Learning to Maximize the Value of Poker Hands

Too many players are so fixated on getting information on starting hand charts and their ranking. What a lot of these Poker players do not realize is that the worthiness of the hands are variable and will depend on the game and circumstance.

Take for example, suited connectors. In full ring Poker games, these are some of the most powerful hands you can get. They not only offer the possibility of getting flush and straight hands, but they are also difficult to see and also offer a lot of other possible combinations.

However, the power of these Poker hands go down when you are playing in a short hand game or in a heads up. The reason are the pot odds; you will not get the correct numbers when there are only a few players involved. Too many players overplay suited connectors. They are very powerful, but only when used in the proper context.

Pocket pairs (excluding the premium hands of course) can be played in full ring Poker games, and are also quite strong in short hand games. However, there are not playable in most tourneys, because in those types of games it is best if you only play with the high hands.

Another example of Poker hands whose values change are Ax combos. These hands are usually mucked in tight full ring games, but when you are competing in a heads up, or in a game with six players or less, these hands are good enough to take down the pot. Again the reason are the pot odds; because of the limited number of players, the odds of someone getting a bigger hand go down.

When analyzing Poker hands you should also consider the position. When playing in a tight game and are last to act, you can play AJ, QT, At etc. Most strategy guides will tell you that these hands should be discarded, but when you are in position, you can win a pot with these hands.

The point here is that while it is important to know how to categorize and recognize the winning hands in Poker, it is essential that you also know the dynamics involved when you play a particular hand.

This goes to show that Poker hands are more complex than at first glance. However, this does not mean that they are difficult to use; rather, changing values means you can take advantage of their flexibility to aid you in winning different kinds of games.