Hold'Em
Crib Sheet for Beginners
While
corresponding with a friend who had played
only stud, I gave him the following instructions
for starting out in hold'em. While a bit
oversimplified, these instructions should
allow a newcomer to hold'em to stay out
of trouble. I assume you are in the lowest
limit game, with a pot rake, and your
opponents are very loose (5+ see most
flops) and not too aggressive. If they
are loose and very aggressive, only start
with the "Call a raise" hands, and don't
change the post-flop advice.
Pre-Flop:
Play w/ no raise - AA-22, 2 suited T+,
2 offsuit Q+
Call a Raise/Raise/Reraise - AA-TT, 2
suited Q+, only AK offsuit
Play w/ no raise & 4+ in - AX suited,
T9s - 54s
Post-Flop:
FOLD unless you have at least top pair
or a 8-9 out draw. (It's OK to draw to
a non-nut straight or a low flush, if
both your cards play.)
USUALLY FOLD if your top pair has a poor
kicker (2-9).
FOLD if your pocket pair is not top pair,
unless you have flopped your set.
There are only two preflop exceptions
to this very simple chart. AQo is a hand
that you raise with if you are the first
raiser, but if someone has raised before
it gets to you, you fold. And AJs is one
more hand that you can call a raise with.
Print
this out and cut out the following card
for yourself. Carry it and use it.
|
Hold'em
Beginners' Instructions by Dick
in Phoenix
Pre-Flop:
Play w/ no raise - AA-22, 2 suited
T+, 2 offsuit Q+
Call a raise/Raise/Reraise - AA-TT,
2 suited Q+, only AK offsuit
Play w/ no raise & 4+ in - AX suited,
T9s - 54s
Post-Flop:
FOLD unless you have at least top
pair or a 8-9 out draw.
(It's OK to draw to a non-nut straight
or a low flush, if both your cards
play.)
USUALLY FOLD if your top pair has
a poor kicker (2-9).
FOLD if your pocket pair is not
top pair, unless you have flopped
your set.
|
This
will get you going and give you an anchor
on which to base your play. Read my other
essays Fixing the Leaks in My Hold'em
Game and Fixing the Leaks Part II to get
my rationale for most of these statements.
. . .
Dedicated
to my friend who shall remain nameless,
who didn't follow the directions his first
time out. He was sorry.
© Dick Astrom ("Dick
in Phoenix") 2001, all rights reserved
Dick's
Poker
Page
|
