CardsChat Starting Hands question

fletchdad

fletchdad

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Hi and welcome to CC.

A starting hand chart is only a general guideline and can (and should be) expanded upon depending on any particular situation.

If you are in late position you need to consider your opponents (and effective stacks etc) as much as your cards.

For example, you are on the button with KQs and the blinds are weak-tight. Then raise (with 2 3o as well, in this case perhaps). Or you have 2 LAG blinds who have been ultra agro against steals and re raising a lot, then fold. (And these examples are general, and maybe not correct in certain situations, but just to make my point)

It is always situation specific. A starting hand chart is like a basic recipe. You may want more salt or less garlic or extra ingredients not included depending on who is coming for dinner. (I am hungry so that is the only analogy that I can come up with right now:)
 
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rasputin

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Thank you for your answer.

I understand the relative value of the hands, but it seems strange to me to recommend an unsuited hand (KQo in this case) and not the suited corespondent (KQs which teoreticaly has a bigger value).
 
acky100

acky100

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Nooo, when people say KJo + it means any card above KJo so KJs, KQo, KQs... it's just an easier way to say it! noone would ever say play KQo but not KQs :D
 
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rasputin

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ok ... fair enough. I was misleaded by the title of column: "Offsuit" :)
 
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swingro

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ok ... fair enough. I was misleaded by the title of column: "Offsuit" :)
Those were just guidelines. As a beginner you should read books like "Small Stacks holdem" by Ed Miller or " The little green book" by Phil Gordon for tournaments. Also you shold watch a lot of videos of coaches playing at micros.
Essentially you should have a basic aproach of what starting hands you should play from different positions but also you should play them according situations.
There are complete charts of starting hands but you can learn them only in time with a lot of experience.
 
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