Playing Q Q

Pocket queens are debatably the 3rd best starting hand in the game of Texas Holdem. Pocket aces and pocket kings are undeniably the number 1 and number 2 starting hands in the game of Texas Holdem poker. When you get to pocket queens and pocket jacks, then you start getting to the place where you consider ace king suited to be as good of a starting hand because you have two over cards

Playing Q Q Before the Flop

When you are holding pocket queens before the flop, you would really like to raise and get all of those draws with an ace or a king out of the hand. Ideally, you would only get called by a smaller pair that doesn’t hit its set. Better yet, a Q J off suit would truly have that hand dominated, and as long as are dreaming here about what cards the other player has, you might as well dream of the optimal circumstances.

Playing Q Q On The Flop

Playing Q Q on the flop is a time that you really have to look closely at the cards that hit the board. Are there any over cards such as an ace or a king? Are there any straight or flush possibilities? If there is not one of the above two situations occurring on the flop, then you need to continue to play this hand very strongly. You do not want to try a get sneaky with pocket queens because it is not very hard for another hand to beat you on later streets. If the action checks to you, then you need to put in a continuation bet.

Playing Q Q On The Turn

At the turn, if the board still looks good without any over cards and without any straight of flush possibilities, then you need to continue betting with your pocket queens. You do not want to give any other player a chance to draw to a hand or for an ace or a king to fall on the river.

Playing Q Q On The River

When you get to the river with your pocket queens, you have the best hand or you do not. That may sound like a simplistic way of looking at the situation, but that is basically what the situation is all about. Since you have been initiating all of the betting in the hand so far, it is possible that the other players in the hand will check it to you on the river. Here, you have to decide that you are either going to get a free show down out of it of that you think that you would get some extra value if you bet and got a call. The odds are that any hand that can beat you will call you if you make a bet, so bluffing in this particular situation is not a very good option. Either take the free card or bet it for value, depending on the way that you read the hand.