15-$20.
Reading Board Texture
The higher the wetness, the more your opponents are generally going to continue on these boards. The drier the board, the less often their range hits for a value hand.
Example: You are holding JJ, and a flop comes down K-8-3 rainbow. This is a super dry board where your pocket jacks could very well still be winning. Fire a 50% pot bet to test your opponents.
Value Betting Strong Hands
With your strong hands, value bet them to maximize your returns. Do not slow play too much; for example, on an 8-5-2 board with a set of 8s, bet 70-80% of the pot.
Example: You hold 88 on a board of 8-5-2. Bet $20 into a $25 pot. This large bet will induce more calls from any top-pair made hand or draw.
Finding Places to Bluff
Bluffing plays a fundamental role in post-flop. Spot situations where your opponent is likely weak and take the fight to them.
Example: You raise pre-flop with 9-8 suited. The flop is Q-5-2. You c-bet, and the opponent calls. The turn is an ace. Bet once more. Your opponent will often fold if they don’t have an ace.
Controlling the Pot Size
Use the strength of your hand and position to control the pot size. Check or call with marginal hands or draws.
Example: You get a flush draw with KQ of hearts and the flop comes 9-5-2 with a pair of hearts. Your opponent fires $10 into a $20 pot. Calling will help keep the pot smaller to make sure you can hit your flush.
Playing a Flopped Set (Example Hand)
Pre-flop: You hold 7s in a $1/2 game and raise to $8. One player calls.
Flop: 7-4-2 rainbow. Bet $12 to build the pot and protect your new set.
Turn: The turn is a 10. Bet $30. Their calling range is either a strong hand or a draw.
River: The river is a 3. Value-bet $60 against any two-pairs or overpairs.
Odds Prediction on Historical Data
This involves data on the holecards, board runouts, and outcomes. Collect hands in databases such as PokerTracker or Holdem Manager. Aim for a minimum of 100,000 hands to get some confidence in those figures.
Example: Analyzing 200,000 hands at different stakes can show how pocket aces perform against multiple opponents compared to heads-up situations.
Analyzing Win Rates
Calculate probabilities of winning and losing for various hands in different situations. Take pocket queens (QQ) for example, which might win 70% of the time from an early position and 75% from a late position.
Example: Pocket aces (AA) have an average win rate of 85% heads-up and 77% in multi-way pots, based on 150,000 hands analyzed.
EV: Expected Value Calculation
Use historical data to determine the EV for various hands and situations. For example, what is the EV of calling an all-in with AK versus QQ by evaluating how often you will win and lose.
Example: AK suited vs QQ might have a $5 EV in 10k trials, indicating a profitable call in the long run.
Identifying Patterns
This includes identifying trends such as which hands hit their draws or how often an opponent folds to c-bets.
Example: You discover that your c-bets take down the pot 55% of the time on dry flops but only 35% of the time on wet flops.
PokerStove or Flopzilla can generate random boards and hand vs hand equities to clarify your odds and outcomes in the long run.
Pocket Tens Hand Prediction Flow Example
Sample Size: 150,000 hands focusing on pocket tens (TT).
Win Rate: TT wins 65% when heads-up pre-flop.
EV Calculation: The EV of calling a $50 all-in with TT vs a range of AK, AQ, and 22-99 is approximately +$8.
Note: You can win more often when the board comes K-7-2 and 9-8-7 in favor of TT.