Most over-rated / under-rated hold 'em starting hands?

[sully4321]

My vote for most over-rated is QQ. All too often I am beat by a fish playing K5os or A4os. These players somehow always play Kings or Aces if there is 1 in their hand, even facing raises or reraises.

My vote for most under-rated would be A2suited. It seems like an awful hand because of the trouble you can get into with the low kicker. However, I really like how the 2 plays into the flush draw so much and yet so little: it is another card of the suit you're looking for, yet the Ace high is the only thing that counts for the value of your flush.

[JacksonTens]

I don't really understand how you can coplain about over-rated and under-rated hands. QQ is a definately one of the best hands in hold-em, the only discussion would be if it truly has +EV over AKs, which I personally prefer. But the fact that you have been drawn out on is not the cards fault. Even AA does not guarantee victory. As for A2s Im guessing your referring to its bottom straight gutshot potential as opposed to ATs? I don't consider A2s under-rated, I think it might be better than A6s & A7s maybe even A8s but thats where the party stops.

JT [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[sully4321]

the post wasn't meant to be taken mathematically, it's just a gut-sense type of thing -- which strong hands make you feel worrisome when you get them and which normally mediocre hands are you happy to play with

[Lampsteen]

Funny you should say QQ. I was in a daily hold'em tourney at MGM last week with 9 players left at final table (top 6 get paid)and the following happend:

Blinds are 1,500 / 3,000
First to act goes all in with less than big blind
Second to act folds
Third to act makes it 6,000 to me
I go all in with my 6,300 with my temporarily beautiful QQ
Next two fold
Button goes all in with less than my 6,300
Small and Big fold
Original raiser calls my oh so powerful 300 raise
We turn over and tadah...almost like you said, the original raiser has A5s
The flop comes *A* (sorry, all I remember is the Ace for obvious reasons)
4th street and the river prove inconsequential for all.
I got paid for 6th place but, like you said, the dreaded QQ's didn't stand up. But, what are you going to do?

I personally would say that TT or JJ lose a lot of hands for me. Just got to know your audience when you're playing them I guess.

I would agree that A - 5 and below suited are pretty deceptive. Always nice to have the nut flush in your corner. But, that wheel can lose you a lot of hands if you just hit the straight and someone else has the 6. [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[DiabloVt7]

Give me QQ anyday. QQ if played right over the long term is going to show a big profit. If it doesn't over a big sample size you're either geting screwed or your post-flop sucks. Sorry [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Lampsteen]

Totally agree, I just see it lose a lot to people staying in and catching an A or K.

[DCWildcat]

As for your second question, I'm always a little timid getting TT and 99, or 77-88 in a steal situation. Overcards flop too damn much.

[DeepFryer]

I think JJ is the most overrated, because people will often lose all their money with it, if they don't know when to check/fold.

[Runner Runner]

This question is so easy for me as 2 hands jump right out in my mind:

Overrated: JTs

So many people overvalue this hand. Actually, for a lot of people, this is their favorite hand. In limit holdem people pay too much of a premium preflop with this hand which is a drawing hand that depends on getting in cheaply and flopping well.

Underrated: JJ

All you here is: "I hate Jacks". Jacks are a great hand, you must know how to play them. Learn how to play Jacks in NL or limit, it is a much better starting hand then JTs.

[Pog0]

Runner Runner, reminds me of this tournament situation once where we were all in 3-way preflop.

I had JJ, the others were TT and JT which won... irrelivant? absolutely!