There are hands that you should be playing and hands that you shouldn’t be. This lesson is adapted from Dave Colcough’s articles for bet365poker. Bear in mind these are general rules and you should use them loosely. Becoming predictable is one of the worse things that can happen to you.

As with all aspects of poker there really aren’t any specific rules, so the following is only a suggested guide. It is also more relevant to Limit Hold’em, where playing the correct cards will grind out a winning strategy most of the time, if your discipline can outlast the ‘luck rollercoaster’. In No Limit Hold’em it could be argued that you can play any cards if the position, state of the game, and depth of chips is great enough. Even in NLH though, it is probably best not to waiver too far from the following… unless your name is Gus Hansen or David Ulliot.

I’ll split the hand types into three: pocket pairs, suited cards and unsuited cards. The following suggestions are probably most suited to an average 9 handed $2/$4 table, where it is neither an aggressive, or very tight line up. Slight adjustments would have to be made if the game became too tight, and likewise if the game became a little wild.

Pocket Pairs and Limit Hold em.

  • Aces, Kings, Queens - Play, raise and re-raise at every opportunity in any position, any amount of players. Don’t 4-bet Queens against very tight opponents

  • Jacks, Tens, Nines - Play and raise in any position. Only re-raise in late position against 1 opponent. If there are three or four opponents after the flop, you will need to be holding an overpair or a set.

  • Eights, Sevens - Play in un-raised pots. Only raise in heads up situations such as the blinds. Heads up, you are likely to win with just the pair of eights. Against two opponents or more, you need help on the flop.

  • Sixes, Fives - Pass in early position to a raise. Pass in early position if there is likely to be a raise behind you. Call in late position, preferably against several opponents where you are getting a good return should you flop a set. Only raise in the blinds heads up against weak opponents.

  • Fours, Threes and Twos - Pass in early position. Only play in pots where there are at least three opponents (e.g.two limpers and a big blind). Always try and avoid playing these hands unless you are last to act after the flop.


    • The following is advice for ’suited’ starting hands, i.e. both cards are of the same suit:


    • AK - Play and raise at every opportunity in any position, only put the brakes on against tight opponents

    • AQ - Play and raise in any position. Don’t re-raise

    • AJ, A10, KQ - Play in any position. Raise in late position. Raise in the blinds heads up

    • A9, A8, A7, KJ - Call in un-raised pots. Preferably in mid or late position. Only raise in the blinds heads up against weak opponents

    • A5, A4, A3, A2, K10, K9, QJ, Q10, J10 - Only call in late position in un-raised pots. Pass in raised pots or in bad position. Only raise in the blinds heads up against weak opponents

    • K8, K7, K6, K5, K4, K3, K2, Q9, Q8, J9, J8, T9, T8, T7, 98, 97 87, 86, 76, 75, 65, 64, 54 - Only call in late position in un-raised pots. Pass in raised pots or in bad position.

    • Q7, Q6, Q5, Q4, Q3, Q2, J7, J6, J5, J4, J3, J2, T6, T5, T4, T3, T2, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 85, 84, 83, 82, 74, 73, 72, 63, 62, 53, 52, 43, 42, 32 - Pass these hands. They are unprofitable.


    The following is advice for un-suited starting hands, i.e. both cards are of a different suit:


    • AK, AQ - Play and raise in any position. Re-raise in late position.

    • AJ, A10, KQ - Call in any position. Raise in late position if the pot is un-raised.

    • KJ, A9, A8 - Call in any position in un-raised pots. Raise in the blinds heads up

    • A7, A6, A5, A4, A3, A2, K10 - Pass in early and mid position. Call in late position. Raise in the blinds heads up

    • QJ, Q10, Q9 ,J10 ,J9, T9, 98, 87 - Pass in early and mid position. Call in late position.

    • K9, K8, K7, K6, K5, K4, K3, K2, Q8, Q7, Q6, Q5, Q4, Q3, Q2, J8, J7, J6, J5, J4, J3, J2, T8, T7, T6, T5, T4, T3, T2, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 63, 62, 53, 52, 43, 42, 32 - Pass these hands. They are unprofitable.


    So there you have it. A list of playable hands from an expert. It can be profitable calling with low suited connectors once in a while. Other players will not suspect you have called with a fairly poor starting hand. You could get lucky and hit trip 2s and others will not suspect you have. Don’t do it very often though as it will drain your chip stack if you don’t get lucky.