Weekly Poll: August 12- August 19

[Hollay]

Vote in our weekly poll and you’re automatically entered into a draw to win HP gear. Tons of players are already gracing the streets, showing off their new garb. This is one time when conformity is cool!

This week’s poll question:
What’s your favorite starting hand?

[Skallagrim45]

I voted other.

First because I'm just contrarian by nature and like to think of myself as always in my own category. :)

Second, because although everyone knows AA is the best hand, and I'll take it everytime you want to give it, its not my favorite hand because there is too much pressure to win with it. It physically hurts to fold AA even when you know its clearly beat.

My favorite is 10 - J suited, lotsa possibilities to draw the best hand, and no pain in folding when the draw goes against you, or the KK or AA raises all in preflop.

See you at the tables!

Skallagrim :cheers:

[joeunstable]

My favourite hand is 10-J suited. Cuz when Q-K-A comes down people bet hard and as long as they dont pair up or flush you out, you can make serious coin!

[RagingBull88]

I learned a really valuable lesson the hard way in a live tournament I was playing with friends and relatives. I was second to act and had 10-J clubs and just called it. Two players stayed in, including my dad, who was the big blind. The board comes down 10-2c-4c. My dad goes all-in and I rather quickly call (other guy goes out), noting top pair and a flush draw. He turns over 10-2 offsuit and the turn and river turn up blanks. He had me covered so I was busted out. I had forgotten my pre-tourney goal of raising virtually every time I got into a pot (unless I was trying to mix things up) and let somebody see a flop that they should not have looked at. Mind you, this was live poker so while you still had some rank amateurs in the field, most folks were not going to chase with any two cards.

Pocket aces may be a popular starting hand but you have to always keep in the back of your mind that the pole sitter in any race does not always win. Their value diminishes as the number of people in the pot increases.

With pocket aces, you increase your chances of winning with just a pair but you need a board pair to hit 2 pair, 1 of only 2 cards left to hit three of a kind, and 4 cards to hit the next two hands (straight and flush). Ideally, I would want aces against any pocket pair rather than suited connectors.

[SavannahGA]

What a silly question. It depends on

(a) what game you are in
(b) where you are seated
(c) how much action you have preflop.
(d) what you know about the players at the table (tight vs loose etc)

For example, I am not a big fan of AA in a limit game, but would love to have it on the button in no limit.

In a pot limit game with a family pot preflop, I'd much rather have 78 suited.

A more instructive question might have been, "What hands do you regularly play but COSTyou the most?" I'd nominate KQs, KJs and ATs and pretty much any PP below 88.

Just my $0.02, but I play (and lose) a lot, so I'm an expert on such things.

John

[GMAAR3000]

Howdy All,
It has been my experience that playing AQ os is one of the most deceivablly (word?) playable hands and does well in multiway pots. Of course, only premium hands can defeat it easily, but all others need much improvement. Because of this fact, this hand can be played many different ways preflop depending on position and previous action, and once the flop arrives, many other plays can be made as well, including folding. Many turn and river options are also available depending on the flop. I do not agree with my colleagues on JT being the better (suited or not) because it needs too much improvement most of the time. So, it costs more to go for the small chance where as AQ can win more pots making up for the cost in playing it.

Good luck all,
GMAAR3000 :waytogo:

[physsie1]

okay i have to admit I like to look down and see AA, or KK im always all in I have bad luck slow playing these monsters. And i agree it physically hurts to fold them :silly:
Ive had a lot of success recently with QQ but as doyle brunson said (i think it was him) never go all in before the flop with a queen in your hand ;)
I like suited connectors too. My all time favourite hand to play has to be 99
Ive had a lot of success with it.
But my second all time favourite hand is Q9 suited seems like u almost always hit the straight or the flush with these.
I enjoy the free rolls 600 plus people hunting for 30 dollars is just insane.
If u see me in one of those...remember I play tight and aggressive and if I got the nuts i drop the hammer...soo hit F1 and save your tears :cry: :wagfinger

physsie :bunny:

[PPC 99]

Hello,

My favourite hand is pocket 9's. In the short term it seems like I hit a set more with this hand (I know mathematically it's the same, it's just what's been happening for me.)

The reason I like 99, is that when you hit your set, the overcards keep calling trying to hit their ace or king as the 9 on the board looks rather inocuous. With higher sets, like jacks or queens, straights seem to be made often as people keep big cards and chase to river.

Also, they are easy to lay down if the board is really scary. :bunny:

Thanks,

(poker playing christian) PPC 99

[_RIZLA]

Its the worst hand i will start with but K6os is sooooo lucky for me i have to play if cheap enough.

[Linux4Ever]

My fav hand is AA suited - why aint it in the poll ? :happy:

[PokeRecon]

It depends on how many are in the pot, but it is always nice to be sitting on the button with AA in a short handed game :happy:

[heraclitus V]

It depends on how many are in the pot, but it is always nice to be sitting on the button with AA in a short handed game :happy:

except, of course that in short-handed games the play is looser and call that would not normally have been made can easily chew up your bullets...

but then that's the allure, ain't it?

even bad beats make you feel alive :jump:

[PokeRecon]

except, of course that in short-handed games the play is looser and call that would not normally have been made can easily chew up your bullets...

That's the reason you make the other players decide if it's worth putting all of their chips in to see the flop ;) Bad beats are going to happen, but I'll take the bullets at the button when there are only 3 left.

[Da-Duck]

I always play the K9 suited....10, J, Q seem to flop quite often and I have won a ton of pots on a pair or trp 9s with the K kicker. A flush is also a great possibility and it takes the nut to beat ya.

Just a thought from Da-Duck

[OCVI]

I can't believe JJ isn't an option: where are the fishhooks?

Perhaps the hardest hand to play in Hold'Em - definitely one of my favourites though. :happy:

[RagingBull88]

I'm surprised there is a genius that prefers A-Q unsuited over A-Q suited.

I also can't believe that they didn't throw in 7-2 offsuit for laughs.

[tommya27]

My favorite starting hand would be a low pocket pair like 3/3 because nothing is better when the flop comes A,8,3...and you see that you made ur tripps...At that point u know your about a 80% chance to win! :devil:

[wookiejas]

I love the Bullets just like anyone else but I have had more luck than I could ever imagine with K10. They dont even have to be suited. Just seems they like to pop up a lot on the board....;) So if you see K's or 10's on the board, you know I have one in the hand if I am playing :devil:

[Windbreakr1]

I don't like any of em...I've busted out with all of them.

[Hand_Pat]

Well;

Sitting in your hand alone AA is always tops.

But let's face it-it is still only ONE PAIR, the 2nd lowest Hand!

Most hands in hold'em are won by 2 pair.

Why not try for the top 2 pair.

Also two out of five top cards, make a good start for the nut straight.

Top Two for nut Flush.

:cool:

[K_WildHero_K]

Its got to be KK and let me tell you why. With AA you will probably get to overconfident and not bet enough. Some dummy is gonna call his 3 4 s for 2$ and hit a flush strai8 or 2 pair. With KK you got to be wearry of the A so you will bet stronger with KK and probably make the winners fold 1 caller is good enough 4 me 2 or 3 its probably a loser always depends i guess. See u at the tables soon.

[lisamarie20]

how can i pick just one?????? they're all so cute!!!


i like 10/10, J/J, and 2/2



btw, rizla isn't kidding about being lucky with that K/6os. lucky bastid can hit it 8/10 times. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Julie]

Thanks for voting!

Congratulations to our winner, wookiejas :waytogo: