Starting Hand Charts (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter chkmte
- Start date
Kain8
Flush
Disclaimer: Tragic comedic and not at all what you're wanting!
naked_eskimo
Two Pair
If I understand your question correctly, you mean charts of what hands to play from what position? These vary from expert to expert. I found that I like the charts in Jonathan Little's books (there are many, many hand charts in his books).
What I do is screen grab them from Kindle or whatever reader (possibly Google Play books), and then I paste them into a Word document and then save that document as an html file and then put that file on my internal NAS storage device and then open that file in a browser and bookmark it.
Then I just keep a browser tab open to whatever starting hand chart I like for whatever game I am playing at the time. I tend to keep a browser tab open for early, middle and late position charts while playing.
Sometimes, I even rigidly follow them
Other times I convince myself that T8s is a good hand to play in a limped pot in middle position.
I haz no discipline.
What I do is screen grab them from Kindle or whatever reader (possibly Google Play books), and then I paste them into a Word document and then save that document as an html file and then put that file on my internal NAS storage device and then open that file in a browser and bookmark it.
Then I just keep a browser tab open to whatever starting hand chart I like for whatever game I am playing at the time. I tend to keep a browser tab open for early, middle and late position charts while playing.
Sometimes, I even rigidly follow them
Other times I convince myself that T8s is a good hand to play in a limped pot in middle position. I haz no discipline.
That's cool. I wonder if they'll let me bring my laptop or workstation to the table?If I understand your question correctly, you mean charts of what hands to play from what position? These vary from expert to expert. I found that I like the charts in Jonathan Little's books (there are many, many hand charts in his books).
What I do is screen grab them from Kindle or whatever reader (possibly Google Play books), and then I paste them into a Word document and then save that document as an html file and then put that file on my internal NAS storage device and then open that file in a browser and bookmark it.
Then I just keep a browser tab open to whatever starting hand chart I like for whatever game I am playing at the time. I tend to keep a browser tab open for early, middle and late position charts while playing.
Sometimes, I even rigidly follow them
I haz no discipline.
No reason you can't pull them up on your phone before the hand starts. Link them to your position and review real quick.
naked_eskimo
Two Pair
Good point.
What you might want to try is to create a color coded "master chart" with a different color for early, middle and late, say, and then try to memorize roughly based on the colored quadrants?
I don't know what exactly might work for you. Never tried to actually memorize them. Or try to reduce the range on the chart to something simple like early position is AQ or better, 99 or better and 89s or better kind of thing.
naked_eskimo
Two Pair
I agree with you upNdown. I tend to use the charts more often when I think I'm being too loose and need to tighten up my ranges a bit.
RainmanTrail
Straight Flush
Sure, but you don't want to be *that guy*. The term 'poker face' exists for good reason.
It definitely has value for people to make the jump from Gambler to Poker Player.
Personally, I delved into poker strategy by seeing one of these charts, and it really helped my basics. I highly recommend the tighter opening hand charts for complete beginners, as they illustrate how easy it is for new players to overplay things like J9o, T8s, etc.
After getting a good grasp on the basics, limiting yourself to these graphs will actually be detrimental as it makes you predictable.
This has helped me recover from tilt more than I'd like to admit
Chester Copperpot
Two Pair
Most important thing to know: never play KJo
Chester Copperpot
Two Pair
More seriously, they were a big help when I decided to really begin more formal training and study, to take my game up to the next level and start to understand ranges and how they interact.
Now, I’ll reference them on occasion when I want to review a hand or am unsure about what I should’ve done.
For me, the main purpose was to set a framework, not follow religiously.
Now, I’ll reference them on occasion when I want to review a hand or am unsure about what I should’ve done.
For me, the main purpose was to set a framework, not follow religiously.
I feel the same way. I'm trying to develop a framework for decisions, not turn myself into a robot.
RocAFella1
Royal Flush
Who’s got a chart for SOHE, BigO, or Scrotum?
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
Easy...
All cards preflop = Call
After the Flop = Pot
After the Turn = Pot
After the River = Rebuy!
jonplayspoker
Sitting Out
@chkmte
Here's a rough range of hands to raise (assuming 9-handed):
Early Position (utg, utg+1): 10-10+, A-Q+
Mid Position (seats 3-6): 8-8+, A-J+, K-Q+
Late Position (button and cut-off): 7-7+, any A-x, suited connectors J10+
Naturally, this is only a starting guide. And depending on your table image (do the other players view you as being tight/ loose, aggro/ passive), you can switch up your range accordingly.
E.g. if you've been card dead and haven't played a hand for a while, you can afford to loosen up your range a bit in late position and raise more often to steal the blinds, or 3-bet an early position raise to take the pot down.
Here's a rough range of hands to raise (assuming 9-handed):
Early Position (utg, utg+1): 10-10+, A-Q+
Mid Position (seats 3-6): 8-8+, A-J+, K-Q+
Late Position (button and cut-off): 7-7+, any A-x, suited connectors J10+
Naturally, this is only a starting guide. And depending on your table image (do the other players view you as being tight/ loose, aggro/ passive), you can switch up your range accordingly.
E.g. if you've been card dead and haven't played a hand for a while, you can afford to loosen up your range a bit in late position and raise more often to steal the blinds, or 3-bet an early position raise to take the pot down.
naked_eskimo
Two Pair
No suited connectors until late position? That seems super tight. I'll usually open 3x UTG/UTG+1 with 89s+
I like to throw an occasional SC into my UTG opening range against a reasonably competent table, but I think 100% of 89s+ is a little spewy. If the table is very passive preflop, I'll limp these hands more often from EP but almost never raise.
