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You should take risk and gamble when you play Poker, but you must know when. Naturally, you can take risk and gamble when probabilities or odds are on your side. You can also take risk and gamble if you are up for some big hands. And you can also take risk and gamble when happenings at the table are great.

Well, in case probabilities or odds are on your side, there’s no problem with you taking risk and gambling. But you must check very well these probabilities or odds. Even just a little mistake in understanding these probabilities or odds can cause you big bucks.

For big hands, well, they are worth the risk and the gamble. Go and gamble for some hands that will improve or strengthen your bankroll. Gamble for hands like backdoor flush draws, gutshot draws, two pair or set. They can give you the pot.

When the happenings at the poker table are good, then you can also take risk and gamble. Say it seems like your opponents are getting bad cards and you are up for some good hands, you can take risk and gamble. Also, when one of your great rivals is going on tilt, you can take risk and gamble. Players on tilt can’t make good and sound decisions and clouded with so many things and filled with so many emotions. Hence, you can take advantage of the situation and eventually make it big. But of course, still, you must be careful. Although happenings are good, they can easily turn bad most especially if you make some bad moves or decisions. Before your take risk and gamble, plan out very well how you should behave at the poker table. Consider everything most especially the odds and probabilities. They really matter in the game Poker.

It is very important that you know your odds say for winning a certain hand. However, knowing your odds for winning a certain hand won’t be that simple. To help you out, here are some pre-flop situations of various hand match-ups that will occur during play and the percentages that one hand will win over other hands. Get a grasp in knowing your odds.

Pair vs. Higher Cards

Getting a pre-flop pair is a good thing than getting AK, AQ, or the like. But they have plenty of options in the deck that could beat a mid-range to low pair. And yet still, they could get something from the deck to beat you. Nonetheless, a pair say for an instance 10’s will beat AK 55% of the time in a match-up.
Higher Pair vs. a Lower Pair

Higher pair will most likely win than a lower pair, unless you are playing low hand variations. The percentage that the higher pair will win over a lower pair is 80% of the time basically in a heads-up match-up.

One Higher Card, One Lower Card vs. Two In-Between

It is a common happening at the table that a player will get a one higher card and one lower card. This maybe surprising to know but player with one higher card and one lower card has great chances of winning 55% of the time particularly if up against a player with two in-between. Having one higher card and one lower card will pay off a lot more.

Two Higher Cards vs. Two Lower Cards

Most likely, two higher cards will win over two lower cards. Nonetheless, they will win 65% of the time in a match up. Like the higher vs. lower pair situation, this is an obvious situation where a player with two higher cards will win.

Hello,

I’m curious if you have any idea about the strategy used when playing short handed. Once here on you site I’ve read something about a strategy for full tables of 9 players. But how about for tables with only 3 or 4 players, or just when you’re on heads up? Do you know which cards are best to play then? Well, to me, it seems that straights and flushes are not profitable.

By the way, I’ve been looking for hand held pocket poker games but haven’t found even one, do you know of a place I can have one?

Thank you in advance.

Regards,
Chester
Chester,

With short handed and heads up games, you need to play a wider array of cards. Pair, most suited aces, any two cards 10 and up, and suited connector all become playable. The best way to approach this is to try and play a small ball approach where the pots are kept small preflop to allow you to see cheap flops. When you hit your flop, you then try and extract maximum value for your hand.

You can find a hand held poker game in many stores and toy stores. You can also do a search online for hand held poker game and you should find plenty of places to find one.

Hello,

I have some questions to ask. All of the questions has something to do with local $1-2 limit game.

Just recently, I played in our local $1-2 limit game. It was actually a loose game and almost all of the players at table were calling on anything. There were 6-10 callers then with an 8 avg on most all hands. At some point, a pair stood up but later just found myself being beaten by trips or the like.

What’s the probability of each type of hand from straight flush on down to A or other single card high? And does the probability varies depending on the number of players calling pre-flop?

By the way, in a loose $1-2 game where almost all players call it seems to me that I should call with non-suited 2-3, 5-6 etc. and 4-6,5-7,6-8, etc. where a favorable flop can make or create an open straight shot. Similarly, I should also call on any suited pair and stay for the flush possibility. Well, with 8-10 players in I think I only have to win out of 10 hands for the risk to be justified. What do you think? And another thing, what are the combinations below Group 7 Malmuth?

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,
Colbie
Colbie,

The number of players in a hand does not affect the probability of certain hands hitting.

You should stay away from most non-suited connectors below 9-10 in these really loose games unless you are in the blind. They will lose a lot more than they will win. Suited cards are a little different. You can play most suited card combos. I would stay away from most under 7-6 suited unless I am in the blinds. If you flop a flush or a straight draw, you are staying till the river in almost all cases. Group 7 hand rankings are 44, J9, 43s, T9, 33, 98, 64s, 22, Kxs, T7s, Q8s.

Hello,

I was in a certain event last night. In middle or late position I had AA. Then there were two or three callers. After a while I raised and player behind me raised. Other player called and so I raised once again. Both of them called therefore three of us were in to see the flop. Then it came and brought 5d 8d 10s or something similar. I then raised and player behind me did the same thing. Consequently we re-raised and then raised again till the limit. Other player folded. Turn came but brought nothing therefore we started to raise each other to the limit again. River came yet nothing significant and so I raised and he raised me. I finally called only to lose to 555.

