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Basic Hand Classifications in Low-Limit Holdem

It would help to better weigh hand ranking in low-limit Holdem if we try to simplify things a bit more. This can be done by classifying hands into three classes: big pairs, draws, and milking hands.

Most hands that we would be dealt in low-limit holdem would fall under one of the three enumerated above. We first look at the big pairs. Big pairs are top or over pairs. For instance, we hold a hand AK and the flop shows AQ6. Our big pair here is a top pair of aces. With a hand of QQ, which is a big pair, and the flop is T63, other players may try to beat our big pair by attempting a draw from the flop cards. When this happens we may use our big pair to make it too costly for them to try a draw.

Even if there are many in the hand playing against our big pair, they would find it difficult to all benefit from the same flop cards on the board. At most there are only 5 board cards at the flop and only 1 or 2 players are bound to benefit from that. The rest will likely merely check or even fold to our big pair in low-limit holdem.

Draws, the next hand classification, are cards that need to improve as the play progresses. They are improved especially on the flop. They may have the potential to turn into straight or flush draws, or even small pairs or the nut. An open-ended draw is a potential in low-limit holdem and may be used to the full to effect a profitable play. If we hold a KJ and the flop goes QT4, we may have a straight draw with a 9 or A. If we hold a 9T suited clubs and the flop goes AcQc4d, we may have a flush draw.

Finally, we have the milking hands. We would like to see the nuts here. Two-pair is also excellent for a milking hand. If we have Ad5d and the flop says Qd9d2d, we have a strong hand that could only be beaten if someone pairs the board. With milking hands, we try to play well and make the low-limit holdem as profitable as possible to us.

Hence, in low-limit holdem, we look only for a big pair, a draw or a milking hand. Anything other than these we play with either bluffing or folding. By this method we simplify our hand assessment and be able to decide more quickly in low-limit holdem.