calling to see a flop

[FatRufus]

I want to ask all of you, what will you call with to see a flop (at what limits), what hands will you fold if theres a raise or how nuch of a raise will be needed to get you out. i find i'm playing way to many hands and i need some insight so i can adjust. I don't have poker tracker or anything like that to post my stats but i know i play too many hands and dunno when to fold. Many some situations will help to clairify things.

(I'm waiting for a nice, long Zybomb answer lol )

[Zybomb]

Itd be impossible/too time consuming to get into every hand preflop, and there is no one answer for many hands.

alot depends on the table (aggressive/passive) your image, your positioning, what the other players before you have done, the growing pot odds and your post flop play

In general I like opening (raising) if I am the first to enter the pot. You have to mix in calls (Axs, suited connectors) on occassion, but you also must raise with these hands and call with others (ex AQ) to avoid predictability

For the most part these are the hands that I consider playable AT SOME POINT or another. Just because a hand is here doesnt mean you can play it in all circumstances... in fact many of these hands you cant!

Suited connectors
Suited 1 gappers
non suited Connectors J10 and above
2 cards broad way and up, not including a 10 unless it's suited (be careful QJ KJ
All pairs
Ax suited
eh if im feelin it Kx suited once in a while too

As far as calling raises, I want to think Im either at worst, close to a coin flip preflop, or I have a hand which if it does hit it will be hidden and it can pay me off. Its hard to say bc there is no 1 answer. I'll call a raise with 7c6c in some circumstances, and I'll fold it in others

[FatRufus]

thx for the help zy, im sure it will make a difference

[Reel Deal]

Try to get ahold of one of either Sklansky's books or Harrington's books... they have some good info on starting hand requirements and Sklansky's "Gap Concept" is a good thing to ponder.

[Nikita]

I created a spreadsheet on starting hands. It came from "The poker player's Bible". I used it religiously when I was learning what hands to play and when. I don't follow it exactly anymore as I have learned there are some hands I don't like to play even though it suggests you can and I've started to switch things up a bit so I'm not predictable. It doesn't tell you how to deal with raises though, but the hands are in a way ranked, so the stronger hands can call a raise. But you will eventually get a feel for which hands you feel comfortable calling raises with.

Edit: Okay I have no idea why this posted as a link rather than a pic and the pic is awful too, I had to resize it to upload it and it didn't turn out well so I've added the .xls file as well. You will need excel to view it.

[FatRufus]

i like how you put the colors in, really makes things clear. very helpful guide. Can anyone post a link on what cards you can play with, when there has been a raise (I know the size of the raise its a big issue but any info would help)
thx

[MathBabe]

Great stuff, N1kita. Is this for NL?

I've tried a couple of times to create a spreadsheet for Limit starting hands, based on Lee Jones. No luck up until now, but maybe I'll give it a try based on your format.

I offer N1kita as evidence that a sane woman exists...

[GeoffM]

Nikita lives near me, I wonder what she looks like .

TP, suggest new section, lavalife .

[MathBabe]

I think she looks a lot like RobbieRobb's wife...

[Zybomb]

From your picture, you seem to look a lot like a cat

[Tony Cheval]

...are you suggesting something, Zy?

[Nikita]

You know what, I'm not sure. I've always just played NL. I can't see the hands hurting in any limit if you play them in the correct postion.

The low suited connectors will get odds the more people in the pot and the later your position, so I can see them working well in limit as outlined in the spreadsheet. Although, I can see your opponents hating you if you catch something with them, but that's a good thing.

I think I'm a sane woman too, but Rob seems to disagree. Oh well, as you can see from my signature, I counter Rob's no completely sane woman exists with a no completely sane man exists.

As for what I look like, I look like a girl.

[Robbie Robb]

Trust me Geoff, not your type - you know her name