English Corpus

In online poker, there are monster hands, and there are good hands. Players are always happy to look down to see faces or an Ace, but some of these hands should have a red flag to signal danger attached to them.

Pocket Jacks is one such hand. There are three cards higher - Ace, King and Queen - and if any come out on the flop, those Jacks lose their strength. If there are multiple players vying for the pot, it’s a safe assumption one of them is holding a King or an Ace, beating your Jacks. When up against Ace King or Queen pre-flop, the Jacks are a slight favorite but just barely. If no big raise comes out ahead of you, go ahead and enter the pot. Just remember not to bet your Jacks like they are Aces.

King Queen is another pocket hand that looks great, but it is still dependent on the draw, and if an Ace comes out with no other cards for the straight, then KQ deflates. It’s a good hand to play poker online in late position, but more vulnerable from an early seat, and if a big raise comes out from behind you, it’s best to let it go than depend on the luck of the draw.

Ace King can also be problematic starter hand. It can provide the highest pair on the flop, but then, again, maybe not. It is a drawing hand and when the flop misses it and a bet comes out, it is risky to continue to make the draw.

Ace Queen or Jack looks good, but again, it’s a drawing hand looking for a lucky flop.

Before you play any of these hands at the casino, you must be mentally prepared to release them when the flop misses you and a big bet comes out.