beginner Strategy
For all of you, who just started to play poker, we have created this table, that shows the startinghands, which make sense to play and how much you can bet for them before the flop. With this strategy you will be successful on low stakes tables (up to blinds of 5/10 cent). On tables with higher stakes, the played level usually is higher and you need a more detailed strategy. We publish such a strategy soon.
In this easy strategy the various position on a table aren't respected. All hands, which cannot be found in this chart, should be folded right away, except for the case that you are the big blind and have the chance to see the flop without paying. This strategy is aimed to be used at tables with 7-10 active players.
The BB of course means big blind and the digit before it is the factor with which the big blind has to be multiplied for getting the highest passable bet.
| Hand | somebody raised already | nobody raised yet |
| High Pair (AA, KK) | Raise, double previous bet | Raise to 4 BB |
| Lower Pair (QQ-22) | Call - max. up to 4 BB | Mitgehen |
| AK | Call - max. up to 4 BB | Raise to 5 BB |
| AQ | Fold | Raise to 4 BB |
| AJ, KQ, QJ, KJ | Fold | Call |
| AT | Fold | Call |
| low connected cards, suited | Fold | Call |
Basic probabilities
The art of playing a good game often, but not always, is connetcted to math. Therefore it is important for you to get a feeling about how likely certain combinations of cards are.
You already know the different hand categories? - This graph shows you how likely it is to receive them at the end of a played round.
probability |
in percent |
likely seen after played hand number: |
|
Royal Flush |
0.00003232 |
0,0032% |
22071 |
Straight Flush |
0.00027851 |
0,028% |
2560 |
Four of a kind |
0.00168067 |
0,17% |
424 |
Full House |
0.02596102 |
2,6% |
27 |
Flush |
0.03025494 |
3% |
23 |
Straight |
0.04619382 |
4,6% |
15 |
Three of a Kind |
0.04829870 |
4,8% |
14 |
Two Pairs |
0.23495536 |
23% |
2,6 |
Pair, higher or equal Jake |
0.13595201 |
13% |
4 |
Pair, smaller or equal ten |
0.30227345 |
30% |
2 |
High Card |
0.17411920 |
17% |
4 |
How can this graph help you make your play better? - By helping you with your estimations, which hands are good and which not.
An example: In the last round of betting, that moment when all 5 community cards are already on the table, you have a pair of 7. This means you are in the last but one row of this table. The chances that you have this estimations therefore are 30%. The only worse combination is the high card with 17%. Unfortunately this means aswell, that each of the other players on the table has a 53% chance, to have something better than you have. In front of this background, you should better fold your pair of 7 and wait for the next round.
The last column shows you, how many hands you have to play completely for likely seeing the following combination. Always be aware, that only hands, which are played till the end count for this calculation.
For example, it is likely that you have your first own royal flush after the 22071th played hand. After the first completely played 27 hands, you will likely have had your first full house.
