Have you ever been tempted by an offer that’s too good to be true? It could be a tempting job offer, a “miracle” diet, or a low-low asking price on a house or car. In many cases, accepting such an offer comes at a financial cost without the expected reward. In poker, danHave you ever been tempted by an offer that’s too good to be true? It could be a tempting job offer, a “miracle” diet, or a low-low asking price on a house or car. In many cases, accepting such an offer comes at a financial cost without the expected reward. In poker, danger hands are a bit like that. Depending on the situation, they’re too good to be true and can get you into trouble. Sometimes, of course, they represent genuine value, which is why you don’t automatically throw them away when you play poker online. In this article, we look at what danger hands are, what makes them dangerous, and how to play them to your best advantage.
Defining poker danger hands
A danger hand is not the same as a bad hand. Poker players can generally identify starting hands which are so terrible that it’s best to fold right away. But danger hands are the kind of starting hands that require some consideration because they tend to be strong hands. At least, they’re strong enough to set you up to hold the second-best hand – which just happens to be the worst possible situation you can find yourself in at the poker table. Why is that? There are only two ways to win in online poker: either all your opponents fold to cede you the pot or you have the best hand at showdown. If you get as far as the showdown with the second-best hand, chances are that you’ve put money in the pot only to lose it in the end. That, in short, is the trouble with danger hands. As Doyle Brunson once said, “They’re hands you can lose a lot of money with, so you should play them very cautiously.”
Spotting poker danger hands
When you’re on the lookout for danger hands, what are you looking for? As a general rule, weaker combinations of broadway cards (A, K, Q, J,10) can get you into trouble. These include pairings such as K-Q, K-J, K-10, Q-J, Q-10, J-10, A-J, A-10, and even A-9. It’s easy to get excited about these hands, especially if you’ve been folding junk hand after hand, but the fact of the matter is that you can easily be dominated if you take them to the river. Say you have J-10, and the flop comes J-7-2. You’ve got top pair! Unfortunately, your kicker is weak. Opponents’ hole cards like A-J, K-J, and Q-J will all crush you.
That doesn’t mean you should write off playing danger hands completely. In the hands of a skilled player, they can put opponents on the back foot. J-10, for instance, may not have any showdown value, but the flop may give you outs for a straight or a flush. If your poker hand representation is strong enough, you could semi-bluff your way to victory, either by inducing opponents to fold by representing a strong hand or by hitting your draw.
Danger hands poker strategy
Advanced skills like poker hand representation can be overwhelming for beginner players who are just coming to grips with basic poker strategy. Here are a few pointers for dealing with danger hands depending on the situation you find yourself in:
- If you’re under the gun (UTG) or in early position, fold. Danger hands are too weak to open, and you’re likely to come off second-best (at best).
- If the UTG player opens, don’t call. The chances of your opponent dominating you are too significant to risk it.
- If you open from middle or late position, you’re less likely to be dominated, so go ahead and play the hand but with caution.
- If a middle position player raises and you’re in late position, you could defend your hand, depending on who the opener is. If they’re at the same skill level as you or worse, it should be okay. Similarly, you should be able to defend the blinds against a raise from a late position player.
Premium danger hands
Some hole cards are too strong to strictly qualify as danger hands, but they get beginners into trouble so frequently that we decided to include them.
Ace-King (A-K)
Known to some players as the most dangerous hand in Texas hold’em poker, the notorious A-K is a great example of the difference between a danger hand and a bad hand. It’s strong enough to hold its own in practically any spot, so why wouldn’t you want to play it? The trouble is that, unlike pocket aces or kings, A-K is a drawing hand, and without improving, may struggle to win at showdown. Limp in to see the flop, or enter with a raise to thin the field, but be prepared to check or fold if your hand doesn’t improve on the flop.
Pocket Queens
The third most powerful starting hand in poker, pocket queens, can still get you into trouble. That’s simply because it’s inferior to pocket kings and aces, giving you two scare cards to worry about. But don’t be afraid. Raise before the flop to thin the field and flush out opponents holding aces or kings, as they’ll be the ones who join you in a pre-flop battle. If a king or ace does land on the flop, make a continuation bet, but don’t get committed. If a king or ace lands on the turn, you’re not in a good situation. Check to control the pot rather than continuing to bet.
Pocket Jacks
Ace-king may be the most dangerous hand in poker, but a pair of jacks comes a close second. That’s because there are so many ways they can crumble on the flop. Sound advice is to play pocket jacks as you would a pair of eights or nines. Enter the pot as cheaply as possible and hope to hit a set (three-of-a-kind made with two hole cards). If you don’t hit a set, check and fold.
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