Short-handed starting hands

Limit hold'em, 4-6 players, pre-flop

These are the minimum hands to raise with. If a second hand is given, it is the minimum to call. Blanks are folds. "Open" means only blinds are in pot.

Hijack

Cutoff

Button

1/2 BB
Small blind

Big blind

Pot status

Open

Called

Raised

Open

Called

Raised

3 bet

Open

Called*

Raised*

3 bet

Open

Called

Raised

3 bet

*v. steal

Called

Raised

3 bet

v. steal

Pairs

77 55

77 22

JJ 44

99 22

TT 22

KK 77

TT 22

KK 77

77 22

Suited
connectors

JT T9

QJ 54

KQ JT

QJ 32

AK KQ

AK 54

JT 43

1 gap

KJ QT

KJ 75

KJ 42

-- AQ

-- 75

QT 53

2 gap

KT T7

KT 52

-- AJ

-- 96

KT 85

3 gap

AT Q8

AT J7

AT 62

-- T6

AT 95

Low ace*

A9 A2

A8 A2

-- A9

-- A2

A8 A2

Suited non- connectors

-- K8

All

-- K2

Unsuited
connectors

KQ 76

AK 76

QJ 65

1 gap

AQ T8

AQ KJ

-- 97

-- AQ

KJ 75

2 gap

AJ T7

-- J8

-- AJ

KT 96

3 gap

AT K9

-- AT

-- Q8

AT T6

Low ace*

-- A9

-- A7

-- A8

-- A2

*Kicker less
than 10.

*Generally raise, but consider calling with the lower hands vs. multiple opponents.

*A steal is an open raise from the CO, Btn., or SB.

The above chart is necessarily simplified; all it is meant to do is give sensible suggestions. There are myriad reasons to make different moves, especially in the blinds.

These recommendations assume strong play against decent opponents. Inexperienced players should tighten up. For example, mediocre players under-the-gun lose money on balance with pairs below 77.

The starting cards suggested for open pots and blinds are adapted from Winning in Tough Hold'em Games (2007, Grudzien and Herzog) p. 12-26. The rest are cobbled together from various sources.

Half-table seat positions and abbreviations

Holdem short-handed seat positions

Adjusting starting hands

As table conditions change, you should adjust the range of hands that you play. As a rough guide to adapting, you can tighten the cutoff to button standards, or loosen the button to use cutoff hands, etc.

Tighten up

your stealing against loose players who won't fold their blinds.
especially when tough opponents enter a pot.
if blinds keep three-betting your steals.
as more people enter the game.

Loosen up

stealing against tight players who often fold blinds.
as the table shrinks, steal more liberally
your calling standards vs. many limpers. If you can see the flop cheaply, play more speculative hands like low pairs and connectors, even more so at passive tables.