Poker Tips Video Source & Information:
Professional poker player Phil Gordon teaches you the true value of suited cards in no-limit Texas Holdem.
You can buy Phil’s Final Table Poker DVD, read Phil’s poker articles, listen to his WSOP podcasts and even ask him a poker question at http://www.ExpertInsight.com
Also available: Beating Blackjack with Andy Bloch -The former MIT Team Manager gives you the secrets of card counting and more.
Short Game Golf with Jim Furyk & Fred Funk -The #2 Golfer in the World teaches you how to master the short game.
Source: YouTube
on that kind of table any two can win you big money. It is good to know the Expected Value of each starting hand. I.E. what is the chance of winning with a hand against multiple opponents (3 or more). Once you have this "math" memorized you'll know when to play a hand or not. You also need to know when to call or bet, even on loose tables it may not be good to call because the size of the bet might not call for it. Sometimes it's good to call a reraise preflop, you have more information.
I really think tournament play is more about position and aggressiveness rather than hand strength and agressiveness. It's a nuance, but a very significant difference. You can actually win with a lot of hands in a tourney that you would be a fool to even think about playing in a cash game. And the reason for that is escalating blinds and antes.
Ax suited can also get you in a lot of trouble if you flop an ace and your OP flops a bigger ace, two pair, or a set. Then, unless you know to keep the pot small, you might trap yourself and go broke.
I see lots of players who play suited connectors hoping to catch a dream flop like a straight or a flush, or best a straight flush draw, just to loose because they continued to be agressive with the baby end of the straight or a smaller flush against either the nut flush or a bigger flush. I have even witnessed a baby end straight flush get beat by the bigger straight flush once or twice. Unfortunately it was online and not at the Casino for a bad beat!!!
yeah, you have to be able to dump those hands if they don't hit or draw on the flop; if need be. I dumped an Ax suited hand last night after calling the preflop raiser's bet. I missed the flush draw but hit an ace. I ended up letting it go because I had a good read on the foe and he was betting big postflop.
yeah, you have to be able to know how to dump those hands when you don't hit and you have a read.
Probably a very good fold. Ax will usually be dominated by AK, AQ or even if the OP caught a set or two pair. In just about any situation, on the flop a pair to the board is only good about 25% of the time, especially if the pot is multi way. An overpair is a little better, but still should be played with caution and mostly folded to aggression. Again, that is unless you just have a really good read on your OP or know he likes to bluff dry boards.
just wanted to point out that this general rule has exceptions. poker is a lot about knowing how your opponents play and adapting to it
I would say 90% of poker, for people who are consistent winners, is all about knowing your opponents and adapting to them. I like to show tendencies to my opponents just to use their image of me to either trap or bluff. If they think I am a very tight agro, and only play when I have the nuts, it makes it much easier to bluff. If they see me as loose passive, I can play some cheap flops, then when my hand hits it's like riding the donkey wagon. Why push when the OP is pulling.
Ok, so hold 'em has evolved to the age of the suited connector. I hear a lot of people talk about how you can play this type of hand like small pp and hope you catch a flop, or the monster straight flush draw. But it's still a dangerous hand to push with even if you do catch either the straight or the flush, the flush especially. If you're lucky enough to catch the better end of the straight, or hold the middle, then you can push, but what if the board pairs? Dangerous hand, IMHO.