Hi,
Jody asked me which hands are good to call preflop, he is not sure about
which small pocket pairs, and which suited hands.
Which hands to call depends on few factors:
1) How big is a raise from opponent. If he raised very big you want to
defend stronger hands, if he raised smaller you can defend more hands as
you get better price
2) Depends on position from which opponent raise. Because opponents raise
tighter from early positions like under the gun and middle position then
late positions. So obviously against early position raises, you need to
call tighter than against late position.
3) Depends on how many opponents called the raise already. The more
opponents called a raise, better price you get, so you can call looser.
4) Depends if there is very aggressive opponent who acts after you. If
there is a opponent who likes to reraises often, then you shouldn't call
weak hands.
5) Depends on your position. If you would play in position postflop against
opponent who raised, you can call looser than when you play out of position
because position in poker is very important.
6) depends on the stack size of opponent who raised. If for example
opponent has very short stack like for example only 15 big blinds, then it
is not profitable to call with hands like small pocket pairs, or small
suited connectors because those hands rarely hit on flop, but once they hit
they are strong, so you should call those hands that rarely hit flop but
hit strong only against opponent with big stack. So call such hands only
when opponent has at least 50 big blinds stack.
The best is if you get charts for preflop, in this case for cold calling
hands. There are many charts available but i am not sure which one are
suitable for screen reader.
I will give you few examples:
1) If under the gun raises 3 big blind and you are button, meaning you will
play in position postflop, i suggest 3 bet hands like:
Ace Jack to Ace King; King Jack to King Queen as a bluff and fold against
4bet.
Also 3bet hands for value that you defend against 4bet:
Ace King; Queen Queen to Ace Ace.
I suggest calling hands:
suited connectors like six seven suited and better, all suited broadways
(broadways means that both cards are at least Ten or higher like for
example Ten Queen.
all pocket pairs, all suited aces.
This hands are mostly either strong, or can hit strong hands postflop.
2) In 2nd example button raises 2 big blinds, small blind folds and you are
big blind.
Here you need to call much wider range because raise size is 2 big blinds,
and button usually raises very wide range because he is in position
postflop and can steal blinds due to this efficiently. So you should call
all suited hands, all offsuited broadways, all hands containing at least
one Ace, all pocket pairs.
As you can see because button has wide raise range you also call very wide
aslo because you already paid 1 big blind from big blind position but also
because button raised only 2 big blinds so you need to pay only 1 big
blind.
I hope that this helped you to understand the theory a bit about what hands
to call preflop, as i said the best is to get the preflop charts which are
accessible.
regards,
Nenad.