Limit Holdem Starting Hands

Introduction

Theory of Preflop Play

Starting Hand Chart

Interactive Tutorial

Playing in the Blinds

More Thoughts on Pre-Flop Play

Back to Introduction and Theory of Starting Hand Selection.

The following charts are based upon playing in a typical, loose, low-limit holdem game. The actual suits of the cards are irrelevant, focus rather on whether the two cards are of the same suit (suited) or not (unsuited).

Early Position Play (Playing in the first four positions to act before the flop)

• You should play tight in the early positions, because players can raise behind you, making it costly to see the flop.

Raise and Re-raise (cap the betting if you can):

Raise or call a raise (don't necessarily re-raise with these):

sometimes:

Limp (call one bet):

to

or

or

Late Position Play (Playing in the last four positions to act before the flop)

• You can play looser in the late positions, because fewer players are left to act (and possibly raise) behind you.

Raise and Re-raise (cap the betting if you can):

Raise or call a raise (don't necessarily re-raise with these):

sometimes:

Limp (call one bet):

to	|	to
to	|	to
or	|	or
to	|
to	|

Remember, these are recommendations not laws!

More Thoughts on Pre-Flop Play