Categories
Uncategorized

Holdem Starting Hands 101

Sponsored Post:

Deciding which hold’em hands to start with can be confusing. Should you play any two suited cards? Should you play everything? Should you wait for aces? Here’s a quick guide to how you should think about starting hands when playing online holdem.

Starting Hands by Position

The later you are to act in a hand, the looser your starting hand requirements should be. Late acting players have much more information than early acting ones. They have a much better chance of getting away from bad hands and getting paid off on good hands. In the first few positions, you should only play premium hands like big pairs (aces, kings, queens, sometimes jacks and tens) or big cards (AK, AQ suited, sometimes KQ and AJ). In middle position, you can open up your standards to include other big cards and medium pairs (JT, QJ, 99, 88, 77). You can throw in more creative hands in late position (44, 33, 22, 56 suited, T8 suited). The hands in the latest category, however, are more valuable in no limit than in limit texas holdem thanks to their implied strength.

Suited Cards

Avoid playing cards solely because they are suited. Playing all suited cards will have you playing too many hands. This can lead to trouble. You should certainly play ace high suited hands frequently and even king high suited hands often. Beyond that, you are asking for problems. Most of the time, you will miss the flop and lose your pre-flop bet. Sometimes you will flop a complete flush and it will be difficult to get any action from weaker hands. Sometimes you will flop a flush draw and have to pay a lot to get to the river. By the time that happens, you may still miss a considerable sum. When you do hit your flush, it will be difficult to get action except from another flush. If you are up against a higher flush, you could lose a lot. Consider suited cards when they are an enhancement to cards that are already good, not as a reason to play a hand.

Suited Connectors

These hands are both suited and connecting, like 6h 7h or 9c Tc. They can be fun to play because they can flop a hidden monster hand. You should generally play these hands in late position when it is likely you will be able to see the flop cheaply. You should look to get away from these hands after the flop, unless you flop a very strong hand or draw.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.