AAKK QQ these are the high pairs.
These are the most powerful hands in the game and they should always be played very aggressively. They do not play well against multiple opponents so they need to be protected by making large bets to limit the players involved. You should ideally be aiming to get all in against a single player.

PRE FLOP

Raise large to $3-$4, if you are in late position and there have been calls or a small raise add them up and add them to your raise. If you are raised $3 or more bet around 3 times as much, generally if your raise is more than half your stack you should just raise all in then and there.

If you are unsure on how much to bet you are perfectly ok to bet your whole stack (assuming it’s about $25). You will often find you will be called by inferior hands.

POST FLOP

If it’s raised a small amount or checked to you and the flop doesn’t look scary (refer to flop, turn and river analysis below) make a pot sized raise or bet all in. If you’re facing a large raise re-raise or call all in. If the flop does look scary proceed with caution. You should still bet to try and take
the pot but be ready to release your hand if you are re-raised.

THE TURN

If your flop bet was called you now need to re-evaluate the strength of your hand. If the pot is very large you should get the rest of your chips in now as long as the flop and turn aren’t totally against you (refer to flop, turn and river analysis below). If you think you are beaten try to check it down or call it down as long as the bets are small.

THE RIVER

If you’re still in at this stage you can play the river just like the turn, however if you are last to act and it has been checked to you, you should check to finish the round if you fear that you couldn’t call a re-raise by your opponent.

JJ-22 This refers to all the remaining pairs. These are the middle and low pairs. The middle pairs can be very strong hands in there own right just like the high pairs however they can be easily beaten. If they are played aggressively pre-flop they can be beaten by a large variety of hands. Because
of this you should treat the middle pairs the same as the low pairs pre-flop.

PRE FLOP

The basic idea with these hands is to see the flop as cheaply as possible looking to flop a set (3 of a kind). So you should just call with these hands, it’s also ok to call a small raise as well. If it is raised over about $2-$3 you should fold.

POST FLOP

If you have not flopped a set and your pair is not an over pair you should check and fold. If you have an over pair you should raise to protect your hand however use caution? If you have flopped a set there are many ways to play it. I would recommend at this stage to raise and re-raise. A pot sized bet is ok however you may what to bet a bit less than that so you don’t scare every player away. A pot sized raise or going all in is especially good if there are flush and straight draws possible. This is a very strong hand and you should try to win as much as you can, but don’t let the other players call small bets so they can make there draws and beat you. If you have a full house play it however you wish, it will rarely be beaten, I recommend you aim to get your whole stack in by the river which ever way you see fit. You’re now trying to maximise the calls you get from other players so don’t scare them away with an over sized bet.

THE TURN

If you still have an over pair you should bet it but be careful. If you are facing a raise you will have to make a decision on whether to continue in the hand or not. If an over card has now hit again be very careful, checking and calling small bets maybe the safest option. If playing a set and the turn card is a safe one a large bet is in order, pot sized or all in. If the turn card looks to of helped someone be careful but don’t play too weak, your hand could still be good and you have full house possibilities on the river to. Don’t be scared to call someone who goes all in just use your common sense, this becomes a lot easier with a little experience. If you have a full house play it however you wish, it will rarely be beaten, I recommend you aim to get your whole stack in by the river which ever way you see fit. You’re now trying to maximise the calls you get from other players so don’t scare them away with an over sized bet.

RIVER

If you are unsure if you have the best hand try and check it out or call a small bet so you can find out. If you have a very strong hand bet as much as you think the players left in will call.

AK AQ AJ These are the strongest high cards. I have grouped these hands together as they can be played very similarly however you need to be aware that AK is a lot stronger than AQ the same as AQ is a lot stronger than AJ. These hands have many possibilities, they often flop the top pair, they have straight potential and if they are suited they can make the nut flush (the nut
flush is the best possible flush).

PRE FLOP

Raise to about $2-$3, AK can be bet a bit more. If you are re-raised a small amount just call the bet. If there are callers before your bet then add the bets up and add them to the normal raise. If you are re-raised a lot you may want to consider folding, however AK is a strong enough hand to re-raise all in but only if you are happy playing that way and your opponent has been re-raising a lot of hands. You may want to fold in these cases until you are comfortable with making such moves.

POST FLOP

If you are first to act you should raise between half the pot and all of it whether on not the flop has helped you. You can take many pots playing this way. If re-raised decide how strong you hand is, if you have nothing then it’s a simple fold.

If it has been raised before it’s your turn you need to evaluate how good your hand is. The top pair should normally be re-raised, twice or 3 times the amount you were raised. AJ is a very vulnerable hand so if you are facing at large raise you should consider folding. If you have a flush draw you should call if the bet is fairly small.

