A few questions for experienced holdem players

Hey guys,

I'm absolutely new to poker, but I've been spending time reading some beginners guides and memorizing the odds charts and pocket card order and stuff like that - my friends and I have started playing (no limit) holdem every week or 2. I'm very linear brained and have a strong background in mathematics so I play pretty tight and by the book. That said, I've read guides on what to do with pocket cards of all sorts, but nobody ever seems to go beyond that very much. Can you experienced guys give me your opinions on:

1) If I have good high pockets (not a pair, say AQ) and a flop comes up that is no good to me (say 10 7 3), should I be folding them or holding on for a high pair?

2) If I have a decent pocket pair (10 up?) and the flop brings a straight or flush possibility, what are the odds that my pair will hold up? Assuming it's high pair, that is.

3) If everybody else just pays the big blind and I have something cruddy (low connectors or low suited cards or something) should I pay the blind to see the flop anyway?

Thanks,

Nic

Hey!

Welcome to FTR. You'll find everythign you want to know and more here.

The answer to your questions are: (in my opinion)

1. Fold
2. I don't know but if you fold to every staight and flush draw you'll fold every hand.
3. Mathematically probably, but in reality no. You don't have the experience to fold if you make half a hand or half a draw, etc. New players stay in pots way too long for way too much money. That's what makes them so delicious with BBQ sauce.

GL. bury yourself in ftr stickies and posts you won't be sorry.

First off, welcome.

I am by no means an expert, but here is some sound advice for your questions.

1) You should be raising these hands preflop...to cut down on the number of people that see the flop...you want 1-2 callers. Your preflop raise is determined by the number of callers....if you keep getting 3-4 callers...raise more. If you don't get any callers, raise less. You should be able to gauge the raise size by watching others raise preflop. Once you have 1-2 callers with AK, AQ post flop, you can make C-bets on some flops. Bet around 2/3 of the pot. The flops you want to make these on have to have a certain texture...Q73 rainbow flop is a great flop to bet at against 1 opponent. The reason is there are no draws to stick around for...if someone sticks around after you bet, you are usually beat.

2) You should be raising PP (10+) almost always pre-flop. If the flop brings 36Q all clubs or 789...you want to bet hard at these flops (bet the pot). If the flop brings two to a flush or two to a straight, bet 2/3 of the pot...and bet the turn if the straight or flush is possible on the turn....if you don't bet here...someone can take this pot from you for nothing. Your chances are good if you bet the right amount at the pot.

3)If you are in late position and have 3 or more limpers in front of you, you can play suited connectors...just realize you are not looking to make top pair...you are looking for the flush or straight, trips and two pair.

I think that is all I can think of now....This is fairly basic advice to start out with, and you will adapt some of these strategies for certain opponents. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the friendly replies! That definitely clarifies a few things in my mind.

Thanks,

Nic

Originally Posted by midgetspy

1) If I have good high pockets (not a pair, say AQ) and a flop comes up that is no good to me (say 10 7 3), should I be folding them or holding on for a high pair?

Did we raise this preflop? We should have, and therefore we are betting most flops. Usually fold with a bet in front of you on the flop, or if someone behind you raises.

Originally Posted by midgetspy

2) If I have a decent pocket pair (10 up?) and the flop brings a straight or flush possibility, what are the odds that my pair will hold up? Assuming it's high pair, that is.

Depends on what your opponents are holding, obviously, and if you hit a set or not. Basically this is a HUGE depends. I just play big pairs fast and hard and watch out for overcards and really obvious things, like four to a flush.

Originally Posted by midgetspy

3) If everybody else just pays the big blind and I have something cruddy (low connectors or low suited cards or something) should I pay the blind to see the flop anyway?

As someone noted, I would wait until you're more experienced. Also in a home tournament (I'm guessing you're playing this) you're probably short-stacked, so I'd say no.

That being said, these are ideal conditions to play those types of hand IF you choose to.