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RocAFella1
Royal Flush
Jamie Gold’s WTF expression is priceless.No chart, but I do have an instructional video:
Cash or play money?
jonplayspoker
Sitting Out
Might seem tight. But I wouldn't recommend any new player raise small/ mid SCs until late position simply cus it's so tough to play out of position.
Most of the time, if you get more than 2 callers in late position, you're done with the hand unless you flop a piece of the flop (which happens roughly 30% of the time).
Against 1 player, if you c-bet and it gets called, what then? Double-barrel bluff the turn? Check-raise turn? Or give up and check-fold?
It's a hand that's very marginal and likely -EV for most players.
naked_eskimo
Two Pair
I hear you. I don't like to open limp, and I don't like to fold 89s or better. Raise it is, then
I'll limp behind with it sometimes, but obviously cannot do that when first to act.
I'll limp behind with it sometimes, but obviously cannot do that when first to act.
Legend5555
Full House
General tidbits.
RFI charts are useful to get an idea of just how snug you really should be playing.
What I think is more useful is understanding what NOT to defend with against a 3 bet or just a raise in general. You really shouldn't be set mining against any raise unless you stand to make about 15x (this can be lowered to 10x if the player is weaker and can never fold tp or overpaid) the raise amount if you hit. And you shouldn't be trying to get in there with suited connectors (especially ones below T9) unless you can possibly make 25x the raise amount.
You also shouldn't be defending small (22-66) pocket pairs OOP in potential multiway action. Your position sucks, and you get set over setted more often multiway. That's not too say you can never do it, but you must proceed with extreme caution. And your implied odds need to be more than 15x.
Against strong players that open from late POS, you should really just fold small pairs from the SB. Their range is so wide that you aren't getting good enough implied odds to stack them. You can still defend stuff like 88+, maybe 77, though because it's easier to get to showdowns with stronger pairs. But you can play the smaller pairs against early position openers to set mine because they have a range that can pay you off more often when you make a set.
You can almost never play too tight from the SB in general. And a general strategy of 3 bet or fold from the SB, especially against late openers, is usually a good idea.
When stacks are at or below 100bb, you generally need to be more selective in playing implied odds type hands. You'd much rather be raising them than calling with them. Calling a standard 3x raise from someone on 60bb or less when you have a suited connector is generally going to be a long term losing play unless that person is really spewey.
RFI charts are useful to get an idea of just how snug you really should be playing.
What I think is more useful is understanding what NOT to defend with against a 3 bet or just a raise in general. You really shouldn't be set mining against any raise unless you stand to make about 15x (this can be lowered to 10x if the player is weaker and can never fold tp or overpaid) the raise amount if you hit. And you shouldn't be trying to get in there with suited connectors (especially ones below T9) unless you can possibly make 25x the raise amount.
You also shouldn't be defending small (22-66) pocket pairs OOP in potential multiway action. Your position sucks, and you get set over setted more often multiway. That's not too say you can never do it, but you must proceed with extreme caution. And your implied odds need to be more than 15x.
Against strong players that open from late POS, you should really just fold small pairs from the SB. Their range is so wide that you aren't getting good enough implied odds to stack them. You can still defend stuff like 88+, maybe 77, though because it's easier to get to showdowns with stronger pairs. But you can play the smaller pairs against early position openers to set mine because they have a range that can pay you off more often when you make a set.
You can almost never play too tight from the SB in general. And a general strategy of 3 bet or fold from the SB, especially against late openers, is usually a good idea.
When stacks are at or below 100bb, you generally need to be more selective in playing implied odds type hands. You'd much rather be raising them than calling with them. Calling a standard 3x raise from someone on 60bb or less when you have a suited connector is generally going to be a long term losing play unless that person is really spewey.
ekricket
Royal Flush
I think from the other thread that all the players at the table are spewey and generally are playing for stacks.
Chester Copperpot
Two Pair
I almost always 3bet or fold from the SB, but not everyone does. I paid the price the other day.
I got stacked a few nights ago holding KQ and the flop came 9, 10, J.
I checked the flop (had very high confidence the button would bet, and he did). SB called. I raise, button folds, SB calls.
Turn came a K. I jam. SB calls and turns over AQ suited. I thought to myself “how the F does this jacker show up with AQs from the small blind in a three-way pot, just calling my initial raise?”
I knew the only hand I’m losing to is AQ, and just thought there was almost no chance SB would be holding that. I guess that’s always a good jam?
If I am in the SB with AQs, and have one 3x raise and a button call, that’s a 3bet all day, every day.
I got stacked a few nights ago holding KQ and the flop came 9, 10, J.
I checked the flop (had very high confidence the button would bet, and he did). SB called. I raise, button folds, SB calls.
Turn came a K. I jam. SB calls and turns over AQ suited. I thought to myself “how the F does this jacker show up with AQs from the small blind in a three-way pot, just calling my initial raise?”
I knew the only hand I’m losing to is AQ, and just thought there was almost no chance SB would be holding that. I guess that’s always a good jam?
If I am in the SB with AQs, and have one 3x raise and a button call, that’s a 3bet all day, every day.
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
If the AQ suited was 4 to a flush, his call to the jam was the right call.
Chester Copperpot
Two Pair
It was not.
Legend5555
Full House
Just remember that the SB is losing money overall there by not 3 betting against a much weaker raising range. You win that pot almost every single time he doesn't flop something when he just calls pre.
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