Playing the Big Hands in Fixed Limit Holdem

The most highly valued hands in Limit Holdem will of course differ depending on the situation of the game, but in general, there is a consensus on which hands are the best, and the ideal times to use them. Of course, this will vary to some degree, but if you are a newcomer, the following can serve as a useful starting point.

The best Limit Holdem hands are the same as those in No Limit, namely AAs-JJs plus the Ace/King combination. With these powerful hands, any disadvantages that you may have being under the gun disappears, and you can in fact use it to your advantage by check raising. If you are under the gun, then you should jam the pot pre flop to end the hand quickly.

If you are late, you should also raise, but beware if you are holding a KK and one of your tight opponents in the middle makes a raise or re raises you; he likely has the pocket Aces. Similarly, if you are holding AK, remember that you will need one or the other to make a solid pair, so be careful about re raising too often.

Other big Limit Holdem hands are the high pocket pairs (TT and 99) and also the Ace/Queen and King/Queen. With these you can get a high set or potential straight draws or the flush. Because these are drawing hands, you will need to have some players in the flop, but if you hit it, then you should try to raise so that you can protect your hand.

Generally, these drawing Limit Holdem hands should not be used for raising or re raising before the flop. Some players will raise though, when they are last to act. You can, but if you are faced with a re raise, and from someone who is under the gun, then your pocket pair might be beaten already.

To keep things simple with big Limit Holdem hands, you should always raise with the premiums and top pairs (provided you are in position) and when it comes to drawing hands, you should try to see the flop first. When you hit the set or two pair, then you make your bets and raises.

The big hands in Limit Holdem require as much as planning and strategizing as any other marginal hand, perhaps even more so because you will need to get the most money out of it. By simply taking the time to evaluate your position relative to the strength of your hand, you will be in prime position to take the pot.