Limit Texas Holdem : Basic Starting Hands

One of the most valuable skills in Limit Texas Hold'em is the ability to be very selective about the hands you start with. There are a number of factors to consider when deciding which hands to play:

1. Is the table tight or loose?
2. How many players are sitting at the table?
3. How many players are in the pot when it is your turn to act?
4. Has the pot been raised? If so from what player and position?
5. What is your position?

 

How many players are in the pot before you

If many people see the flop there is a greater chance for you to play more drawing hands, such as 76s or small pocket-pairs, since these types of hands increase in value in multi-way pots. At a short-handed table with only six players or less, big cards increase in value. Even Aces with a lower kicker than Ten usually become playable. In a full ring game, hands like AT, KT, QT decrease in value as these can easily become a trap hand, meaning they make second-best hands.

More players generally result in bigger pots since, the more players in the pot, the higher the pot odds become. For example, you can call before the flop with a hand like 76s or small pocket-pairs if you think there will be six players or more in the pot. If there are only two or three players in the pot, a 76s or small pocket-pairs are not good hands to enter the pot with. You want to ensure you get a good price on your drawing hands.

 

Starting Hand Guide (regular full table, 8 to 10 players)

Glossary of Abbreviations:
RFI	Raise when First In. If no one has called or raised in front of you, you should raise. You do this in order to take the initiative in the hand and/or because of the possibility that you might "steal" the blinds.
R	You should Raise no matter what has happened in front of you.
R1	You should Raise when there is no more than One player in the pot or you are the first one in.
C	No matter how many players are in the pot you should Call.
C1	Call only if there is at least One other caller in front of you. If there were no callers before you, you should fold.
C2	You should Call if there are at least Two callers already in the pot.
C3	You should Call if there are at least Three callers already in the pot.
RR	You should Re-raise.
F	You should Fold.
LL	Refers to a Lone Late position raiser.

Limit Texas Hold'em Starting Hand Guide
Group A Hands	Unraised Pot	Raised Pot
AA-QQ	R	RR
AKs	R	RR
Group B Hands
JJ	R	RR1, C
TT	R	C, RR LL
AK	R	RR1, C
AQs	R	C, RR LL
Group C Hands
99	RFI (late position), C	C2
AQ	RFI (late position), C	C2
AJs	RFI (late position), C	C2
KQs	RFI (late position), C	C2
KQ	RFI (late position), C	F
Group D Hands
88	RFI (late position), C3	C4
77	RFI (late position), C3	C4
66-22	C3	C4
Axs	C3	C4
KJs	C3	C4
KTs	C3	F
QJs	RFI (late position), C2	C4
QTs	C3	F
JTs	C3	C4
T9s	C3	C4
98s	C3	C4
87s	C4	C4
76s	C4	C4