Worst Hand in Holdem
What is the worst hand in poker? Read the following poker strategy
article to find out the answer.
It’s shocking how many people ask this question and how few
actually know the answer. I’m not just talking about the worst
hand in Texas Holdem poker (which inspired this article) but poker
in general. Contrary to popular belief, the worst Texas Holdem hand
is not 7 2 off suit. The worst hand in poker is the second best
hand at the table.
One of poker’s most valued lessons is learning the danger
of getting the second best hand. In many cases, the difference between
pro and schmo is knowing when to dump a solid hand that you know
is second best. The key to averting this bankroll cancer is two-fold
prevention and acceptance.
Step one of this poker strategy starts prior to the flop. Choosing
not to play hands that are notorious for producing second bests
will save you thousands over your entire poker career. Some usual
suspects are Ace with a small kicker and hands such as K9. These
hands can either give you the unenlightened end (losing end) of
a straight or leave you defeated by someone playing a stronger kicker
if the board does pair your king.
The real poker strategy here is to avoid these situations. This
is especially important with high cards such as Kings and Aces.
Be aware that a person playing a King is probably playing it with
a connector, or at least a high enough card to form a straight.
This means that in the K9 example, your hand is weak. The same holds
true with hands including an Ace. The risk of high kickers also
increases with more players at the table.
Step two of this poker strategy involves preventing the damage
caused by holding the second best hand. This step comes into play
when your strong hand turns weak. It’s not easy to dump a
great hand once the flop, turn or river has burned you. But it is
crucial part of this particular poker strategy and will help you
to become a successful player. You see this a lot with pocket pairs
and over cards or when there are four cards to a straight on the
board and you are holding the low end. Making the decision to throw
your hand away should not be based on how strong your hand was,
but how strong it is and potentially will be. If you’re holding
trips and there are four cards to a flush, chances are someone made
the flush. Your once powerful set is now a very weak, second best,
and you must consider folding. The poker strategy of simply recognizing
when you are beat will result in huge savings and profits over time.
So, next time you hear some one blurt out they just got dealt the
worst hand in poker, you should smile and realize it could be worse.
In the end of the day, a poor starting hand in poker may cost you
an ante, but the worst hand in poker could cost you your whole bankroll.
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