There are so many hands you might get dealt which you certainly should not play. Those containing two different low cards are obviously weak – unless the flop hits them perfectly. It is the mid-range hands that lure players into indiscretions and every mistake you make will likely cost you money. Here are two examples of hands you should not play in any position:
Ace with a low kicker, such as A3 or A6
If the flop comes with an ace and a bet is made by an opponent, or if you make a bet and it is called – you won’t know whether you are winning or not. You could easily be outkickered. Almost certainly, you will have to fold, and now you have lost money, and you will be wondering whether you should have folded your Pair of aces.
Picture (or Honour) card with low card, such as K3 or Q6 orJ7
Again, you may hit top Pair and then not know whether an opponent has you out-kickered.
The problem with these hands is that they rarely win you big pots but they can lead you into losing big money when you are beaten. Since better poker involves better judgment, and that is a quality which, quite understandably, as a beginner you are lacking, you want to avoid those confidence-draining situations.