Playing Marginal Hands in Texas Holdem

Part of any winning Texas Holdem strategy includes not just having knowledge of the playable and winning cards, but it is just as vital to know how to play marginal hands, in particular when to play or dump them. This will make a big difference in how you often you can win the game.

Among the Texas Holdem hands that you will have to know how to play are unsuited connectors. The way to play them will depend largely on how strong they are. If you are holding AK, AQ and AJ off suit, you can still play these hands aggressively. They are very good before the flop, and even if you get called with your raises, they often make substantial pairs and kickers.

When you are faced with unsuited connectors ten below, though the situation changes. If you are holding 10-9, you will still have a chance to hit the straight, but even if you do, it will be a low straight, making it vulnerable to a higher one (especially if there is a J on board or higher). An even bigger threat of course, is the flush. That is the biggest problem with low unsuited connectors in Texas Holdem.

The fact is that with low unsuited connectors, there is really not much you can do in terms of Texas Holdem strategy. Even if you are on the button, you should only play them when the table is very tight.

Other Texas Holdem hands that can be considered marginal or weak even are low pocket pairs played out of position. On the button you can utilize them, and even win pots. When you are under the gun holding a 33, you should fold, however. The odds that someone has a higher hand is too great.

The same problem you will encounter when you play with low suited hands. You may hit a flush, but if there are a lot of high cards on the board, you can end up with a lower flush, something that will cost you money. You should only play this hand when you are in late position.

Playing these marginal hands in Texas Holdem will require a lot of skill, and it is something that you will develop as you play more. But more than that, however, by playing you will learn how to discern when you should play or fold these hands, giving you the edge over your opponents.