Good preflop strategy article (link)

BetFirms Poker - Texas Hold'em Pre-flop Strategy by Abdul

I've been following the minimum opening hand requirements from this chart and I've been doing well in Sngs. The first few paragraphs, before the chart, is a really good read. It's talking about avoiding domination (AQ vs AK, 55 vs 44, ect) as well as you can. And if you look at the chart, it seems to take domination into account for the hands you can play. For example, it says one off the button you can raise with a 9 7 suited but it says to fold King 9 or King 8, you need at least a King 10 offsuit. Doesn't make sense if you are not thinking about domination, but if you are thinking about it, it makes sense. Players like to play high cards, like AK-K10. So if you do get callers you're less likely to be dominated with a 97 or 87 than if you play a weak King or Queen. K8 is technically stronger than 97 but you are in more danger of being dominated if you play a K8. 97 is only a 1.7:1 underdog against AK, but K10 is a 2.7:1 dog against AK.

that is extremely useful info. i have never looked at it like that before. and, of course, now it makes sense. i always wondered about some people busting my A K with a 9 7. now i know, thanks

Lately I find it real easy to bypass big-little hands even in position, suited or not, including Ace-rag..I'd have to say this is more experience than chart searching.

In position I might jump into a pot with almost any connectables, though I'm still not to the point where I'll dip to 34. Perhaps soon.

But always, ALWAYS! if you don't open with big pairs, you have to be able to muck when the flop offers no more outs than you started with.

just yesterday i tried limping in with what i normally would fold. and to my surprise it works. but you must be very cautious about the better players as they pick this up very quickly and they start limping in with high hands. i ran into Q Q twice with no bets pre flop, i caught the high pair on the board but of course they check your bets to the river and then come over the top, so i think it is a good part of your game but mix it up alot.

I have started to play a lot more hands, I was playing the "best" starting hands and betting them pre flop. It is hard to let go when you start off with a good bit in the pot. If it don't hit git.
Thanks for the post.

Kind of obviouse if you look at it this way. Ak only has a set number of outs and only one wat to build a straight. Thats down. now look at any connectors in mid range- 10/9 you catch a piece of the AK and steal one of there outs, thus lessining there hand. With the 10/9 you have a wide variety of possibilities to build off of. A-10 all the way to 10-6 thats five straight possibilities with four suits. that alone is 20 outs and more if they where suited. How many will you get with AK?
now put it on a linier line
A2345678910JQKA
You could almost create a bell curve with this like in craps for the almost run the same. They are teaching you solid poker by playing premimum hands but sometimes the cards don't run like you want them to. Have to strattle the crown 78 is the middle of the road and can build to both side.
Now how many time you have seen them hit on the flop? to many to recount for you are focused on you two cards.
Besides playing 78 only in late postition with good pot odds is advisable.