Starting Hands I
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is playing too many hands that are often very weak! They're under the impression that any two cards can win and they will fully embrace this strategy. Poker is not a game of pure bluffing but it is important to understand when to take advantage of weak opponents.
New players spend a lot of time calling as opposed to raising simply because they carry a curious mentality into the game of poker. This curiosity happens to be a weakness exploited by good players who will play aggressively to steal pots away from these passive newcomers; however, this situation presents a learning opportunity for beginners to understand that the aggressor in poker is often victorious. My recommendation is scroll up to the top of the lobby and watch online high stakes poker. These tables are filled with tight-aggressive players who protect big hands and make sure to take full advantage of their position. Remember if you can't spot a few weak players at the table you're probably the mark.
So the question is "what starting hands should I play?"
Strong starting hands include all pocket pairs and any combination of A – K – Q and high suited connectors like JT. Keep in mind that these hands are great for raising the action and seeing a flop. Hands like AK are still drawing hands but if played correctly can be very profitable. Sticking with these opening hands will eliminate a large portion of tough decisions and will save you a lot of money in the long run – this is the first step to becoming a winning poker player.
Here is a list of starting hands and their chances of winning given the number of opponents in a hand.
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