Pre Flop Poker Tips

Pre Flop Starting Hands for 6 max Cash Game

Your pre flop starting hands in a 6 max cash poker game depends of the tendency of your opponents, and your position.
If you are at a very loose table you can play more hands than at a tight table. If know body at the table are re-raising pre flop, you can also play more hands than if your opponent are re-raising a lot. You playing style is of course also of great importance’s.

Pre Flop Starting Hands if know body has entered the pot can be as wide as:

UTG: AJo+, KQo, A9s+, K9s+, QTs+, 78s+, 22+.

UTG+1: ATo+, KJo+, QJo, A6s+, K9s+, 8Ts+, 56s, any pair

CO: A8o+ , K9o+, Q9o+, J9o+, 89o, A2s+, K7s+, Q8s+, J7s+, T7s+, 68s+, 45s+, 22+.

BU: A2o+, K5o+, Q8o+, J8o+79o, 56o, A2s+, K2s+, Q5s+, J5s+, T6s+, 47s+, 35s+, 22+.

SB: Same hands as CO

BB: Not possible to be the first to enter the pot from BB.

You don´t need to play all these hands, and sometimes it is also possible to play hands like QJo or evenJT0 UTG, but if you keep this range in mind, you can play more tight or more loose when this is required.

Pre Flop Poker Tournament Starting Hands for the Early Stages

Pre flop starting hand suggestion in the early stages at a 10 player poker table: AK, AQ, AJ, Pairs, and a few other hands in late position.

AK to AJ. Play only AJ in middle or late position. Raise to 4 x BB in the early stage of the tournament.
Play AK with more aggression than AQ and AJ at the flop, if you hit an A.
Raise to 4 x BB in the early stages. With AK you can re-raise x 3 against most players in position, and
x 4 out of position, unless they are really tight.

AA. Raise x 4 + one BB each limper. Bet ½ the pot at the flop.

KK. Raise 4 x BB + one BB each limper. If there is a A on the flop you might let the hand go.

QQ. Raise 4 x BB + one BB each limper. Divide the players into regulars and random players.
Against a random player you can raise All-in on the flop. Against a regular you just re-raise x3.

JJ. Raise 4 x BB. If you get re-raise you have to fold, unless the re-raiser is a really loose player.
If you have a raise ahead of you, you can re-raise x3.

Small pairs, limp with pairs up to T. Call a raise up to 3.5 BB. You are looking for a set. If you don’t get a
set on the flop you fold.

Other hands limp only at late position. Look for a perfect flop.

Coming Over the Top

This is one of the poker tips which are used by every professional poker players. If you have a table image of a conservative player coming over the top now and then will be a profitable play in long run. The play works like this.

You are playing 2/4$ 6 max cash game. A loose opponent raise to 14$ before the flop. A player behind him calls and you are at the button with K 8. Normally this is an easy fold, however if your read of the first raiser is correct you might decide to take the pot down with a re-raise. With 2 x 14$ + the blinds there are now 34$ in the pot. A re-raise to 70$ will take the pot down more than 2/3 of the time, which is all you need because you also have the change to hit at the flop.

It is not likely that the caller has AA, KK or AK, since he then would have made the re-raise himself, so all you have to worry about is the first raiser. If he calls you need to go in defence mode, unless you hit a great flop.

Coming over the top is a play designed for a pre-flop win. You don’t want to use it with hands like 88o or 89s since they have a lot of potential after the flop.

The Squeeze Play

The Squeeze play can be used if an opponent raise before the flop and get one or two callers. Here your can re-raise 5-6 times the original raise if you have a playable hand and take the pot down before the flop.
You should be aware of slow players. If you squeeze a lot one of your opponents might decide to slow play a big hand in order to trap you.

Stop and Go Play

You are en a NL tournament and are running short of chips. You are in the BB with 5000 and the
blinds are 300/600 with a 70 ante. A big stack with 90.000 raise pre flop to 1800 from CO and you are in the BB with AJo.

What should you do?
A. Go all in
B. Call
C. Fold

C: You only got 5000 left so you have to play an hand like AJo. Otherwise you most likely will bleed
yourself to dead.

A: It is not a terrible play, but not the best option. Since you opponent has such a big stack he will
most likely call you small raise with any two cards, and knock you out 30-50% of the times. To move
all in is only correct if you think you opponent will fold to such a small raise with a part of his range.

B. To call is the correct play in the situation, however with the obligation to move all in after the flop,
unless your flop a monster. Lets say that your opponent has a suited connector, or a small pair.
Non of you hit the flop and there is 4600 in the pot. If you then raise the pot with 3200 it is very likely
that your opponent will fold. This play is known as the stop and go play.

3 bet

Comming soom.

Big Pairs

Big pairs are AA, KK, QQ and JJ.
Before the flop AA and KK is god for all your chips, and the general advice is to re-raise with AA and KK. Hitting KK if someone else has AA is a rear occurrence, and if you run into the trap your KK will still win the pot almost 20% of the time.

When that is said you should be aware of an A on the flop if you have KK. If you are out of position it is usually best to check on the flop and then see if you opponent raise the flop. Unless your opponent is a bluffer, you should consider dumping the KK on the flop, or you could call and play a small pot.

As a variation play you might sometimes just call with AA, if you want to trap an aggressive opponent. If you are in SB with AA it is not a bad idea to limp either. If your opponent in BB has a hand he will re-raise you and you can then trap him by calling. If he has nothing and he just call, he could pick up top pair on the flop.

QQ. You don’t have to raise QQ before the flop. If someone has AA or KK you are way behind and you are only slightly ahead of AK.

JJ is a difficult hand. It is to strong to fold and not strong enough to call with if there is heavy action ahead of you. The problem with JJ is that there are 3 over cards which can hit on the flop. If none of the over cards hit on the flop there is a great change that you got a coordinated board with straight possibilities. So, unless a J hits on the flop you only want to play a minor pot with JJ.

Middle Pairs

Middle pairs are pairs from 7 to 10. They are good hands, but not premium hands.
If you are the first to enter the pot you can raise with middle pairs. Your first goal is equal to the goal for small pairs. You want to flop a set. Your changes for a set on the flop are 12%.
Depending on the texture of the board you might take another step on the flop with a middle pair if you don’t flop a set, but if the action gets hot you have to muck the hand in a hurry.
I 6 max Cash games you can raise with middle pairs from any possition, if your are the first to enter the pot. .

Small Pairs

If you have pair of 6s or below, you want to see the flop as cheap as possible. Your goal is to flop a set.
It is important that your opponent and you are deep enough. With a pocket pair you hit a set on the flop 12% of the time.
Since you not always are able to get all your money in when you hit a set, you and your opponent should have at least 15-20 x your initial call on the flop. Otherwise you should fold.
I 6 max Cash games you can raise with small pairs from any possition, if your are the first to enter the pot.

Big Slick

You should raise with AK from any position, and in a 6 max. cash game you should also 3 bet with Big Slick. Here the general advice is to call an All-in bet pre flop. You are behind AA and KK but only a slightly underdog against any pair.
AK suited is off course stronger, and many players prefer to flat call with AKs pre flop.
In a full ring game you should be a little more careful with AK, but it is still a great hand.

AQ

You should raise with AQ from any position, and in a 6 max. cash game, but you don’t have to 3 bet.
In a full ring game you should be a more careful with AQ, If someone raise from early position you might consider folding, depending of you opponents playing style.