THE TURN

Revaluate your hand, if it is very strong then raise big (two pair, 3 of a kind, straight, flush) but be aware of possible hands than can beat you. If you simply have the top pair call or raise a small or medium amount. If you have a flush draw try and check it out but if raised only call a small amount.

THE RIVER

Revaluate your hand, if it is very strong then raise big (two pair, 3 of a kind, straight, flush) but be aware of possible hands than can beat you. If you still have the top pair try to check it out, if raised consider the size of the raise, the size of the pot and the strength of your hand and decide whether to
call or fold. If you flush draw has hit then bet big but be aware that if there is a pair on the board you could be beaten by a full house, the nut flush is an extremely strong hand.

KQ KJ QJ J10 (SUITED). These are the high suited connecters and suited high cards. These hands have multiple ways of hitting an excellent hand. They are strong enough to be played unsuited however the value of the hand isn’t as much.

PRE FLOP

The basic idea pre flop is to see a flop with these cards as cheaply as possible. So call with these hands from all positions as long as the game is such that there aren’t continually large raises being made. You can also call a minimum raise with these hands but not any more, as they are dominated by most raising hands like AK, QQ etc.

POST FLOP

If you have hit nothing then it’s a simple fold. The top pair should be raised but not by too much as there are many hands that can beat you. If you have flopped a huge hand like a flush or a straight you should bet around half the pot with the intention of making a large bet on the turn. If it is
already bet then re-raise the minimum. (There are many ways to play this, but always try not to give you opponents a free card, let them pay for it.) If you have an outside straight draw or a flush draw you should play it like you did pre flop, check and call small to medium bets. If there are only 1 or 2
opponents you could try a semi bluff of between half and all of the pot.

THE TURN

If you still have the top pair you should raise or call a small to medium amount. If you have a flush or a straight then bet big but don’t over bet the pot by to much. If you are on a draw check or call a small to medium raise.

THE RIVER

If you have which isn’t too strong try and check it out or call a bet which isn’t to big compared to the pot size. If haven’t put all your money in yet with a flush, straight or full house then this is the time to do it, but if the pot is a lot smaller than your stack then just bet the pot, or however much you think they will call. If you have missed your draw then check it out or fold if raised.

Extra things you should be aware of and included in the strategy.

POSITION

You may or may not have heard that texas holdem is a game of position. It is an extremely important factor you should always consider before calling or raising. You should be aware of the position of the button so you know who will be first and last to act in the hand. If you are in early position you will be
acting with only a small amount of information as you don’t know what everybody else is going to do, this can frequently lead to you making incorrect decisions, but that’s poker. If you are in late position you will get to see what most or all of your opponents do
before you have to make your decision. Because of this it is better to be in late position.

You should be aware that you should play tighter when in early position pre flop. Because of the lack of information you may find that you call a lot of hands which you just have to fold because it gets raised from late position. This can slowly drain your stack so be aware.

The opposite of the above statement is also correct. In late position you can loosen up your starting hands because there is less chance that you will be raised before the flop.

Flop turn and river analysis

AA may be the best hand pre flop but everything will change after that. You need to always be aware of the possible hands your opponents could have and what they may be drawing to. You need to have memorized the hand rankings to you know what beats what.

Here are the main points to remember

• It’s a simple fact that people play high cards; cards above a 10 will normally have made someone a hand. Two or three cards in the playing zone. (10 and above) can make several people good hands.
• Watch out for coordinated boards such as 8, 9, 10, and 9, J, Q etc, it’s very possible that someone could hold a straight, plus there are possible draws.
• If there are two suited cards on the flop their maybe someone drawing to a flush, so if you have a hand bet it, don’t give them free cards.
• If three suited cards come out be very careful but don’t be too afraid to bet your hand if you have one.
• Be very careful if there is a pair on the board, especially if it is in the playing zone.
• 3 of a kind is a strong hand which may be slow played by your opponents. Be aware that a full house is only ever possible if there is a pair on the board.
• Sometimes it is correct to fold a flush or straight draw if there is a high pair on the flop, as you could lose big when you make your hand. Slow playing

Slow playing is when you play a strong hand weakly so you draw players in. A typical slow play would be to call with a strong hand on the flop and then re-raise on the turn.

Slow playing is used to win more money from a hand however it can get you into a lot of trouble. My advice at this stage is not to slow-play, if you have a strong hand then bet it. Your hand can be more vulnerable than you think, if you let players see the turn and river cards cheaply they may catch there miracle card which beats you. When you flop a monster hand like a full house
or 4 of a kind you can slow play all you want.