Join Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams as he unveils the top six poker hands that can drastically improve your game and profitability. Learn why good players never fold these hands and how to effectively incorporate them into your strategy.
Nathan Williams: Nathan Williams, known in the poker world as BlackRain79, is a highly experienced professional poker player who has made a name for himself, particularly in small and mid stakes games. Beginning his poker career in 2004 with just $60, he rapidly ascended the ranks and became a full-time pro in 2007, accumulating one of the highest winnings in online poker history at his stakes. An advocate for strategic aggression at the poker table, he has penned several best-selling poker strategy books, including 'Crushing the Micro Stakes'. Nathan is known for his educational content on poker strategy, which he disseminates through his YouTube channel, BlackRain79Poker, and other social media platforms. He also offers a comprehensive course through the BlackRain79 Elite Poker University and provides a free poker cheat sheet, which underscores his commitment to helping others achieve success in poker. Despite his professional accomplishments, Nathan is keen on teaching both beginners and advanced players the nuances of the game, emphasizing responsible gambling and the reality that poker involves both skill and risk.
Playing Suited Connectors: Play hands like 7-6 suited or 10-9 suited aggressively as they have the potential to make flushes, straights, and well-hidden trips, and can crack bigger hands, often leading opponents to tilt.
Playing Suited Broadways: King-Jack, especially when suited, is versatile and can make top pairs and straights. Raising first in and sometimes three-betting in late position can be effective.
Playing Small Suited Aces: Ace-5 suited is underestimated but can four-bet pre-flop as a bluff and has high equity against big pocket pairs, making nut flushes and wheel straights.
Playing Medium Pocket Pairs: Pocket sevens are favored for their ability to make well-hidden sets; they should be raised pre-flop and can be excellent for calling down bluffs post-flop without the need to improve.
Adapting Preflop Aggression: Generally, for all strong hands, raise first into the pot pre-flop to take control. Flat call, three-bet, or four-bet strategically in late position or against specific opponents to balance ranges.
Post-Flop Strategy: Hit the flop hard with hands like 10-8 suited and 10-9 suited to capitalize on their potential for monster draws and apply pressure against overpairs.
6 Big Money Poker Hands: Nathan discusses six specific poker hands that good players never fold due to their high profitability: 7-6 suited, King-Jack, 10-8 suited, Ace-5 suited, pocket sevens, and 10-9 suited.
Hand Analysis and Strategies: For each hand, Nathan provides detailed insights into why the hand is profitable, including potential to make strong combinations like straights, flushes, trips, and combo draws, and how to play them in various situations.
Pre-Flop Strategy: Nathan emphasizes the importance of raising first into the pot pre-flop with these hands to take control of the game and set the tone for subsequent betting rounds.
3-Bet and 4-Bet Techniques: He discusses the use of 3-bet and 4-bet strategies, particularly with hands like King-Jack and Ace-5 suited, to re-raise pre-flop and apply pressure on opponents.
Positional Play: Playing in position, specifically late positions like the button and cutoff, is highlighted as a key part of strategy for some of these hands, allowing for more control over the hand and the ability to outplay opponents.
Equity and Outs: Nathan explains the concept of equity and the number of outs available when holding these hands, reinforcing the statistical advantage they can provide in certain situations.
Bluff Catching: He points out that some hands, such as Ace-5 suited and pocket sevens, are excellent for catching bluffs due to their ability to make top pair or a set that opponents may not anticipate.
Free Poker Cheat Sheet: Nathan references a free poker cheat sheet he offers that provides charts and guidance on which hands to play, when to bet, raise, fold, and other strategic moves.
Aggressive Play: Aggression is identified as one of Nathan's twin pillars to success, with the recommendation to always be proactive rather than reactive in poker games.
Psychology and Tilt: The psychological aspect of poker is touched upon with the mention that cracking big pairs can sometimes set opponents on tilt, leading them to make more mistakes and lose more money.
This article is a summary of the video 6 "Big Money" Hands Good Players Never Fold by BlackRain79Poker published on April 08, 2023 at 15:55:54.
Q: How do I avoid folding hands that could be profitable? A: Good poker players know the value of hands in different contexts and avoid folding hands with high potential. Learn which hands have hidden potential, such as suited connectors that can crack big pairs, and play them confidently.
Q: What should I consider to understand the potential of different poker hands? A: Analyze hands based on their ability to make multiple straights, flushes, well-hidden trips, and combo draws. Hands like 7-6 suited or 10-9 suited are examples of hands that have potential for big wins when played effectively.
Q: What is a solid pre-flop strategy for raising, calling, or folding? A: Always raise first in the pot with strong hands pre-flop to take control early in the hand. If someone has raised before you, consider your position and the strength of your hand before deciding to flat call or 3-bet.
Q: How can I improve my post-flop play strategy? A: Post-flop, you should assess the strength of your hand and potential draws. With hands like 10-9 suited, look for monster combo draw flops where you have high equity and play aggressively. For top pair hands, play confidently but be cautious of overplaying.
Q: When should I be aggressive or cautious in my betting strategy? A: Balance aggressiveness with caution by considering the strength of your hand and your position. Use hands with good card removal effects, like King-Jack, to 3-bet light and mix up your ranges. Be aggressive when you have high equity but cautious when your hand strength is uncertain.
Q: How do I know when to bluff or semi-bluff? A: Bluff or semi-bluff when you have hands with potential but aren't made yet, like suited connectors with combo draws. Use semi-bluffing in situations where your hand has a high number of outs and can become very strong by the turn or river.
Q: What is equity in poker and how do I calculate outs? A: Equity is your share of the pot based on the odds of winning with your hand. Calculate outs by counting the number of cards that can improve your hand to a winner. For example, with a flush draw, count all unseen cards of the same suit as your outs.
Q: How can I better read my opponents' hands and use my position? A: Improve hand reading by studying your opponents' betting patterns and physical tells. Recognize the importance of position, as being in late position allows you to see how others act before you make your decision. Play strong hands in position to outplay opponents post-flop.