Tip #10 - Don't call raises with unsuited big cards like K-J or Q-J
Many players get into trouble by calling raises with hands like K-J offsuit or Q-J offsuit. While these hands might look attractive because they contain high cards, they are actually quite weak when facing a raise. There are several problems with calling raises with these hands:
- They are often dominated by better hands (K-J loses badly to A-K, K-Q)
- When you hit your top pair, you often won't know where you stand
- Without the suit, you have no backup plan - you're relying entirely on hitting top pair
- Even when you hit your top pair, you often have kicker problems
For example, suppose you call a raise with K-J offsuit and the flop comes K-7-2. This might seem like a good flop, but you're in a tough spot. If your opponent has A-K or K-Q, you're drawing to three outs at best. If they have a smaller king, you're ahead but might face difficult decisions on later streets. And if they have a bigger pair, you're way behind.
Instead of calling raises with these hands, you should usually:
- Fold them when facing a raise from early position
- Consider raising with them yourself when first in from late position
- Play them more liberally when suited, as the flush draw gives you additional ways to win
- Call with them only when getting excellent pot odds and in position against weak players
Remember that in poker, it's not just about having good cards - it's about having hands that can win big pots when you hit and lose small pots when you miss. Hands like K-J offsuit tend to win small pots when you're ahead and lose big pots when you're behind, making them poor candidates for calling raises.