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Playing Random Hands in Texas Hold'em Poker

Why playing random hands in Texas Hold'em poker is a very poor strategy. More

Best Starting Hands in Texas Hold'em Poker

For the novice poker player, a list of the best starting hands in Texas Hold'em. More

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Texas Hold'em Rules

In order to play Texas Hold'em Poker, you need to know the basics rules of the game. More

How to Play Texas Hold'em Poker

Learn how to play the world's most popular form of poker, Texas Hold'em. More

Poker Hand Rankings

Do you want to know how poker hands are ranked against one another? Learn the winning poker hand rankings. More

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Playing Random Hands in Texas Hold'em Poker

Why playing random hands in Texas Hold'em poker is a very poor strategy.

What separates the good poker player from the poor player? One of the main characteristics that separate the good from the bad is the quality of starting hands between the two players. While Texas Hold’em is a complex game which requires far more thought than simply playing only the best hands, poor players generally play far too many hands (which translates into quantity over quality) and that does not go unnoticed by opponents at the table.

While it is not being suggested here that every player should set out on a path to only play a short list of elite hands preflop, if you are not finding a great deal of success at the table or you have fallen into a bit of a slump, then you might want to look at both the quantity and quality of the starting hands your playing. One of the aspects of Texas Hold’em poker which emphasizes skill over luck, is that players outside of the blinds can participate in a hand preflop with putting money up. In other words, players can fold their pooer hands and take greater risks with their good ones.

The point is playing a random set of holdings will not win often enough to be profitable over the long-term. While it is true that any 2 cards can potentially win a pot, mathematically a pair of aces is a much stronger starting Hold’em hand than a pair of deuces, and will win a great deal more often. (Check this out for a review of poker hand rankings )

There are still times to mix up your hands and keep your opponents guessing, but this is not a result of playing random hands, rather it is loosening up your strategy and incorporating a wider range of preflop hands. So if you are finding that your losses are mounting, or simply finding it difficult to pull yourself out a of slump, it is time to stop playing those random holdings and become more discerning over your starting hands.

We suggest to new players that they review our article on the best texas hold’em hands and tighten their poker game. As players begin to find great success by utilizing a tight-aggressive strategy, then it becomes more appropriate to play more loose and take more chances. The funny thing is that successful players enjoy an intimidation factor at the table, which further breeds more success. Good luck at the tables.