Play Fewer Hands

Learn how to play like Phil Ivey

In Texas Hold'em there are 169 different possible starting hands you can 🍋 be dealt (this is ignoring specific suits). Out of all these possible hands, there are only five hands that are 🍋 considered "premium."

AA KK QQ AK (Suited) JJ

Regardless of your position at the table, a premium hand should always be played 🍋 if there is no raise ahead of you. If there is a raise ahead of you - especially if there 🍋 are callers or re-raises - sometimes it can even be a mistake to play anything below Aces or Kings. When 🍋 you think about Texas Hold'em starting hands this way, you'll realize you should be folding around 80% more hands.