Starting Hands

[hc422709]

OK, yeah, this was a bad question...i've borrowed/read all the books argh

I guess im just nervous and playing with scared money.

Thinking back, I think I was just trying to justify my loss of $0.35 with getting bad cards.

but, yeah...the vids, good times... good times.

[Talking Poker]

You know you're talking about 35 cents, right?

Like, maybe 3 minutes of work if you work at McDonalds.....

Don't beat yourself up too much.

[Invigilator]

Little green book has a nice starting hands system, although it is primarily oriented (not orientated) towards opening the pot from various positions.

[Talking Poker]

Melioris posted a nice Excel starting hand guide (by position) that he found a long time ago. Maybe someone can find it or he can link to it again. I know a number of the newer players found it useful.

It may have been for limit though....

[melioris]

here is an excel 6-max suggestion chart. People mock playing off a chart, but when you are starting out it can help you build experience, gain comfort at the table, and most importantly, help you learn the discipline required to be a winning player. There is a reason it is called grinding.

Postflop play is much more challenging to learn and playing off a chart preflop will simplify the postflop decisions. This sounds crazy but I think for micro-players it can be sound postflop advice. If you are playing within your bankroll, pretend the "call" button isn't there postflop. Either bet/raise or fold. Every time, on every street. And don't bluff. Ever. It is not +EV in micro. You can certainly CB, as that is different than a straight bluff. A continuation bet "CB" is if you raise preflop and get one (or more-although rarely CB into two or more players at micro stakes) callers. The flop will be checked to you and although you missed the flop entirely, fire a 50-75% pot bet, as you would if you hit the flop.


Before you use it, you should look it over and try and figure out why the requirements are different for different positions. Don't give me the bullshit nonthinking "position is important" answer. Really play out some hands in your head and figure it out for yourself. Winning poker=work, even at the micro levels. Don't be afraid to do the work.

[Talking Poker]

I like this so much that I +Repped you for it, but that said, I disagree with one part of it. See bold above.

If you want to say bet/raise on the flop and on the turn, I'm ok with that (even though I still think there are plenty of times when you can't three bet someone, but shouldn't fold just because they raised you), but there are DEFINITELY times on the river where you should be calling. In fact, I'd say MOST of the time on the river, you should be calling instead of raising when you have a hand...

[melioris]

thanks for the love....


I concede that on the river, when facing a bet, you should either fold or call, but only ever raise when you have the nuts. But the river only.

Whatever value you lose by folding instead of calling on the other streets is negligible when compared to value you gain by learning discipline and poker concepts that bet/fold postflop poker teaches.

[Invigilator]

Thanks. I might have to take another shot at 6max.

[Talking Poker]

Honestly, I can't figure out why anyone would play anything else. The full ring games just can't be as +EV, can they?

[hc422709]

Full ring games aren't +EV?

My strategy there is to wait for the nuts and get them to throw money at me.