Hands that flop well

Goods hands for raising, re-raising or calling fall into several categories.

One category which is good for initial raises, as well as calls out of position - such as in the blinds - is hands that flop well. This means hands which either improve on the flop, or should be abandoned - leaving you an easy decisions after the flop.

Hands that Flop Well

A hand that flops well is one of two classes:

1. A possible flush or draw hand, or both – such as 8s – 6s. You will either know you have a made hand (2 pair or better), or a good draw.
2. A small pair – e.g. 6 – 6 – where you may flop a set

These are good hands for speculative raises or calls. When you get a made hand you can continue and when you don’t you can fold.

However, with the suited or un-suited connectors you need to not get excited when you flop a small pair, because - especially playing out of position after the flop - it is probably not a good idea to lead out, check raise, or even call with a small pair out of position.

Hands don't that Flop Well

Some hands which you would often raise or call with from good position don't really flop well and should be avoided out of position.

As-8s, K-J, etc. do not flop well. You can easily get a top pair or middle pair and not know where you stand. And again when playing playing out of position - it is does not work well to lead out, check raise, or even call with these hands

When to use these hands

In late position, in the cutoff, on the button, or in the small blind, I recommend an opening raise with both of these types of hands:

Flop Well

• Any Pair
• Suited connector with up to two gaps - 43, 53, 63 or better
• Unsuited connector with up to one gap - 76, 75 or better

Don't Flop Well

• A2 or better 
• K7 or better
• Q9 or better

The first three are hands that flop well, and can also be used to raise,  call raises or re-raise.

The middle three groups should not be used for calls or re-raises, except for AJ or better. The smaller high-card hands such as A9, KT, etc. have reverse implied odds - meaning that you will rarely win big pots with them, but may often lose big pots with them when you flop top pair but your opponent has the same top pair but a better kicker.

Loose Aggressive Style

The Loose Aggressive Style (LAG) for No Limit Holdem tournament play has developed over the past 7 to 10 years as players - primarily young internet players - found a style of play which was able to consistently beat the tighter style used by most poker players and poker professionals.

A simple explanation of the style is "play more hands which would normally be considered weak - but which flop well and can often win huge pots because the typical player is not expecting you to have that holding"

One example is opening the bidding by raising with the 7 or spades and the 5 of spades.

If you get a flop like: Q hearts, 8 diamonds, and 6 of spades, people to not expect you to have a good hand. If a 4 or 9 appears on the turn, you have a straight which is often a surprise to the other players - and if anyone else has an A or 2 pair you have a very good chance of winning a large pot.

However, even better than that you have two other ways to win the pot:

1. Everyone may fold to your initial pre-flop bet and you will win the blinds and antes right away.

2. If you get just one caller and are heads up, then your continuation bet have a good chance of winning 2/3rds of the time - when the caller does not hit the flop.

This Loose Aggressive Style has many more components than just this, and this blog will guide you through most of them so that you will be ready both to play and defend against the LAG style.

Feel free to add you comments to any posts. We will use them tom improve our own posts and also to let you and other poker players discuss the ideas posted here.