No-Limit Hold'em: Basic Starting Hands

When you start out playing No-Limit Texas Hold'em it is best to avoid playing marginal hands, as you will have to do a lot of guessing which will leave you vulnerable.

If you have never played No-Limit before, it is recommended that you restrict yourself to only playing pairs AA-22, AK and AQ. With these hands, you will not find yourself caught in many difficult situations and you can still win big pots. We recommend you try a poker odds calculator; it will help you select hands worth playing.

Playing only these hands requires a great deal of discipline since you will not be involved in many pots. Playing with this strategy will provide you with a lot of time to study the game and observe the players as you play (or sit out a hand).

This table shows minimum required hands per position in a semi-tight/semi-aggressive game.

General Pre-Flop Advice

• Most of the time you should raise/re-raise with top pairs (AA-QQ) and top connectors (AK, AQs) in order to make low pairs and various connectors pay to see flops against you. Remember, they will often have the opportunity to double-up on you if they hit (although many beginners do not realize this and fold too often pre-flop).
• Stick to the premium hands (see table of minimum required hands). You will pay dearly to "chase" with second-best hands in NL.
• Keep most raises down to between 70% and 100% (making it 3 times the big blind to go typically equals an 80% pot bet) in order to save money when you get re-raised or called by stronger holdings. If there are limpers in front of you, raise to about 4-6 times the big blind.
• Have respect for strong tight players (for example, you should drop AQ if a strong player raises under the gun).
• When very weak players have entered the pot, be inclined to call and take flops with them.
• Mostly raise or re-raise with AA-QQ, AK and AQs in any position.
• Basically, all other starting hands are limping hands. And though you might re-raise with them when you are defending your blinds, you might also raise with these hands when you are first in from a late position.
• Occasionally mix up your play by raising/calling/re-raising with hands you would not usually play. It is preferable to avoid becoming too predictable.