Online Poker vs. Face-to-Face Poker
While the actual game of poker and the rules involved in playing the game hold true no matter the situation and terms of playing be it online or in a land based casino or poker room, the game itself and the opponents that one may face could actually be very different in each respective scenario.
Those that are used to playing online and those that are used to playing in a land based casino only can often spot on another after playing with the respective other for only minutes. Online poker players have completely different tells than that of a land based poker players. And while this isn’t true for all online players as a whole it does hold true for the majority.
Online players are used to completely different environments when they are playing poker than those that play more frequently in a face to face game. Online players often play out of their home in a familiar surrounding with only the computer beside them. They do not need to worry about facial expressions, about showing their emotions or about anything that is happening in their surroundings. They are often used to having the TV on while they play or perhaps eating, singing or doing what they please.
Those players that play poker at land based casinos or poker rooms are often the strict opposite, they are used to containing their emotions and hiding their tells as much as possible. They often learn to read other players by the way they sit, how they blink or even how they breathe.
When online casino poker players come together to land based players it is always interesting to watch the dynamic but often times the land based player has a little bit of an advantage versus the online player. So if you are used to playing online and plan to play at a land based casino; it is a good idea to roll up your selves and play a few games as if you were surrounded by a room of people- including your opponents.
In Texas hold’em, as in all forms of poker, it’s important to be selective about your starting hand requirements. Those who play every hand are bound to be losers in the long run. The question is how to decide which starting hands are worth playing in a Texas holdem poker game.
Starting Hands in Limit Hold’em
Limit hold’em is a game of big cards. You want to mostly be playing cards in the “Broadway zone” of T through A. Give more credit to a hand that is closely connected and a little extra for suited.
Keep in mind that the weaker big card hands come with the risk of being dominated. A hand like KJ or even AQ is a good hand to raise with, but not a great one to call a raise with, because of the risk of being dominated by a hand like AK and having to put a lot of money in with a losing hand.
Hands like small pairs and small suited connectors have limited value. You will have to see a lot of flops before you hit with them and the payoff will not necessarily be that big.
Starting Hands in No Limit Hold’em
No limit hold’em is a game of big pots. You can afford to play some more unusual holdings because the payoffs can be great. This means that in addition to the big card hands, you can add all the pairs and suited connector hands. When you play small pairs and suited connectors, you should be playing them in later positions, as part of multi-way hands, and only if you can limp or call a small raise with them.
Other Notes on Starting Hands in Texas Hold’em
If you are not happy with your results in Texas hold’em, the first place to look is at your starting hand requirements. Playing small pairs and/or suited connectors may not be working for you. If you are the type who will continue if he hits any part of the flop, or who cannot get away from a second best hand, you may be better off sticking to the big card hands for now.
We’ve discussed pot odds before, which is important to understand, but something equally important to comprehend are: Implied Odds.
Implied Odds are basically calculating your current odds for calling, plus the potential earnings that you’re likely to make should you complete your hand. So, even if it’s not reasonable to call solely on pot odds, sometimes it’s good to call based on implied odds, because you know you’re going to clean house if you do make that draw!
Read the rest of this page »
There are, quite literally, millions of starting hands in a game of poker, but only 169 different two-card starting combinations – assuming 7s,8c is the same as 7c, 8d. We assume this only because both hands have identical hand strength pre-flop. We can then categorize these starting hands into the following groups:
- Pair: 7,7; 2,2.
- Connected Cards: 3,4; 5,6.
- Suited Connectors: 3d,4d; 5h,6h
- Gapped Cards: 3,7; 5,10.
- Suited Gapped: 2d,8d; 6c,10c
Read the rest of this page »
