I agree with the jist of everything in your post, but the reason so much emphasis is put on starting hands is that by playing starting hands correctly you avoid paying off players when both of you hit. Im not talking about how to put your opponent on a draw and then bet him out on the river if the draw missed even if you have nothing...thats a different aspect of the game.
If you are calling raises with Q10o and the flop hits a 10 high, you risk paying off k10, A10, 1010, JJ, QQ, KK, AA, or a set of whichever the other two cards were. You can avoid the situation entirely by knowing what starting hands to play when and how to play them. Im not saying I will never blind steal with an 8,2 every once in a while at a passive table where the blinds are worth stealing...but thats also knowing what to play when and how. By playing your cards correctly preflop you are setting yourself up to win more of the pots you do enter... That is why emphasis on starting hands is there.
Granted, Just as important, is being able to read the board after the flop, turn and river...where your flush draw example comes in...thats when you are playing your opponents cards, but preflop (Im assuming you are at a random table with no knowledge of the players as of yet) more times than not you are playing your own cards,
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03-26-05, 06:05 PM
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