Thinking About Poker Basics

The more poker I play the more I seem to get confused.  What constitutes a good hand?  When should you raise?  How much?  I do not seem to get the results I want (although I do make a heck of a lot of final tables) but how do I improve my play/results?  I watch players rake big pots with hands I would cheerfully throw away, then I lose with what I consider premium holdings.  I was thinking about hand selection this morning and have a few comments:

1.  Here is what I consider premium hands.

• Big Pairs.  By that I mean only three hands:  AA, KK, QQ (and am soft on this one)
• Big suited connectors:  AK, AQ, AJ, KQ, QJ, and sometimes J10.  Note that these are all broadway cards.  I could include A10 in this mix, but I am not bullish on it, nor on AJ as I see too many people felted with these holdings.
• Medium pairs:  JJ, 1010, 99, 88.  These pairs often get you in big trouble as any raise you make short of all-in will miss your hand most of the time and find an overcard nearly 100% of the time.  Any time you raise and are called you can expect one of the above mentioned premium hands to call and probably beat you.  An all in bet really is a semi-bluff, though you probably have the best hand pre-flop.
• Suited connectors:  10/9, 9/8, 8/7, 7/6.  The smaller connectors do not seem to me as winners often enough.
• Small pairs:  77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22.  These can be powerful hands, but usually only when they hit sets.  I like to play these very, very cautiously.   

All other hands could be viewed as "situational hands"....those gapped suited connectors like Q/10, J9, etc.  Single gappers can be good, particularly if higher ranks.  The suitedness does not help much if you are counting on winning with a flush.  The do make sneaky straights, but require hitting the gap.  Same goes for two gappers, but you obviously need to hit both cards in the middle.  Two pair hands are pretty good usually when you play these....but consider that you might be in deep straight trouble with people playing the connectors of 6/7 when you have 5/8.  You will probably win most of the time, but playing for a big pot with someone with a lot of outs.  When I speak of situational hands, most of the time I like these in unraised pots in the blinds or button...never in early or middle position.

The only other hands worth mentioning are the suited aces.  I like all of them except A/6 & A/7 due to the low kicker value.  They just get you in trouble most of the time.  The low suited aces are valuable for wheel draws, which add a little something-something.  A/8 and A/9 have fair kicker value.

Why do I list these obvious things?  Just trying to keep in the front of my mind which are playable hands.  We often get drawn into playing stuff that frankly is totally speculative, particularly if playing loose in the blinds.  My tendency is to muck nearly all blind hands unless they are premium, and even some of those against a raise.  I will raise the big blind if folded to my SB with these, but sometimes it is just as good to limp and hope for a raise so I can put in a big re-raise.  That said, limping is usually very lame as you may give the 9/2 a free shot at flopping two pair or trips...and that is not good if he would have folded pre-flop.