A beginner's forum moderator asked if I would like to put together an up to date anthology thread for beginners. Instead of using the search function, which would give me a list of old threads, I figured I'd ask here:

I'd like to include an unofficial 2+2 recommended preflop chart for beginners in my post and any help creating such a chart is much appreciated. Perhaps we could even go beyond that to include a set of intermediate ranges for those that are ready to raise more hands preflop.

Of course, when we discuss preflop decisions, there's going to be disagreement around the margins. That's fine with me, but I think the beginner recommendations should err on the tight side. Please keep this in mind when suggesting ranges.

I understand that correct 40bb holdem varies from 100bb holdem varies from 200bb holdem. This creates some formatting problems for me. Perhaps if any responses could include the effective stack depth for which the ranges are recommended for, this would help.

Please and thank you for any help with this project.

Assuming you're on about people starting out playing 2nl. Here's some tight opening ranges to kick things off:

Early Position



Middle



Cut Off



Button

Excellent thank you Brussels Sprout!

I think this is an excellent set of ranges for a beginner. Early position at a 9 or 10 handed table should naturally be quite tight. Middle positions with 2, 3, 4, or 5 players behind us postflop are the only place I think we could elaborate further; naturally widening the preflop range as we approach the late positions. I think it's really important to stress the absence of small pairs, which are in my opinion the most misplayed hands by beginners. You gotta learn how to fold these small pairs before you can learn how to play a raising range that sometimes includes all pairs.

The late positions are where I believe the most margin for error is. I don't think beginners are making much money with the hands on the margins, particularly considering that the players that my project is aimed at are likely bad postflop players. No offense intended to beginners. I'll freely admit that I only suck a little bit less than I used to at many formats of poker.

Interestingly there is no small blind raising range yet. I think this is good for a beginner in the small blind:

default 3x raise blind vs blind with this range: 22+, A2s+, A5o, A8o+, K2s+, K8o+, Q8s+, Q9o+, J8s+, J9o+, T8s+, T9o, 97s+, 87s, 76s, 65s.

However I must stress the importance of looking into flop betting and checking ranges* as soon as possible before trying this range because you gotta play the whole hand out of position.

*noted to remember to link to a good flop strategy thread in the future. Taking recommendations.

Also, which raise size do you think we should recommend? I typically use 3x unless I have about 14 to 17 big blinds in a tourney with no antes or small antes, or if there's a very aggressive player behind me, in both cases I'll use 2x.

Do you fold small pairs pf when get 3-bet?
Do you check/fold flops or cbet when you don't hit trips?

how do you learn how to play small pairs? any resources?

All depends on stack sizes. If you're 250BB's deep you can call a 3bet (if you're in position) and hope to try and milk your set/maybe outplay opponent if they have glaring leaks like cbetting too much in 3bet pots.

At 100BB? these hands probably only have value if you are in some ******ed multiway 3bet pot with a massive fish who will pay you if you hit a set.

Alternatively, you can play 22 etc, just treat it like 54suited - it's a bluff hand to balance your range, and maybe get paid off once in a while. Open preflop in late position (BTN, CO) and hope you can steal the blinds or win the pot with a cbet. Give up after the cbet if you dont improve - small pairs aren't good for barrelling since you likely have very little equity (chance to improve is only 2/47 cards on the turn, and 2/46 on the river). Maybe you can barrel obvious people who call the flop alot but fold the turn a lot. But these are advanced, player dependent strategy.

Also trips =!= a set. Trips = 2 on the board, 1 in the hand, A set = 1 on the board, 2 in the hand.
A set usually has more value, because it's disguised.
Also, never always do anything. There's no right or wrong way to play any specific situation - it's best to talk in terms of "mostly", or "rarely". You want to mix it up to balance your play.

But not too much...then you become a spewlord like me who's obsessed with 4bet bluffing w/ A2. Havent been caught yet though

why do you then stop raising to 3x when at this stack size? Do you start shoving instead?
Jason mercier has said he starts shoving at 10BB. Justin bonomo in 2010 said he starts shoving at 8BB and plays very tight at 10BB.

Usually when I have <14bb, there are big antes in play. Without antes in play, I'll raise 2x with a 12bb stack. With typical sized antes in play, I'm usually shoving with <14bb.

It's about the price that I'm offering my opponent's to call and my risk:reward.

Although I am a certifiable nit, I will open raise any pair even from EP. If I'm HU on the flop, I will usually c-bet. If there are two overcards on the flop, I will fold if bet into. Multiway on flop, I'm pretty much "no set, no bet" unless there is only one overcard.

Is this reasonable in a typical .02/.04 game?

small pairs perform badly, until you get to the btn, 22-55 are mostly bad opens
you're much better off opening A5s or KTs from ep than you are small pairs

Thanks, ionutd!