in need of starting hand advice

[nbgen12]

I have been playing poker online for a while, had success fo some time but lately have just been losing time and time again. I can't seem to figure out which hands are good to play and which hands should be folded automatically without condsideration. Could anyone give me advice to what hands are good to play if no one ahead of me raises? It would also be very appreciated if someone could tell me what hands are good enough to call a raise with. This is for online NL games with 9 seats. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Tailgunner]

What makes poker so dynamic is that there are no "rules" for starting hands. Any hand is playable, under the right conditions. Sure, there are guidlines, and they're an excellent place to start for newer players, keeping you from getting in too much trouble while you learn the finer points of the game.

There are plenty of sites that list recommended starting hands and positions, so I won't get into that. If you had been winning previously, I don't think that is really your problem anyway. A database can be invaluable, whether it's something as simple as pen and paper notebook, or as sophisticated as Poker Tracker. This can help you uncover holes in *your* play, rather than suggested play. Raising ATo in MP was a hole in my play.. not because it was a bad play, but because of the situations I was choosing to play it. It's not just about turning big mistakes into big winners, but turning small leaks into small profits.

Next is table image. Be aware of how others are reacting to your play. Once they have you pegged as a certain type of player, mix it up and keep them guessing. Sometimes you have to take chances... as in this example: I was chip leader coming down to the wire in a NLHE tournament yesterday. I successfully bluffed half my stack a couple times because no one could believe I'd risk my position so close to the money. The key to this play was not only having a read the on other players, but on reading how they read me.

Take the other half of that coin... KK may be considered an automatic raise, but if I'm at 9 out of 15 where the top 9 payoff in a tournament, I may lay this down to an all-in pre-flop (EP to an UTG raise for example, where it might just lure the weaker hands to try and triple or quadruple up in a bid to get into the money too.) It may be a huge favorite over most hands, but as we all know, anything can happen. Is it worth risking everything? That depends..

Position is also critical. Not only in your position off the button, but in your position in relation to other players on the table and their styles of play. An EP raise with JTs may steal the blinds on some tables, or it might get killed on others.

Lastly, a comment on stack size. This may also influence the hands you play, as long as you don't let it influence you too much. It may be worth bluffing at some pots with the tall stack, especially if they're not being called down. You can afford to get caught a couple times, and if you do you can even use that to your advantage. Just don't get caught up in the idea that because you have the chip lead you can afford to limp in and splash around on a lot more hands, as that's a great way to see that lead vanish in a hurry. Likewise, don't push too hard with the small stack just because you *need* to double up and stay alive, but don't tighten up to the point where you're laying down when a call or raise may be the correct play either.

Be aware and be flexible. Don't get scared, but don't get stupid.

[beginnersluck13]

It sounds like what you could benefit most from would be some reading material. A lot of the poker books out there cover all of these questions and go into detail of what tailgunner put in his reply to your question. I would recommend Jones, Winning Low Limit Hold Em, very easy to read and discusses all your questions. Even though this book may seem basic, and like things you already know, it sounds as if a refreasher wouldn't hurt.