How to Determine the Strength of Your Hand
The first winning poker skill of No-limit Texas holdem poker is evaluating the strength of your hand. The value of a hand is affected by these four factors:
. Your Cards
. Your Position at the Table
. How many Opponents You have
. The Playing Style of Your Opponents
It is difficult to discuss the strength cash course of your hand without talking about your position at the table. When the other players have to act before you, you have a terrific advantage. Late position or having the button always gives you a much clearer idea of the relative strength of the hands that your opponents have, unless they have limped in with a big hand to try to trap you. When you are sitting up front, you aren't able to get any information on the value of your opponents' hands Before you act. This is why you need greater card strength to enter the pot limit holdem in the first three positions after the bigs blind. In essence, information is the name of the game.
Your Cards
Pictured on the next page are the hands that we suggest playing from a front position. Of course, you can play these strong hands from any position at the table introduction.
With the big pairs-aces, kings, queens, jacks you can bring it in for a normal raise of three to four times the size of the big blind. With all of the other pairs (tens and lower), you want to come in cheaply in the hope of hitting a set on the flop. You want to see the flop before putting any serious money into the pot. "No set, no bet" is the poker guideline.
When you have pocket aces or kings, it is preferable to get the gaming money in before the flop. You may occasionally limp from up front with aces or kings in the hope that an opponent sitting behind you will raise, in which case you can reraise. By sometimes limping with the big pairs or suited connectors, your opponents might give you more respect in subsequent hands. In other words, they may not raise you on those occasions when you limp in with a small pair because they are fearful that you have a big pair, like they have seen you limp in with before.
Be very cautious with pocket queens and jacks Because they are far more vulnerable than aces and kings. It is always possible than an opponent could have an overpair of kings or aces in the pocket glossary or hit an ace or king on the flop to beat you.