The Tax Cheapo

Some of the more popular Texas Holdem poker starting hands are clear cut. You can look up online poker guides and know conclusively whether you are supposed to raise or fold based on defined criterion. The Ace-10 is not one of these clearly classified hands. Unlike many of the other starting poker hands, it success lies in your seating position. Let me explain. One the face value of the hand it is not very good. If the two cards are suited you could feasibly be looking at a flush, if not a straight. However, both of these hands are long shots that would need some very lucky cards on the flop. What you are more likely going to get is a pair. Ideally you end up with a pair of Aces, but even a pair of 10s would not be too bad. Here is where seating position comes in. You should only play this poker hand from a late position if the other players before you have not raised. That is a sign that they have less favorable cards where you could possibly win with a strong pair. If they raise, however, you should fold your hand. You won’t win with pairs based off of community cards if the other players are already holding valuable pairs to start with.