Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams uncovers the common poker pitfalls and explains why you should fold these three hands when facing big bets or raises. Learn to make smarter decisions at the table and protect your bankroll.
Nathan Williams: Nathan Williams, also known as 'BlackRain79', is a seasoned poker professional and coach who specializes in small to mid-stakes games. He began his journey in poker back in 2004 with a modest bankroll and faced skepticism from others about his potential in the game. Despite the doubts, Nathan persevered and by 2007 had built a five-figure bankroll, allowing him to leave his job and pursue poker full-time. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for achieving one of the highest win-rates in online poker history within his stakes category. As an author, Nathan has penned three best-selling poker books which showcase his strategies and insights into the game. His passion for poker extends to coaching, where he has guided hundreds of students, helping them to avoid common pitfalls and improve their play. In pursuit of sharing his knowledge more broadly, Nathan has developed the BlackRain79 Elite Poker University, offering a structured course on winning poker strategies, and he provides a free poker cheat sheet for those looking to refine their approach to the game. His YouTube channel, BlackRain79Poker, serves as a platform for weekly poker strategy videos aimed at helping players at various levels enhance their skills and game understanding.
Avoiding Costly Calls: Steer clear of calling big bets or raises with hands like King Jack, Ace Nine, and Five Six suited, particularly if out of position or facing a re-raise.
Hand Selection Strategy: Understand that while hands such as suited connectors look appealing, they are statistically losing hands and should be played cautiously.
Positional Awareness: Recognize the disadvantage of playing out of position (acting first post-flop) and fold hands more liberally when you'll be forced to act first in subsequent betting rounds.
Equity Consideration: Be aware of your hand's equity against possible opponent holdings, and avoid situations where you are significantly dominated, such as King Jack versus Ace King or King Queen.
Poker Tools Utilization: Use tools like PokerTracker to analyze your hand histories and identify which hands are winners and losers to inform your strategy.
Pre-flop Discipline: Exercise discipline in pre-flop play by not calling re-raises with weaker hands that are likely to be outmatched.
Board Texture Analysis: Closely examine the flop, turn, and river to assess whether your hand has made a strong combination or if you're likely out-kicked or dominated, and fold accordingly to big bets or raises.
Top Hands to Avoid Calling a Raise With: Nathan warns about the pitfalls of calling raises with certain hands that often look deceptively strong but can lead to losses, especially for small stakes players and beginners.
King-Jack Precautions: Advises folding King-Jack when re-raised pre-flop, especially out of position, due to the high likelihood of being dominated by stronger hands like Ace-King or King-Queen.
Positional Play: Emphasizes the statistical disadvantage of playing out of position (acting first post-flop) and suggests folding certain hands when re-raised pre-flop.
Ace-Nine Limitations: Discourages playing Ace-Nine aggressively or calling large bets with it, as it's often dominated by stronger aces, leading to a kicker problem which diminishes its value.
Suited Connectors Misconception: Warns that suited connectors, while attractive for their straight and flush potential, are statistically losing hands and should be played cautiously, avoiding large bets and raises without strong holdings.
PokerTracker HUD Utilization: Recommends using PokerTracker or a similar program to review hand histories and understand which hands are winners and losers, specifically noting the ineffectiveness of suited connectors.
Strategic Hand Selection: Highlights the importance of playing a range of hands, including weaker ones like suited connectors, to avoid predictability, but stresses the significance of being selective and avoiding traps.
Poker Strategy Engagement: Encourages viewers to share their own experiences with difficult hands and engages the audience by asking for their thoughts and comments on the topic.
This article is a summary of the video Never Call With These 3 Hands (Most Don't Know This!) by BlackRain79Poker published on December 28, 2021 at 13:58:21.
Q: How should I approach playing king-jack in poker? A: Be cautious with king-jack, especially if re-raised pre-flop and you'll be out of position post-flop. Fold in these situations as you may be dominated by hands like ace-king or king-queen.
Q: Is ace-nine a strong hand to call raises with in poker? A: Ace-nine can be deceptive and you should avoid playing a big pot with it unless you make two pair or better, as it's often dominated by stronger aces.
Q: What should I do when I have suited connectors like five-six suited? A: Suited connectors can seem attractive but are statistically losing hands. Play them cautiously and avoid calling big bets or raises without a strong hand or draw.
Q: How important is my kicker when holding an ace in poker? A: The strength of your kicker is crucial when holding an ace, as it often determines the winning hand. Avoid large pots with weak kickers as they can be outmatched by opponents with the same pair but a better kicker.
Q: How can I avoid being predictable with my starting hand selection in poker? A: Balance your starting hand range by mixing in some suited connectors and weaker hands to be less predictable, but do so with care to avoid long-term losses.
Q: Why is positional awareness important in poker? A: Positional awareness is key because acting later gives you more information about your opponents' actions. Being out of position is a disadvantage, so be more selective with your starting hands when you will act first post-flop.
Q: What can I do to improve my understanding of hand strength in poker? A: Study hand rankings and the context of how the game unfolds, paying attention to the community cards and opponent actions to better gauge the relative strength of your hand.
Q: How can I avoid domination by similar but stronger hands in poker? A: Be selective with your starting hands and pay attention to the actions of your opponents, especially if they raise or re-raise pre-flop, which may indicate they have a dominating hand.