Nathan Williams, aka BlackRain79, shares vital poker strategies for beginners, revealing the top five hands that could drain your bankroll and what to play instead in his latest video guide.
Nathan Williams: Nathan Williams, also known as BlackRain79, is a seasoned professional poker player, recognized for his exceptional achievements in small and mid-stakes games. With over a decade of experience, Nathan has garnered a reputation for having one of the highest winnings in online poker history for these stakes. His journey began with a modest $60 bankroll in 2004, which he grew into a five-figure amount, allowing him to leave his job and pursue poker full-time by 2007. Apart from his playing career, Nathan is also a three-time best-selling author on poker strategy, sharing his insights and tactics that have led many of his students to success. Through his YouTube channel, BlackRain79Poker, and his training at BlackRain79 Elite Poker University, he offers educational content, including free resources and advanced strategies, aimed at helping players crush the competition and potentially play semi-professionally or even full-time. Nathan's commitment to teaching and his proven track record make him an authoritative voice in the poker community, particularly for those looking to excel in small and mid-stakes games.
Hands to Avoid as a Beginner: Steer clear of playing weak hands like Ace-rag, jack-seven suited, suited one-gappers, king-ten offsuit, and ace-nine offsuit, especially against competent players.
Understanding Hand Strength: Recognize the pitfalls of playing hands that often result in being 'outkicked' and understand the importance of hand selection to avoid difficult situations post-flop.
Positional Awareness: Be aware of your table position and consider playing marginal hands only when in advantageous positions (like the cutoff or button) or for blind stealing.
Analyzing Opponent Types: Tailor your play and starting hands to the types of opponents you're facing, such as tight and aggressive (TAG) or tight-passive (nit) players.
Importance of Fold Equity: Embrace the power of folding pre-flop to avoid getting into tough spots and to preserve your chip stack for more profitable situations.
Strategic Hand Selection: Focus on playing hands with better straight potential and higher kickers to increase your chances of having the best hand when making big decisions post-flop.
Utilizing Tools and Resources: Use poker tracking software to analyze your hand histories and understand which hands are profitable for you, and refer to hand charts and cheat sheets to improve your game.
Introduction: Nathan, a 10+ year poker professional, aims to help beginners by discussing the top five hands they should avoid playing and offers alternative strategies.
Ace-Rag Hands: Explains how hands like Ace-3 offsuit are overvalued by beginners, leading to problems, especially with being out-kicked, and suggests that players fold pre-flop unless stealing blinds.
Suited Trash: Cautions against playing hands like Jack-7 suited, termed 'suited trash', due to their poor odds when outkicked, and recommends folding pre-flop except when stealing blinds.
Suited One-Gappers: Advises against playing hands like 7-5 suited, which are attractive but statistically losing hands, suggesting to fold pre-flop or only play in position against recreational players.
Trap Hands: Warns about hands like King-10 offsuit and Ace-9 offsuit, referred to as 'trap hands', that often lead to being out-kicked by tighter player types and recommends folding pre-flop except when stealing blinds.
Player Types: Mentions different player types such as TAG (Tight and Aggressive) and 'nits', noting the importance of understanding opponents' tendencies in hand selection.
Positional Play: Emphasizes the advantage of playing certain hands in position, particularly on the button or cutoff, due to the benefit of acting last post-flop.
Poker Strategy Resources: Promotes his free poker cheat sheet and other videos for detailed strategies and hand charts, and mentions the use of tools like Poker Tracker for hand analysis.
Call to Action: Encourages engagement through comments and subscribes, and offers a free poker cheat sheet for comprehensive strategy guides.
This article is a summary of the video 5 Poker Hands No Good Player Will EVER Play! by BlackRain79Poker published on June 30, 2023 at 13:30:31.
Q: Why should beginners avoid playing Ace-Rag hands in poker? A: Beginners should avoid Ace-Rag hands, like Ace-3 offsuit, because while they can make top pair, they are often out-kicked by opponents with stronger kickers, which leads to a significantly lower chance of winning the hand.
Q: What is a 'trap hand' in poker and can you give an example? A: A trap hand is a starting hand that seems strong because it has high-ranking cards like an ace, but often results in being out-kicked. Examples of trap hands include Ace-9 offsuit and King-10 offsuit, which can lead to difficult situations against better hands.
Q: How can players better understand the strength of their poker hand? A: Players can improve their understanding of hand strength by studying hand rankings, considering the kicker's value, and being aware of potential hand combinations that can beat theirs. Using tools like odds calculators and tracking software can also provide insight into which hands are winners or losers over the long run.
Q: What is 'suited trash' and why should I be cautious playing these hands? A: Suited trash refers to hands with lower-ranking suited cards that can be easily out-kicked, such as Jack-7 suited. Although they have the potential to make flushes, they create fewer straight possibilities and can put players in disadvantageous situations when they hit top pair with a weak kicker.
Q: How can players recognize and adjust to different player types at the poker table? A: Players can adjust to different types by observing their betting patterns, frequency of hands played, and general aggressiveness. For example, against a tight-aggressive player, one should play stronger hands and avoid marginal ones that can lead to difficult decisions post-flop.
Q: What is the importance of hand selection in poker, especially pre-flop? A: Strategic hand selection pre-flop is crucial because it helps players enter pots with hands that have a higher likelihood of success. It involves understanding position, recognizing playable hands, and avoiding hands that are likely to be dominated or that don't offer multiple ways to win.
Q: How can I improve my understanding of math and odds in poker? A: To improve your math and odds comprehension, study probability, use odds calculators, review hand histories to see odds in action, and apply these concepts in real-time play. Over time, understanding the mathematics behind poker decisions becomes more intuitive.
Q: What should I do if I consistently lose with certain starting hands? A: If certain starting hands are consistently losing, it's likely they're not being played optimally. Analyze your hand selection, consider your position, and adjust your pre-flop strategy. Use tracking software to identify losing hands and exclude them from your range in similar situations.