When you’re really trying to get the best edge on your poker game online, there are a few things that you will need to know in order to continue moving to the next level. One of the biggest things that will get you the farthest is the concept of starting hands for poker.
Why are starting hands so important to learn, memorize, and study? Well, there are a few reasons for that. First and foremost, if you don’t know the best starting hands for playing poker, you could end up going into a pot that is strongly against your favor. A lot of poker hands have earned interesting and even funny names, but that doesn’t mean that they’re the best hands to play. For example, a lot of people like the Dolly Parton, which is 9-5 off-suit. Unfortunately this is a hand that really doesn’t lead to a solid win, since most of the time you’ll end up not getting the best community cards to make a straight. The odds just aren’t in your favor.
Speaking of odds, this is the best reason to really study what starting hands you’ll need to play and which ones you are better off folding. Playing bad hands gives you the worst odds, while playing premium hands gives you the best odds. Part of the reason why premium cards are favored from the beginning is because you get to bring the human element into play.
For example, if you know that you have J-10 suited, it’s best to keep that hand. Why? Well, if you have two cards of the same suit, you have the potential for a flush with the right community cards on the table. In addition, you will also have the potential for a good straight opportunity — which can beat out other hands like the infamous two pair.
Keep in mind that it’s not just enough to learn which hands are the best or even which ones are the worst. You will need to learn the power of intuition. For example, you might want to play a 2-7 suited, even though your chances of a straight are quite low. The only way to really get better is to make sure that you take the tips in this guide and actually put them into practice.
Overall, if you really start thinking about the best starting hands for online poker, you’ll definitely be one step closer to becoming a great poker player!