More than anything else, the hands you choose to enter the pot to begin with will have a major impact on your bottom line. Starting hand selection is where our basic poker strategy development begins. Once we learn the rules and mechanics of the game, the next thing is coming up with a plan for which hands we will play and which we will throw away.

Starting hand selection is important in any game. As I have moved into playing mostly PLO8 and PLO, I have found that regular analysis of the hands I am playing is pivotal to my success. For today, we will focus on Hold’em to simplify things a little bit, but no matter your game, taking some time to put serious thought into your starting hands will pay dividends and help you find leaks.

Over time, I had gotten to where my starting range in Hold’em was extremely wide from almost any position: any two face cards, suited connectors or one-gappers, and a variety of other speculative and creative holdings. At first, I was adapting the game and pushing the limits while focusing on my opponents and situations, but over time, playing 7-4 of clubs got to be a habit. I found myself showing up with that hand in spots I should have never been in the pot to begin with.

The creep of loosening up and playing more hands can sneak up on you. Before you know it, you are doubling up short stacks because you are pot committed with mediocre hands you had no business putting the first chip in with. I found myself playing hands like K-T and Q-9 from early and middle position for no particular reason other than they were dealt to me, so I played them.

Once I pulled back and really looked at what hands I was playing, it was very evident I was hurting my bottom line by putting myself in bad situations when simply folding a mediocre hand pre-flop was the overwhelmingly correct decision most of the time. I’m all for being active, aggressive, and creative, but it has to be done with a well thought-out plan. Over time, what begin as a specific decision to play a hand for certain reasons can turn into playing that hand almost every time you pick it up.

If you are raising with T-7 offsuit because the blinds are tight and likely to fold, that is okay. Or, if you are raising because you know they fold way too often to continuation bets, but also pay off when they hit top pair no matter what, then you have a reason for playing the hand. If you find yourself raising that hand and then looking up to see the blinds both have stacks and are looking to shove the rest of their chips in, then you are making a big mistake.

What your actual starting hand selection should be varies greatly depending on the game and your opponents. In tournaments, stealing blinds can be tremendously valuable, while in cash games, you are more often looking to win medium and big pots. In games where there is plenty of action and most hands go to showdown, starting with a better hand is important. In games where you can take down a lot of pots with a bet on the flop, you need to find the point where you are maximizing your value without going too far.

In games with a whale, you have to figure out how to best get involved in pots with that player while not opening yourself up to excessive exploitation by other players. Sometimes your position can allow you to play a very wide range against a certain player. Sometimes another tough player can really handcuff you and force you into a more conservative style.

Over time, it is natural for our starting hand ranges to change and evolve. But, every so often, a conscious look at what type of hands you are choosing to enter pots with can help you quickly and easily shore up some leaks in your game and get back on track.

Court Harrington has worked on the business side of the poker industry in roles including tournament reporting for PocketFives, radio hosting for PokerRoad Radio, coaching for the WSOP Academy and privately, and a variety of behind-the-scenes responsibilities for poker media businesses. He also plays in cash games and tournaments. Harrington is currently doing consulting work and exploring business opportunities outside of the poker industry. You can contact him at Court@CourtHarrington.com.

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