Online poker rookies often commit the mistake of not paying nearly enough attention to starting hand selection. They figure, any two cards can hit a winning hand given the right circumstances, and the funny thing is, they’re right. Any two cards can become winners, just not in the hands of a rookie.

 

At higher limits, where skilled professionals or semi-pros play, people no longer play starting hands. They play their opponents instead. This is possible because of a combination of factors:

• The high limits they play at will restrict the access of rookies, and there will be no schooling whatsoever.

• The stakes will make all participants constantly try to be on their best game. Thus they’ll be more or less predictable.

• All players at these tables will be skilled.

 

At lower limits, where the big crowds are, playing the player instead of the cards will become quite impossible, even for a good player. There will be a lot of poor play, a lot of schooling and increased short-term variance.

 

It usually takes rookies a while till they realize not all starting hands are created equal. When they do realize it, they’ll start learning starting hand charts by heart. This is just about the most erroneous approach one can take to the matter. Remember, good players know why they decide to act on a certain starting hand, and how they’re supposed to play it, after the flop, and most of the time, all the way to showdown.

 

This is one of those situations when “how” and “why” matter a lot more than “what”.