The Hands to Call With

Play Texas Hold’em The First Two Cards: Early Position Part Five Playing Short-Handed What You Must Realize The Hands to Call With Another Problem Calling or Reraising Before the Flop What If It Is Three-Handed ? When the Blinds are Very Loose Leading on the Flop Calling on Fourth Street Slowplaying on the Flop Fifth Street A Note on Tells Playing Short-Handed Afterthought Part Six Playing in Other Non-Standard Games Wild Games Playing in Extremely Tight Games Playing Against a Live Straddle Strategy of poker of News of poker And is much another about poker



Thus it appears that in a heads-up match in the big blind you need to call (or reraise) at least 40 percent of the time against an aggressive opponent. So what hands should you play?Any pair, is 6 percent; any ace, is about 15 percent; any other two cards that are both nine or higher, is about 12 percent, any other straight flush combination with no gaps or just one gap (except for 42s and 32s), is about 4 percent; and any king little suited that's not already covered, is about 2 percent. This comes to approximately 39 percent. That's basically what we are talking about. (You might add in a few more hands such as J8s, 98, or 97.)(We do want to caution you about playing hands that contain a deuce or a trey. The trouble with these cards is that if you flop a pair and your hand is best at that moment, virtually any card that comes can beat you. In addition, if you flop nothing and your opponent flops a pair, you frequently find yourself bluffing or calling with only three outs.l0 This doesn't mean that you can't play a hand if it contains a deuce or a trey. But beware that it has some additional problems and these hands may not be as good as they appear.)