Hands to play

[willie beaman]

Stick to a fairly tight style starting and begin to mix it up once you get a feel for your opponents in freerolls. Stay focused, which seems to be a problem. Once you become bored or disinterested, sit out a few hands and get away to refresh your mind.

[Bucsfan36]

Sounds like your playing they right hands i won't change anything, i you want to try some higher risk hands do so ealy on when they blinds or low or on unraised pots. people that play Q4 or A8 will hit but in the end you'll come out on top.

[Poker Orifice]

Originally Posted by snodog

I've read a lot of the tips for beginners etc and kind of have used the advice to set "my rules" that I try to play by. (play pairs, high cards only)
Mostly play tournies (freerolls - best finish of 17th),

I seem to keep losing to guys that are playing things like Q 4, or 7 2.

The worst aspect of it is that it tends to throw my concentration and I lose the "plot" for a few hands.

If ya try to stick to Sklansky's Top 10, playing super tight in early going,.. you should do okay. It's not just playing these hands,.. but also how you play them, who you're in the pot with, how they perceive your play and of course what position you are at on the table,.. .also how your chipstack is in relation to the other's on the table.

I'm assuming freerolls or Mtt's here?? Makes a big difference what game you're playing,... also as mentioned already, depends as well on whether or not you're first one in in the hand. In many of the micro buy-ins and freerolls, you'll find many players entering into each pot (craziness). If large preflop raises aren't being respected, one must alter their play and then focus more on flop play. Lots of stuff to take into consideration BUT for sure if you're just playing your strong hands, you should do okay (ie. if you and your opponent both hit top pr. on the flop, chances are for sure you'll have them outkicked).

One piece of freeroll advice (and micro buy-in),... you'll undoubtedly run into tons of loose calling stations. NEVER attempt to semi-bluff them off the pot on the flop with a strong drawing hand. Instead, just play your strong hands strongly,.. bet them for value and you'll often get paid off on every street.

Good Luck to you.
There's tons and tons of great strategy articles online,.... just keep trying to develop your own style and things should come around for you (patience my friend,.. patience).
Oh yah,.. one other note,.... play your strong hands aggressively,... don't play passively post-flop as you'll be giving your opponents odds to catch up to you (do not ever slowplay a good hand on the flop to a scarey board (potential dr's., etc.).

For sure you'll experience many losses to suckouts from terrible starting hands, but know that you got your money in with the best of it. Hopefully, if they've even been watching your play on the table and see that you've been showing down strong hands each time you've been in a hand,.. then they'll learn to respect your preflop raises and won't be calling with Q-4o, etc. (it will still happen though,... more craziness).

one last note,.. in most situations it's better to raise of fold then to call. If you feel you've got a hand that might be worth calling but not good enough to raise with,.... fold. Better off saving your chips and getting them in when you know you've got the best. Winning sometimes means just not losing.

And lastly (yah,.. I know,.. I did already say that, lol), if you've got ANY questions, just give me a PM and I will try to answer you.

Good Luck!!!

[willie beaman]

If you are just learning about texas hold em, start off playing as a rock, or tight aggrressive style. This would be playing only premium hands (ie big paris big aces and high connectors) to get a feel for the game. As you progress, begin to mix it up, incorporating check-raises on semi bluffs adn going after pots with 6 high. Evolve to that point by playing solid poker over time, adn you'll begin to learn continually about the starting hands you can playand how to exploit your opponents.

[wicked663]

From any position on the table i will play any pocket pair including ducks, AK, and AQ. From early position I only play those hands. From late position all bets, I means rules, are off. I am willing to raise with anything if I feel the blinds calling out my name. Playing medium to garbage hands on a regular basis is a losing strategy. You can not let a donkeys eratic play dictate your play. Do not let them suck you into their style. Play strong hands and catch the donkey with his pants down!