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> Poker Articles > PokerRoom From play money to real money
by FrankLu99
Many players play texas-hold’em for play money and are too intimidated to play at real low limit tables. After understanding only a few basic concepts in low limit hold’em a play money player can become a successful low limit player. These basic concepts are found in many poker books today, Winning Low Limit Hold’em by Lee Jones, Hold’em Poker and Hold’em Poker for Advanced Players by Sklansy and Mulmuth. Anyway this article is not about buying books but about basic concept you should understand before playing for real money.
Hand Selection: playing low limit requires you to have the discipline the play only the few best hands in hold’em.
Premium Hands:
High pocket pairs: AA, KK , QQ, JJ
Medium pocket pairs: TT, 99, 88, 77
High cards: AK, KQ, AQ, AJ (being suited is a bonus)
Marginal Hands (for late position with multiple callers):
Low pocket pairs: 66, 55, 44, 33, 22
Suited connectors: QJs, JTs, T9s, 98s
s-suited
o-offsuited
Many problems can arise when you play weak starting hands. For example if you play A4, you flop an ace and someone that acts before you bets, you can easily have the second best hand and lose the pot. Weak kickers do not win pots, strong kickers do. Take KTo for example. The only sure way of winning the hand without worrying about your kicker is to get two pairs or a straight. AT easily beats KT if there is only a ten and KQ easily beats KT if there is only a king.
Playing medium pocket pairs can be profitable if you flop a set (three of a kind), however if you do not flop a set and players are betting and or raising then there is a good chance that your hand is not the best one and to win the hand you will have to draw out to a set. Since only 2 cards allow you to make a set the probability is low and often you will lose money if you do not fold.
Position: playing outside the boundary of your position causes many players to lose money.
Early position requires players to be the most selective in hold’em. Players playing non premium hands in early position are exposed to losing money: they not only have to act early each round but they can easily be raised by a better hand. For example, suppose you are to the left of the big blind player and you limp in with KQ and the player to your left raises and the player to his left reraises. Often your hand can be too weak to call even though KQ is a premium hand because one player may have AK and the other player may have QQ. Unless the other players are very loose and aggressive, the correct move may be to fold. The point is to play fewer hands from early position and play fewer hands from middle position if there are not preflop limpers before you.
Having position over another player instantly gives you a slight advantage especially if you know how the other player plays. Suppose you are heads up with another player (only you and your opponent are in the hand) and suppose you know your opponent plays straightforward, he or she will check and fold the hand if the board did give any improvement and bet if it did. Also suppose that your opponent will bet if you he or she thinks that you did not improve. The advantage is yours if you have position over your opponent because you can now bet if he or she checks and fold if the board did not help and you do not have a draw.
Starting off with a better hand than your opponent increases your chances of winning the pot. Having position gives you a better chance of out playing your opponent(s). Too many players at the low limit tables play too many hands. By playing position and playing premium hands you increase your chances of winning.
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