"JTAutry" <jtautry@yahoo> wrote in message
news:3f32b69f$0$43851$39cecf19@news.twtelecom.net...
>
> "Gary Carson" <garycarson@alumni.northwestern.edu> wrote in message
> news:3f31aae0.45056783@news.mindspring.com...
>
> > Rankings of starting poker hands are intransative.
> >
>
> Gary,
>
> Why do you always have to make such ridiculously mean and vindictive
> remarks? Its none of your business what kind of lifestyle the starting
> hands of poker lead! That's just like you, to run off all the good
starting
> hands of poker becuase of your tasteless remarks! Hrmph. <arms folded,
> bottom lip sticking out, eyes welling up with tears>
JT, I know you're joking but let me take it a bit further. He's totally
wrong about the intransitive ranking of poker hands. There are a total of 13
different classes of starting hands. Within each class, the internal class
ranking is absolutely clear and never changes. Depending on varying game
conditions some classes of hands start outperforming others, while in
different game conditions this can become totally reversed. When you compare
the EV-based ranking of one class with hands of another, you need to know
what the game conditions are to answer the question, but it can be answered.
Note to newbies who may be completely lost. I am not referring to Sklansky's
starting groups.
I'm referring to these:
1. Suited no-gap connectors
Look to play the very best of these nearly always from every position. For
middle suited connectors be in the back and be against limpers. For low
suited connectors be in a big family pot on the button or in the blinds.
2. Suited one-gap connectors.
Definitely the same story as above, but the low hands are starting to get
clearly weaker and have trouble. You just have to stick to the top of the
list down to about J9s except out of the blinds.
3. Suited two-gap connectors.
KTs plays in most spots, and so does Q9s, but hands in this class become
unplayable quickly. J8s is really only to be played when entering a pot in
the back in a blind attack situation, or when defending from the blinds.
4. Suited three-gap connectors.
K9s is fairly robust from many spots again. Q8s loses power fast. Play only
in the back seats. Don't even mess around with J7s or lower from any
position.
5. Suited aces.
Only the deuce kicker has some trouble up front. Otherwise, nearly all Axs
figure to win with a limp behind any number of limpers.
6. Suited non-connectors (four or more gaps, aka Xxs)
Blind defense only, except suited kings which can play in back position.
7. Offsuit no-gap connectors
Anything under JTo is so weak it's pathetic. And even JTo is far weaker than
many realize. (Some play it everytime they get it.)
8. Offsuit one-gap connectors
If you go under QTs, it may work out for you *this* time, but you're taking
your chances.
9. Offsuit two-gap connectors
It falls off this fast. KTo sometimes in the back, Q9o sometimes on the
button.
10. Offsuit three-gap connectors
Are you kidding? K9o is also totally overrated by many players. They throw
their money away on it.
11. Offsuit aces.
A9o can sneak in here and there. Don't get cocky with it though.
12. Offsuit non-connectors (four or more gaps, aka Xxo)
K8o shows up here and there but mainly as regards blind attack and defense.
Attack with K8 if attacking from the button. Defend from a single attacker
from the big blind. Defend against two or three limpers from the small
blind. Q7o is out.
This is proper starting hand strategy in a nutshell. The better the
opposition, the less valuable the worst hands may become. You can adjust
from here when it comes to variable game conditions.
As we all know, any hand is potentially playable once in awhile and doing so
can can really aid in making it harder to read your hand in the general case
when you're only planning a bluff anyway.
tvp