What is Preflop in Poker?

Introduction

Preflop in poker refers to the stage before the community cards are dealt. It's the first round of betting in games like Hold'em and Omaha, where players decide whether to fold, call, or raise based only on their two-hole cards.

What is preflop?

The term “preflop” denotes “before the flop”. Preflop in poker refers to the initial betting round before the community cards (flop) are dealt at the table. The Preflop round plays a crucial role in determining how the players approach their starting hands. During the pre-flop, each player is dealt two face-down hole cards, and they decide to call, fold, or raise based on the strength of their hole cards. The decisions made during the pre-flop subsequently influence the flop, turn, and river.

Example of "Preflop"

Suppose you are sitting in a later position and have been dealt an Ace of Hearts and a King of Hearts. The player sitting to your left has already placed a big blind bet, and now it is your turn to act. You can either fold if you think your hand is not strong enough, call by matching the big blind to stay in the game, or even raise the bet to show that you have a strong hand. Your decision, along with the choices made by your fellow players, sets the stage for the next round when the community cards will be dealt.

What happens in the pre-flop round?

• Before the pre-flop, the two players to the left of the dealer button post mandatory bets known as the small blind and the big blind. These blinds ensure that there is some money in the pot to play for before players receive their cards.
• Once the blinds are posted, each participant player at the table gets their hole cards face down. The number of hole cards depends on the variant being played. For example, the players receive two hole cards in Texas Hold 'em.
• Starting to the left of the big blind, players make decisions based on the strength of their hole cards. They can choose to fold, call, or raise.
• The action proceeds around the table clockwise until all players have had the opportunity to act. Each player's decision is influenced by factors such as the strength of their hand, their position at the table, their opponents' moves, and the betting actions of those before them.

Preflop Scenarios

Fold: If players decide their hand is not strong enough to continue, they fold.

Call: By matching the current bet, a player remains in the hand and can win the pot at showdown.

Raise: A player may increase the bet, signalling confidence in their hand or attempting to bluff opponents into folding.

All-In: If a player does not have enough chips to match a bet, he may go all-in, betting all their remaining chips. Subsequent betting will create a side pot for other players still in the hand.

Conclusion of Preflop: The preflop round concludes when all players have either folded or called/raised the highest bet on the table. If there is more than one player remaining, the hand progresses to the next phase, the flop.

What is a Preflop Chart?

Preflop Poker charts display recommended actions for different starting hands in poker before any community cards are dealt. These charts guide players on how to play their hands based on mathematical probabilities.

Preflop Poker charts categorize starting hands into groups. The recommendations on the chart depend on the player's position at the table, the number of players in the hand, and the betting action before them. For example, when a player is in an early or middle position, a preflop chart might advise him to raise with strong hands like pocket pairs (e.g., AA, KK, or QQ), high-ranking suited connectors (e.g., AKs, KQs), and strong Ace-X hands (e.g., AQ, AJ). Moreover, it might suggest folding weaker hands like low-ranking suited connectors, low pocket pairs, and weak offsuit hands.

Preflop Opening Ranges

Preflop opening ranges define the hands a player chooses to play from each position at the table before the flop. These ranges help you identify which hands to invest money in and which ones to fold before the action begins to unfold.

Here’s a standard preflop opening range -

Early Position (UTG - Under the Gun)

Top 10-15% of hands, including strong pairs (AA-TT), strong Broadway hands (AK, AQ), and suited connectors.

Middle Position (MP)

The top 15-20% of hands include the above plus additional suited connectors, smaller pairs (99-22), and some weaker Broadway hands (KQ, AJ).

Late Position (CO - Cutoff and BTN - Button)

Top 20-30% of hands, including all of the above plus a wider range of suited connectors, suited aces, and suited one-gappers.

Small Blind (SB) and Big Blind (BB)

SB and BB will have different ranges due to their positional disadvantage. They typically play tighter ranges compared to other positions because they are out of position post-flop.

