Initial TX Holdem Pockets

I have played quite a bit since 1992, mostly at NorthEast US casinos. Usually TX Holdem at 2/5. Not much play recently due to ne'er-do-wells loitering about targeting winners.

In the meantime, I have been asked over the years, "Whats a good starting Pocket?"
My answer is simple... but when, and calling raises is still up to you.
After all, the game is strength of hand, position, and knowing Opponents.
That said, the simple answer is
ANY 2 CARDS 9-LOW (Including pairs) plus SUITED ACES.
A quick check of math yields 304 pockets out of 1326... about 23% of hands.

CHEERS
NutmegPoker

Quote: NutmegPoker

I have played quite a bit since 1992, mostly at NorthEast US casinos. Usually TX Holdem at 2/5. Not much play recently due to ne'er-do-wells loitering about targeting winners.

In the meantime, I have been asked over the years, "Whats a good starting Pocket?"
My answer is simple... but when, and calling raises is still up to you.
After all, the game is strength of hand, position, and knowing Opponents.
That said, the simple answer is
ANY 2 CARDS 9-LOW (Including pairs) plus SUITED ACES.
A quick check of math yields 304 pockets out of 1326... about 23% of hands.

CHEERS
NutmegPoker
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NutmegPoker,

Suited Aces in a single deck game?

Dog Hand

Quote: DogHand

Quote: NutmegPoker

I have played quite a bit since 1992, mostly at NorthEast US casinos. Usually TX Holdem at 2/5. Not much play recently due to ne'er-do-wells loitering about targeting winners.

In the meantime, I have been asked over the years, "Whats a good starting Pocket?"
My answer is simple... but when, and calling raises is still up to you.
After all, the game is strength of hand, position, and knowing Opponents.
That said, the simple answer is
ANY 2 CARDS 9-LOW (Including pairs) plus SUITED ACES.
A quick check of math yields 304 pockets out of 1326... about 23% of hands.

CHEERS
NutmegPoker
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NutmegPoker,

Suited Aces in a single deck game?

Dog Hand
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Suited aces refers, for example, to Ah-5h, and other hands of the form A-x where x and Ace are suited.

I'm not a serious poker player but I thought there was some logic that you obviously play the stronger hands, this incldues large pairs and suited Ax. However you also need to lob in some unusual hands so they can't place you with just (a) and (b) and when (c), say, 64 makes a straight or 72 flops A77, you're in business. Also I suspect there's a choice whether to be aggressive or passive and other factors, such as players, chip counts, buttons, affect decisions.

Quote: charliepatrick

I'm not a serious poker player but I thought there was some logic that you obviously play the stronger hands, this incldues large pairs and suited Ax. However you also need to lob in some unusual hands so they can't place you with just (a) and (b) and when (c), say, 64 makes a straight or 72 flops A77, you're in business. Also I suspect there's a choice whether to be aggressive or passive and other factors, such as players, chip counts, buttons, affect decisions.
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There are many dozens if not many hundreds of books on holdem poker. All of them provide their suggestions for starting hands as a function of position relative to the button (dealer) and take into account many other factors such as your stack size and whether any player in front of you has already opened(bet).

The blackjack equivalent of this thread is: Should I hit an 11? Should I hit a 12? What about a 14?

Wizard ranked the starting hands for the table game Headsup Hold’em. We can just roughly believe this is a good ranking for poker too:

1. AA
2. KK
3. QQ
4. JJ
5. 10-10
6. 9-9
7. 8-8
8. AKs
9. AQs
10. 7-7
11. AJs
12. A10s
13. KQs
14. 6-6
15. KJs
16. K10s
17. AKo
18. QJs
19. AQo
20. Q10s

aceside:

Now look at the 8-seat or 6-seat list. Is there a difference?

I haven’t read very much about poker. Let’s wait for others to say. Somebody ranked the top 10 starting hands as follows:

1. AA
2. KK
3. QQ
4. JJ
5. AKs
6.10-10
7. AKo
8. AQs
9. 9-9
10. AJs