The Hardest Hand in Hold Em

[Fonzi]

There are a lot of starting hands that play themselves in Texas Hold Em. Small pocket pairs are easy to fold to serious playback. Suited connectors are an auto-laydown if you don't hit the flop. Pocket Aces and Kings are pretty much an invitation to get as much of your opponent's stack into the middle before the flop.

But what about pocket Jacks?

Pocket Jacks are a hand that I love to hate. What exactly do you do with the fourth best hand in the game? It isn't beyond the realm of possibility that you're beat. If you're getting played back at, you might have a coinflip on your hands. But does that mean you should be playing Jacks like a smaller pocket pair? Do you get aggressive and risk being dominated?

Without a doubt, playing Jacks properly requires an excellent understanding of pre-flop odds, and a good read of your opponent. Paying attention to the play style of others at your table is going to tell you more about the range of hands that they might be playing than anything else. I can help you to understand the odds, you take care of getting that vital read!

I personally never limp with Jacks. You need to understand where you are, and you can't get a tell from nothing at all. If you limp with jacks, you may as well play them lick pocket 7's: Hit trips or get out. Everything you've been told about unraised pots applies here, if you're foolish enough to limp with the 4th best hand in the game, you deserve whatever you get.

First of all, at an 8 player table, there's about a 10 percent chance that your pocket Jacks are dominated pre-flop. I know that number seems high, but if 7 other players have a 1.4 percent chance at pocket aces, kings, or queens pre-flop, then that accounts for your 10 percent. Now, you can be a hero and make the great lay down. But you had better have a read at this point, or you're flying blind here.

Now understand that against any non-paired hand, you're winning. You have about a 53.5% win rate against a suited AK. This is where reads come into play. If you put your opponent on AK or AQ, you have two ways to win: Win the coinflip post flop or represent a pre-flop hand that will get them to fold to your re-raise. Either way, you're playing with fire. That's the nature of pocket Jacks. This is your chance to semi-bluff, but be warned that if you don't think they have the overpair, any re-raise gives you pot odds to go all in and take your chances.

Remember that at some point in a given tournament, you're going to really want a decent coinflip either for survival or in order to make it over the hump as a mid range stack. You could do worse than Jacks in this situation.

To be honest, pocket Jacks are all about feel. They're the ultimate test of your heart and your instincts. Now that you know the numbers, you're armed with everything that you need to fill in the blanks. Don't screw up!

Bill Ricardi ? Internet Gaming Guru

[Dunbar]

I used to play Jacks only like a mid pocket pair, only for the set value. Now I play them hard, preflop and postflop, but lay them down when I feel they are dominated. It improved my play

[billybob16]

When I saw the title of the post I immediately thought pocket Jacks

I agree with Dunbar. I play them strong before the flop, that way if someone calls I know they likely have AKQ. If nothing hits for them on the flop, I know I have the best hand.

[Calmplay]

Pocket nines and King Queen are tough for me to play, Oh Queen Jack too.

[rrauwl]

Originally Posted by billybob16

When I saw the title of the post I immediately thought pocket Jacks

Good man.

In my career, they've really been the make-or-break hand for me, many times. When I made the right read, they were very strong.

[KeepBlinkin]

i love to play pair of jacks if no one hits the flop or a jack appears and then a queen or king or even an A i always get the chips pushing me because they think i have just a pair of A the made all in and its when i call.. i hate KQ

[YellowRoses]

Jacks don't like me very well, but sometimes it the same with AA or KK too.

[Calmplay]

To be honest the starting hand I hate is A10 off.

[wachinpntdry]

for me I guess it all depends on how the table's been playin (and of course position)......

if theres been alot of action...I prob just limp (or call a reasonable bet) and hope to see flop cheap.....
or, if it's been slow, make a mid sized raise and hope to isolate a lower pair or drawing hand (assuming I've been playing my usual > very few hands)

unfortunaletly when you when DO make your trip Js on the flop, lotta times there's also some kinda straight draw out ther for the other guy with his A,Q .....
even worse, the river pairs As,Ks, or Qs making you Js full, and the other guy runs over you with his Ship (just think of Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack, dropping anchor through Judge Smails little sailboat )

if I can see the flop cheap enough.....think I'd rather have J w/9,10,Q ,K ...see what comes

[Marlee]

I play Jacks strong preflop. After the flop if overs hit I proceed with caution. Jacks have not been a good hand for me overall.