How to Use Preflop as Part of Your Poker Strategy

As the pre-flop round starts with the first round of betting, the amount at stake is not much in this round. The decisions you make in the pre-flop round affect the outcomes in the subsequent rounds, i.e., flop, turn and river rounds. Even a smaller mistake during this round can turn out to be a bigger problem post-flop. Hence, the players need to be extra careful in the pre-flop round.

Mostly, fishes make mistakes by overplaying the pre-flop round. As a general rule of thumb, 20-25% of the starting hands can be played during the pre-flop round, based on the poker variant being played. If you play more hands, there is a chance that you might face problems.

Preflop Raise Chart

A preflop raise chart guides players on which hands to raise from each position at the table. It lets players decide whether to enter the pot aggressively or passively before the flop.

Here's how a preflop raise chart might be structured:

Positional Awareness

The chart typically divides positions at the poker table into categories such as Early Position (EP), Middle Position (MP), Late Position (LP), and the Blinds (Small Blind and Big Blind).

Hand Strength

The chart lists various starting hands that are considered strong enough to raise within each positional category. These hands are ranked based on their relative strength in Texas Hold'em, considering factors like pairs, suitedness, and connectivity.

Color Coding or Grading

Some preflop raise charts use colour coding or grading systems to indicate the strength of each hand. For example, hands might be categorized as ‘Premium’, ’Strong’, ‘Playable’, or ‘Marginal’, with premium hands being the strongest and marginal hands being the weakest.

Heads Up Preflop Chart

It is a handy tool used by poker players, particularly in heads-up matches where only two players are involved. It outlines optimal strategies for different starting hands based on their relative strength and position. A heads-up preflop chart helps players make informed decisions before the flop, which is crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the hand.

Preflop calling ranges

It is the range of hands that a player should call a raise with before the flop. Typically, preflop calling ranges are narrower than raising ranges and include mostly medium to strong hands that have good potential to improve post-flop.

Preflop Equity

Preflop equity measures a player's chances of winning the hand before any community cards are dealt. It takes into account the strength of each player's starting hands and their likelihood of winning against each other. A preflop equity chart can help players determine whether to call, raise, or fold based on the expected value of their hand.

Preflop Odds

Regarding matchups like AK vs KK preflop odds, the odds depend on the situation, such as the number of players at the table and the action that has occurred before the flop. However, KK (pocket kings) will have a preflop advantage over AK (ace-king). In a heads-up scenario, KK will have an 80% chance of winning against AK before any community cards are dealt.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best preflop hand in poker?

Pocket Aces (AA) is the best pre-flop hand in the game. This hand offers the highest starting equity against any other single hand in the deck.

When should you raise preflop in poker?

You should raise in pre-flop when you have a strong hand that you believe has a good chance of being the best hand or when you want to gain control of the pot and narrow the field of players.

Can Small Blind raise preflop?

Yes, the small blind can raise pre-flop. They can fold, call, or raise like any other player. Raising from the small blind asserts aggression but requires strategic hand selection due to the positional disadvantage and the fact that the blind bet has already been committed.

What is RFI in poker?

In poker, RFI stands for ‘Raise First In. ' It refers to the first player to voluntarily raise the pot preflop.

Why is the Preflop stage important in poker?

The Preflop stage is important in poker because the first betting round begins in this stage, and the decisions made during the preflop influence the rest of the game.

Can I win a round of poker during the Preflop stage?

Yes, you can win the round if you are able to make all the other players fold their hands during the Preflop stage. Thus, you win the pot without having to go to the flop, turn and river round.

How does the Preflop stage differ in cash games and tournaments?

In cash games, players typically have deeper stacks and fixed blinds, allowing for more aggressive preflop play. On the other hand, in the tournaments, increasing blinds and the risk of getting eliminated makes players be more cautious with their stack management, often leading to different preflop strategies being used by professionals using ICM considerations.

Conclusion

A strong preflop strategy is important in setting the tone for the hand and improving your chances of success as the hand progresses. It requires focus, strategic thinking, risk assessment, and psychological insight into opponents' behaviour. If you are a new player, playing at low-stake tables is one of the best ways to learn how to develop a game plan as per the pre-flop round. The more you play, the more you learn.