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Hand rankings (poker hand values) are relative according to the number of players in the pot. The dynamic of a poker game can shift between being loose and tight. This affects the number of players in the pot, which influences the value of a player’s starting hand. For different types of hands, there are various approaches to take to maximize your hand. Poker bets can change when you have the same set of cards in different situations.
Large Pairs
Large pairs (i.e., JJ or better) are the best starting hands because they are valuable on their own (i.e., not as dependent on the board as other hands). These types of starting poker hands are often winners. Raising for value before the flop is often a good betting strategy, but it also serves to knock out other players from seeing the flop.
Large pairs are often faced with the situation where they are the best hand at the flop, but there are enough outs that someone can beat you at the river when one of them hits. Make raises that knock out other players and limit the size of the pot. Re-raise when another player raises to make it more expensive to see flop, and raise to knock out other players. If you are in early position at the flop, check first to see if anyone bets out behind you, and then you can either call or re-raise to make it more difficult to stay in the pot.
Big Cards
Big cards (i.e., AK, KQ, AQ) are often quite dangerous for the holder in longhanded games. These types of hands can become overpairs and will beat players who have top pairs with a high kicker, but they usually become top pair with the best kicker. When you see the flop, you are more likely to be facing a player who is drawing. You have to make it expensive for these players to see any additional cards, or knock them out at the flop.
Middle Pairs and Suited Connectors
Middle (and smaller pairs) and suited connectors will change in value under different circumstances. These are very playable hands in multi-way pots. You could either completely miss with these types of hands, or hit a very strong hand (i.e., straight, flush, full house). Your goal is to ensure that the pot odds are in your favor.
Middle pairs have a 13% chance of hitting a set on the flop. In a large, multi-way pot (7 players), you have good pot odds. If you hit the set, implied odds are in your favor. There is a good chance that another player has a decent second-best hand with a very poor chance of beating you at the turn or river. Your chances of getting action improve with more players in the pot, since they are all looking at the high cards, especially when one is in their hand (and even better when they have two pair).
With a suited connector, you want enough callers in the pot to make it worth your while to chase the straight or flush. Pot odds indicate that you will have better results with more than 4 players in the pot, but will not fare as well against 2 or 3 players. When you have a multi-way pot, you can win with a straight or flush draw that hits, but you only have to put in about 10% of the pot to see the next card. |
