Some hands play very easily in a hold'em game pre-flop. When you get pocket aces, you raise and
when you're dealt 7-2 offsuit, you fold. Even pocket fours in a multi-way pot are easy to fold
when they don't hit on the flop and there is action in front of you. With weak hands and strong
hands, the decisions are simple. But it is the correct decisions on marginal hands that will make
you a winner in the long run.
There are a number of hands pre-flop that can get you into quite a bit of trouble if you call in
the wrong situation. Hands like A-10 offsuit or K-10 suited, even A-K offsuit, by no means a weak
or marginal hand, can get you into trouble post-flop. The key is to recognize these trouble
situations before they start. This will require you to draw together a lot of information pre-flop
to help you make a tough decision.
The main thing you need to focus on in this situation is your opponents: their position, style of
play, the game texture and any pre-flop raises in front of you.
Let's look at A-10 suited as an example; you are in late position and a tight player in front of
you raises pre-flop, getting one caller before your turn to act. You should fold here. Your hand is
most likely beat or dominated. If the player who raised was ignorant or a maniac the story might
be different, but unless you are bailed out by a flush you will most likely make the second best
hand here.
In poker, "second place is the first loser" rings very true because the second place hand will
lose the most money.
Some hands play very easily in a hold'em game pre-flop. When you get pocket aces, you raise and
when you're dealt 7-2 offsuit, you fold. Even pocket fours in a multi-way pot are easy to fold
when they don't hit on the flop and there is action in front of you. With weak hands and strong
hands, the decisions are simple. But it is the correct decisions on marginal hands that will make
you a winner in the long run.