Question for Texas Holdem Players

Hey Chaters,

In a MTT Freeroll or Micro Stakes Games, do you think it is good strategy to call a hand with marginal cards at the start of the game when the blinds are low?

Or, do you think that playing these rags will give you just enough of a hand to get you in trouble?

Thanks

Marginal hands tend to get you into problems at any stage.

Depends what you're considering to be a marginal hand. I would never call with something like Q7, K6, etc., because those hands are so easily dominated. For instance, lets say you limp in with K6, and the flop is something like K92. In this scenario, you've hit top pair, and short of a huge overbet, you'll call almost anything; however, there is still a decent chance that you don't have the best hand and you easily could be dominated.

That being said, I'm fine with playing suited connectors (and I mean hands like 89 suited, not 34 suited) and suited one gappers (again, hands like 79 suited, not 35 suited). These are good drawing hands and a lot of the time, it will be relatively cheap to stay in hands and your implied odds are very good.

I agree with Slugger, for the most part. But even playing those gappers and connectors can get costly and be a source of 'bleeding chips'. If you don't flop a 'made hand', how far are you wlling to chase your outs?

A lot of how I will play these hands also depends on how the rest of the table is playing, even at the early levels. Early on you can get seated with nothing but maniacs, then I fold most everything. I came to play poker, not test Lady Luck. If it's a crazy table, lay low. If a few orbits or hands show a 'quieter' table, have at it. They can - and do - hit.

If you are a good player post flop and can let go of top pair when you know you are beat then there is nothing wrong with playing laggy, but as for new players like you I suggest sticking to tight so you don't have to face very hard decisions until you are comfortable post flop.

dont play marginal hands early play hands that lead to big hands

kinda dont understand what your asking but my advice is to pretend your a donk and all in with good hands (big pairs). pretend your a donk with nothing but just a "marg.hand." you might get called by a small pair, suited conectors, even get called by a guy with absolute crap but if your hand is good enough your double-up is almost certain , thats what I think about early freerolls strategies

I agree with silverslugger I do have success playin these type of marginal hands but I did have to learn how to play them my only advice is to also learn to fold them quickly!

In my opinion, playing outsiders' hands can be profitable if it is not too much costly ...
It is the only moment you can pay without regret the big blinds or even 2xBB only to try having something on the flop.
Everyone call you : "The donk" in some cases, but it can make you start with many more chips quickly ...
And as i'm used to say : If I have to get out playing risky, i prefer it happends at the beginning more than after hours of playing and just before earning anything : so much frustration in that case !

Just after blinds reached 100/200 for a start-stack of 1500, then I only play good hands ...

Of course, it also depends on what you call marginal (4-8, 6-10, then I don't play, but 7-8, 8-9, .. then i play)

I'm not a fan of playing crappy hands early on in a tournament of any kind. Yes the blinds are tiny at the first/second level and you can afford to play these hands, but every time you lose a small pot with a marginal hand you have less to double up with when you catch a monster hand against one of those donks. Ex. 1300 doubled up would be 2600, but if you hadn't played those marginal hands your ~1500 would give you ~3000.

Thanks Chaters,

There are some very good replies to my question. It gives lots to think about.

No one ever said poker was a simple game.