Discover the top five profitable poker hands that often go unnoticed with Nathan Williams, as he reveals strategies to leverage their hidden potential for significant gains.
Nathan Williams: Nathan Williams, also known as BlackRain79, is a professional poker player with a significant presence in the online poker community. Starting with a modest bankroll in the micro stakes games back in 2004, Nathan faced skepticism but ultimately proved his skill by achieving some of the highest winnings in online poker history at the small and mid-stakes. He quit his job in 2007 to pursue poker full-time and has since enjoyed financial freedom and the opportunity to travel the world for over a decade. As a three-time best-selling poker author, Nathan is passionate about teaching others how to succeed in poker through his books and his BlackRain79Poker YouTube channel. He offers a free poker cheat sheet, has created the BlackRain79 Elite Poker University, and regularly shares his expertise on poker strategy, emphasizing the importance of playing responsibly and within one's limits. His work is driven by the belief that anyone who truly wants to be successful at poker can achieve it.
Profitable Overlooked Hands: Identify and utilize hands like 10-8 suited, 5-3 suited, pocket sixes, ace four suited, and 7-8 suited, which are often underestimated by players but can be very profitable.
Playing 10-8 Suited: Raise or call in position with 10-8 suited, aiming for multi-way pots and leveraging the hand's ability to make a variety of strong combinations.
Positional Advantage: Use the cutoff and button positions to act last post-flop, which gives a statistical advantage and is particularly beneficial for playing suited connectors and one-gappers.
Deep Stack Strategy: In deep stack games (100 big blinds or more), utilize hands like 5-3 suited and 7-8 suited to exploit their potential for making well-hidden straights and flushes.
Set Mining with Pocket Pairs: With small pocket pairs such as sixes, aim to flop a set and leverage the deceptive strength of the hand against players who struggle to fold strong top pairs.
Nut Potential: Prioritize hands like ace four suited that have the potential to draw to the nuts, like nut flushes or wheel straights, to dominate opponents with similar but weaker holdings.
Post-Flop Play: Focus on hitting strong draws and being aggressive with betting and raising when you do, especially against tight players and recreational players who are likely to overplay top pair.
Profitable Poker Hands: Nathan discusses the top five poker hands that are undervalued by many players, which have been profitable for him.
10-8 Suited: Explains the versatility of 10-8 suited in making multiple strong hands, and provides strategies for playing it, emphasizing position and target opponents.
5-3 Suited: Highlights the potential of 5-3 suited in deep stack games to create well-hidden straights and backdoor flushes, suggesting a playstyle against tight and recreational players.
Pocket Sixes: Stresses the profitability of pocket sixes by aiming to flop a set and leveraging the surprise factor against opponents who struggle to fold strong top pairs.
Ace Four Suited: Details the 'nut potential' of ace four suited to make the best possible flush or straight, recommending playing it in position and against specific player types.
7-8 Suited: Describes 7-8 suited as a profit machine with the ability to make multiple straights, flushes, and pairs, advising on how to exploit opponents' post-flop weaknesses.
General Advice: Encourages using position to one's advantage, targeting tight and recreational players, and drawing to the nuts, with a call to obtain his free book for a comprehensive strategy.
This article is a summary of the video 5 Hugely Underrated Hands You Need to Start Playing by BlackRain79Poker published on June 16, 2023 at 13:48:37.
Q: What are some profitable poker hands that are often overlooked? A: Hands such as 10-8 suited, 5-3 suited, pocket sixes, ace four suited, and 7-8 suited are often overlooked but can be very profitable.
Q: How should suited connectors and one-gappers be played in deep stack games? A: In deep stack games, suited connectors and one-gappers can be played with the intent to hit strong combinations such as straights, trips, or flushes. It's important to be in position and take advantage of the deep stacks by playing these hands more aggressively when the opportunity arises.
Q: Why is positional awareness crucial in poker? A: Positional awareness is crucial because acting last on the flop, turn, and river gives a massive statistical advantage. It allows you to make more informed decisions based on the actions of others, and to control the size of the pot.
Q: How do I manage bet sizing in deep stack games? A: In deep stack games, bet sizing should be strategic, taking into account the stack sizes, the strength of your hand, and the potential to extract value or protect your hand. It's important to avoid overcommitting with marginal hands and to maximize value when you have a strong hand.
Q: What does drawing to the nuts mean in poker? A: Drawing to the nuts means aiming to complete the best possible hand, such as the nut flush or the nut straight. This strategy minimizes the risk of being outdrawn and maximizes the potential payout when the draw is completed.
Q: How can I balance risk and reward when playing less obvious starting hands? A: To balance risk and reward, assess the potential profitability of the hand against the likelihood of completing a strong hand. Consider factors like stack depth, position, and opponent tendencies. Aim to play these hands in situations where you have a statistical or informational edge.