Beginner's Tips: Folding

by Deke Marston | Apr 20 2011

Dougie helps the new player figure out when they should get out of a hand.

Taking the time to understand when and how to let go of your pocket cards and instead waiting for the right time to strike is key to a player's earliest success in poker. 

While you see many pros play with a broader variety of hands, while you're still learning the game, it's much better to play in a tight-aggressive style as you learn what works for you on the felt and what doesn't. Your early successes at the table are going to depend on knowing exactly when to not play a hand.

Even before you learn about position and how it relates to the game, you're going to need to have a general understanding of which starting hands are always worth playing no matter where you are in the rotation at the table.

High face pairs are obvious: Ace-Ace, King-King and so on are always worth taking to the flop because they're very strong on their own merits and could well be a way to a successful pot if the flop is a mishmash that doesn't gel into anything.

Sequential face cards are also great: KQ, AQ, QJ, particularly when they're in the same hand and give you the chance of a straight flush.

Those are your obvious go-to cards, but there's some are some less-obvious runners-up that are strong cards to hold, even if you just want to call to see the flop without running the risk.

Making a reasonable call (but not raising) with a Queen-Ten or Jack-10 set of pocket cards makes complete sense.  However, less-experienced players to only play sets below this threshold if they hold a late position and have seen multiple players fold and they believe they might have a shot at stealing the blinds.  

It's important to remember that the flop is just the beginning and you can see another player's pair of 8s become four of a kind in just a few seconds, nullifying your Ace-Queen pockets effectively.

“Discretion is the better part of valor,” goes the old saying, and it's very true in the world of poker, especially for beginners that can find themselves playing above their ability and risking real money while they do it. 

Until you gain an in-depth knowledge of pot odds and have determined your play style, it's best to stay conservative and avoid chasing hands that will generally not materialize. 

It's easy to get excited, particularly in your first few hands, but playing smart will earn the respect of other players and keep you from wasting your bankroll before you even begin to understand the flow of the game. 

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