NO LIMT FREE POKER TOURNEY Starting Hands

In a normal game, your starting hands generally don't vary. They remain the same for the complete session. In a Poker tournament on the other hand, your starting hands vary significantly as the tournament progresses and chips move from one player to another. Plus, the style of play that dominates Poker Tournaments and the usual NL structure dictates a big modification to those starting hands that may be quite profitable in a Poker normal game.

The most significant modification is the omission of suited pockets from the list of starting hands. Most normal games have an average of 4 or 5 players before every flop At a Poker Tournament table the average is probably 3 or less except in the initial rounds of the tournament. (In a re-buy/add-n tourney this period of normal play may last until re-buys are no longer allowed.) If you play suited cards in a normal game you can expect to win about 1 out of 5. With good multi-way action your flush draws can supply a positive expectation. In a Poker Tournament on the other hand where heads-up is the norm; you do not get the pot odds required to give a flush draw a positive expectation.

There is a second reason and more important consideration. In a normal game if you bust out you go to the ATM. You can bust out 4 times and wait to win on the 5 th, to win a gigantic pot. In a Poker tournament if you bust out, you're finished. If your still not convinced, look at this example.

In all types of poker, straight draws probably lose more money than any other "starting" hand. Don't even consider connectors, unless they have intrinsic high card value. The hand JT os does not have high card value and has a negative expected value anyway. Why play it?

Here are the starting hands:

• Limit your starting hands to the absolute top tier of hands: AA, KK , AK s and AK. QQ is a marginal starting hand in an early position.

• Any hand that does not contain an Ace is barely marginal. (Especially in a freeroll where many players believe any ace should see the flop.)

• Do not play 2 suited cards hoping for a flush, if they both aren’t high cards.

• Straights should not be played.

• Before you call a raised pot consider folding.

Now, we'll discuss the changes made in the basic strategy, that are required due to the different levels of the Tournament.