Holdem short-handed starting hands

Short-handed starting hands (aggressive)

Limit hold'em, 4-6 players, pre-flop

For experienced players
Less aggressive version below

These are the minimum hands to raise with, a second hand is the minimum to call. Blanks are folds. "Open" means only blinds are in pot.

Hijack

Cutoff

Button

1/2 BB
Small blind

Big blind

Pot status

Open

Called

Raised

Open

Called

Raised

3 bet

Open

Called*

Raised*

3 bet

Open

Called

Raised

3 bet

*v. steal

Called

Raised

3 bet

v. steal

Pairs

77 55

77 22

JJ 44

99 22

TT 22

KK 77

TT 22

KK 77

77 22

Suited
connectors

JT T9

QJ 54

KQ JT

QJ 32

AK KQ

AK 54

JT 43

1 gap

KJ QT

KJ 75

KJ 42

-- AQ

-- 75

QT 53

2 gap

KT T7

KT 52

-- AJ

-- 96

KT 85

3 gap

AT Q8

AT J7

AT 62

-- T6

AT 95

Low ace*

A9 A2

A8 A2

-- A9

-- A2

A8 A2

Suited non- connectors

-- K8

All

-- K2

Unsuited
connectors

KQ 76

AK 76

QJ 65

1 gap

AQ T8

AQ KJ

-- 97

-- AQ

KJ 75

2 gap

AJ T7

-- J8

-- AJ

KT 96

3 gap

AT K9

-- AT

-- Q8

AT T6

Low ace*

-- A9

-- A7

-- A8

-- A2

*Kicker less
than 10.

*Generally raise, but consider calling with the lower hands vs. multiple opponents.

*A steal is an open raise from the CO, Btn., or SB.

The above chart is necessarily simplified; all it is meant to do is give sensible suggestions. There are myriad reasons to make different moves, especially in the blinds.

These recommendations assume strong play against decent opponents. Inexperienced players should tighten up. For example, mediocre players under-the-gun lose money on balance with pairs below 77.

The starting cards suggested for open pots and blinds are adapted from Winning in Tough Hold'em Games (2007, Grudzien and Herzog) p. 12-26. The rest are cobbled together from various sources.

Half-table seat positions and abbreviations

Holdem short-handed seat positions

Minimum to open raise, by position

Aggressive, half-table version for experienced players

Popup version for while you play.

	Pr	SC	UC	Ax	Xy
BB	99	KQ	AJ	--	--
SB	33	65	76	A2	T5s
Btn	22	54	98	A2s/A3	Q5s/K8
CO	22	76	JT	A2s/A5	K5s
HJ	33	87	QJ	A4s/A8	--
UG	55	T9	QJ	A7s/A9	--
	Pairs	Suited connectors	Unsuited connectors	Ace below ten	Disconnectors
Minimum gapped connectors: use high card of the non-gapper as starting point. If min connector is 98, min gapper to play is J9.

Less aggressive short-handed starting hands
For moderately experienced players

These are minimum hands to raise with. A second hand is the minimum to call. Blanks are folds. "Open" means only blinds are in pot.

Hijack

Cutoff

Button

1/2 BB
Small blind

Big blind

Pot status

Open

Called

Raised

Open

Called

Raised

3 bet

Open

Called*

Raised*

3 bet

Open

Called

Raised

3 bet

*v. steal

Called

Raised

3 bet

v. steal

Pairs

77 55

77 22

JJ 44

99 22

TT 22

KK 77

TT 22

KK 77

77 22

Suited
connectors

JT T9

QJ 54

KQ JT

QJ 32

AK KQ

AK 54

JT 43

1 gap

KJ QT

KJ 75

KJ 42

-- AQ

-- 75

QT 53

2 gap

KT T7

KT 52

-- AJ

-- 96

KT 85

3 gap

AT Q8

AT J7

AT 62

-- T6

AT 95

Low ace*

A9 A2

A8 A2

-- A9

-- A2

A8 A2

Suited non- connectors

-- K8

All

-- K2

Unsuited
connectors

KQ 76

AK 76

QJ 65

1 gap

AQ T8

AQ KJ

-- 97

-- AQ

KJ 75

2 gap

AJ T7

-- J8

-- AJ

KT 96

3 gap

AT K9

-- AT

-- Q8

AT T6

Low ace*

-- A9

-- A7

-- A8

-- A2

*Kicker less
than 10.

Note: only open-raises differ on this chart from the more aggressive one above.

*Generally raise, but consider calling with the lower hands vs. multiple opponents.

*A steal is an open raise from the CO, Btn., or SB.

Minimum to open raise, by position

Less aggressive version

Popup version for while you play

	Pr	SC	UC	Ax	Xy
BB	99	KQ	AJ	--	--
SB	33	98	T9	A2s/A3	K8s
Btn	44	87	T9	A2s/A3	Q7s/K8o
CO	55	98	JT	A5s/A7	--
HJ	66	T9	QJ	A8s	--
UG	77	JT	QJ	A9s	--
	Pairs	Suited connectors	Unsuited connectors	Ace below ten	Disconnectors
Minimum gapped connectors: use high card of the non-gapper as starting point. If min connector is 98, min gapper to play is J9.

Short-handed starting hands (aggressive)

Limit hold'em, 4-6 players, pre-flop

For experienced players Less aggressive version below

Half-table seat positions and abbreviations

Minimum to open raise, by position

Aggressive, half-table version for experienced players

Less aggressive short-handed starting hands For moderately experienced players

Minimum to open raise, by position

Less aggressive version

For experienced players
Less aggressive version below

Less aggressive short-handed starting hands
For moderately experienced players