How do you find my play? I know I made a mistake at some point.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Caden
Caden,

You did not make a mistake. You had pocket Aces and no legitimate reason to fold your hand. I may have slowed down a bit and maybe put an opponent on a set or a couple of pair, but I would not have folded either. A player only flops a set 11% of the time. Aces are a big favorite to fives. You did what you should and got outdrawn. That is poker.

Hi,

The other night, I was in a weekly game with 8-10 players. Tables were very passive at the start, lots of players have called the big blind and have never raised before the flop, they were tight. Do you think such situation can justify playing rag hole cards?

Well, for me, you can expect players to have at least one face card as they’re tight. Though I have face cards then I wouldn’t be that confident in case I flop a pair. However if I play rags and then pair middle or top pair on the flop, someone with Ace King might call me to the river to win win. In addition, if I flop 2 pair or be in a great tension with a straight or full house at the turn or river, it’s impossible there’d be someone who won’t believe I’d stay to the river with those cards.

Once in a certain game, I was the chip leader and decided to play a 4 – 6 off suit. Flop back then was 5 Q 6 rainbow. Later I flopped middle pair and stayed as I had a big stack and bets were okay. Turn came and brought 7. River followed and was an 8. I had only 1 opponent, he had J Q, top pair. I then decided to raise and was actually called. He can’t believe I played my hand to the river.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks,
Tristram
Tristram,

If you have a table of tight players, you can consider playing your rag cards, especially if you can get in cheap. However if you miss and face resistance, get out of the hand.

If you are a chip leader, you can open up your hand ranges with the hopes of trying to bust shorter stacks or hit lucky and add chips to your stack.

Hello,

I typically play with some close friends. I can’t believe it but there’s one person who always wins. Well, he does bluff some pots and gets others to fold but I don’t totally believe that these are the reasons why he always makes it.

Normally, when he’s in a hand in someone and he happens to ride it all the way to the river calling any bet, he then makes it to have a pair or a gunshot straight. Not to mention that whenever a certain player is in a pot with him and we finally turn over a pair each, I usually have a king kicker while he has an ace.

I remember one time in a 3 handed game, with QhJh I went all in. He called and flipped 8h7h over. Flop came up and was Q Q 6. Turn followed and was a 9. River then was next and brought 10, thus granting him a straight. In the end he made it again. I don’t understand why he’s always lucky and he’s always on top of the line.

Next time when he gets either a pocket pair or suited picture cards almost every hand, what should I do? I need your advice please.

Thank you.

Regards,
Cade
Cade,

Your friend is riding a hot streak. You can either choose to play tighter against him, or choose to play small ball. A player such as this is a good one to play small ball with. See a lot of cheap flops and when your marginal hands connect big, then you punish him. Since he seems to be a bit of a calling station, you should be able to profit from him.

Hello,

For several months now, I’ve been playing ring games along with some friends however recently I decided to try small tournaments.

Well, I’m bothered as every time I play in small tournaments, it’s always me and another guy who stay for the pot. This is a big problem for me as heads-up has never been an advantage to me, I typically fold a lot more than what’s supposed to be. Now I want to know your opinion about how I should adjust my play from a multi-handed game to a heads-up game. By the way, for heads-up is there a revised starting hands table?

Thank you very much!

Warm regards,
Albert
Albert,

Any Ace is a raising hand. Two big cards 10 and up are playable. Any pair is playable. Also, with other hands, try and see cheap flops to try and connect. I only stay away from the worst of the worst hands. Of course, if you can get to the flop with them in the big blind, go ahead and do so.

Hello,

In a certain game, there was a preflop raise. I played right after the raiser with either AK or mid pair. I then called though I was not so sure. Raiser then placed a bet on the flop. For a while I paused and pondered on what I should do next. I consider what if he has a pair, well he’ll be way ahead but if he doesn’t then I’ll be the one to be way ahead. I guess I should just guess what he has, specifically if he has an over pair or not. Unfortunately, some players have placed a bet on the flop after a raise probably 90% of the time so it’s then quite hard to ascertain what’s behind him. I need clarity.

Glad to hear from you soon.

Thank you very much!

All the best,
Collin
Collin,

You need to work on being able to put your player on a hand range. Something like a middle pair is a hand that you should be trying to flop a set with. A-K is a hand that is really just a glorified drawing hand. Usually someone raising in early position has a good hand. They may be raising with ace high and making a continuation bet, but do you really want to risk that with Ace high or a low pair?

Hi,

I’m into poker online. I know the cards online are seen as they are dealt and so of course I can see the first card come up, I can actually do something for the second card, perhaps “root” for a suitable one.

Say the first card you got was a 6 of clubs. It’s not the greatest card but you can play with it and even at times raise with 66, 76 suited, or A6 suited.

In case true, how would you play the above hands then? Any particular case you would play them? How about raising with them or else throwing them away without even limping in?

Well, I believe it should be considered first if the game was limit or not. Don’t forget as well other factors as position, bankroll relevant to the table itself, how many players are in the hand, and the instance that make them good or bad.

Now I know suited A6 would be sometimes desirable than the other ones but could also be played in some situations.

Any thoughts?

Best regards,
Jansen
Janese,

In Limit holdem I would play the 66 and the A6 depending on my position, but the 7-6 I would stay away from unless I was in the blind. 66 I would play as a limping hand in most positions and hope to flop a set. A6 I would limp in with or play from late position or the blinds in the hopes to pick up a flush draw or flop a couple of pair.