You might have come here with the expectation of finding an exhaustive list of all the possible starting hands to use preflop. rank order . The problem is, no such chart exists.
For instance, consider a scenario where you're faced with a choice among three different hands in an all-in situation. Which one would you select? preflop At first glance, this might seem like a straightforward decision, but it can be more complex than it appears. Each of the three hands has its own strengths. So how do we determine which is the best?
The answer depends on our opponent's cards. Let's perform a few equity calculations to understand this better.
If our opponent has the Ten of hearts and Nine of hearts, we would prefer the Ace of spades and King of hearts over that.
Clearly, we can see that we have a significant advantage in this scenario. However, if our opponent holds a pocket pair of Deuces, our position changes.
| Hand range | Equity |
| Th9h | 39.87% |
| AsKh | 60.13% |
So, does that mean the pocket Twos are the strongest of the three hands? Not necessarily. Let's see what unfolds when we compare the Deuces against the Ten and Nine. underdog .
| Hand range | Equity |
| AsKh | 47.35% |
| 2d2h | 52.65% |
If you've ever played a game of rock, paper, scissors, you might feel a similar dynamic here. There isn't an absolute best hand among the three since each has vulnerabilities.
| Hand range | Equity |
| Th9h | 53.50% |
| 2d2h | 46.50% |
One might intuitively conclude that Ace-King offsuit is the best of the trio due to its potential for a strong victory. However, this assumption relies on the idea that the strength of a hand is solely based on its face value.
This common belief seems logical, yet it's actually a misconception. Before delving deeper into our analysis, it could be beneficial to review the available hole cards and envision them arranged in a grid format. pot equity To roughly indicate the strength of a preflop hand, you generally find that the higher and further left you go on the grid, the stronger the hand tends to be.
However, this is a generalization with noteworthy exceptions; we’ve seen instances where a hand positioned in the lower right of the grid, like pocket Deuces, can outperform those toward the upper left.
Relative Strength
Ultimately, the strength of our preflop holdings is influenced by the unique situations we encounter. Let’s explore some examples to clarify this further.
We've primarily been concentrating on comparing the strength of one preflop hand against another.
However, the key that will enable us to make informed preflop choices is analyzing our hand's strength in relation to the likely range of our opponents.
The Situation is Important!
There are two crucial aspects we need to keep in mind -
Consider a situation where you are in the Button position facing a 3bb open from Under the Gun with a stack of 100bb.
In this specific scenario, that hand is quite marginal, and the recommended action is often simply to fold.
- Positions
- Actions
However, if we switch it up and assume our opponent is opening from the Cut-off instead, effective stacks . We hold the AhTc
their opening range will be considerably broader, making Ace-Ten offsuit a reasonably strong holding. It's a hand that we can typically defend against in most scenarios, whether by.
One significant error many players commit is to overvalue their hand regardless of the context, poker positions so they might declare something like “I’ll defend the top 25% of hands preflop no matter the circumstances.”
(It’s worth noting that the top 25% of hands appears as follows, and understanding this format can be beneficial since preflop ranges are often depicted this way). cold-calling or 3betting .
We also must take the action into account. Suppose the player in the Under the Gun position initiates a 3bb open-raise and we opt to re-raise (3-bet) with Ace of clubs and King of diamonds. position If an opponent responds with a 4-bet, it’s vital to recognize that many players do not 4-bet from Under the Gun without either Aces or Kings. While Ace-King is a strong hand in a vacuum, in relation to an opponent's likely range given the previous actions, it becomes significantly less effective. The best strategy here might be to fold.
22+, A2s+, K8s+, Q9s+, J9s+, T8s+, 97s+, 86s+, 75s+, 65s, 54s, 43s, 32s, ATo+, KTo+, QTo+, JTo
However, let’s again play with the scenario. This time, if the Cut-off opens and we 3-bet, our Ace-King will hold much more strength against the Cut-off’s wider range; typically, the best move is to 5-bet.
Our opponent's position significantly influences our decision-making process. Generally, the later we are in the betting sequence, the more hands we can consider playing.
This explains why we might choose to play a hand like Ace-Seven offsuit when in the button position with no previous raises, while we wouldn’t be inclined to play it from an Under the Gun position.
There are several explanations for this: firstly, in later positions, fewer opponents remain to act after us, thereby minimizing the chance that someone behind us has a strong hand. jam all-in for 100bb stacks.
The Later, The Better
Secondly, certain table positions provide a greater opportunity to play in position on the flop. The Button represents the prime example of this, where we consistently have the advantage of acting last on the flop, regardless of preflop actions. So, when we say “later positions are better,” we’re not including the blinds in this context since the small blind, despite acting after the button preflop, will always find itself out of position postflop. For this reason, the small blind is typically seen as the least advantageous spot at the table.
Our preflop hand ranges should also adapt based on the skill level of the players at the table. One guiding principle is that we can expand our range a bit when weaker players are seated with us.
For instance, if we're in an Under the Gun position holding Ace of diamonds and Seven of diamonds, we would usually consider folding this hand. However, if we observe two notably weak players in the Small Blind and Big Blind, we might opt to make an exception and open up our range to target them.
Another guideline to consider is that if we suspect our opponent is a significant amateur,
Opponent Types
we tend to favor high equity hands (like Ace-x, King-x) over speculative sets (like Six of clubs and Three of spades). While we know a calling station won't easily fold, this is less relevant when an Ace-high or King-high hand might actually be the best on the table. Nobody enjoys seeing a Six-high hand against a calling station, especially since we know we cannot bluff our way to victory there, so we tend to avoid these hands preflop.
Assuming our opponent can fold hands postflop, we often prefer speculative hands that have higher playability, which allows room for effective semi-bluffing.
Since it is impossible to create a definitive list ranking hole cards from strongest to weakest, we have to accept that calling station what may be considered a strong preflop hand in one scenario might not hold the same value in another context.
The key takeaway is to maintain rational thinking and logic as we navigate our preflop decisions. By carefully considering our position, the action that has taken place, stack sizes, and the nature of our opponents, we position ourselves to make informed guesses regarding our preflop range strategies.
Employ Logic
Chad Holloway, a winner of a 2013 WSOP Bracelet, has previously served as the managing editor and live reporter for PokerNews. poker is a game of dynamic decision making.
888poker-EGR-logo-Mobile-Header-2021-white
888poker-EGR-logo-Mobile-Header-2022-white