Doyle Brunsons pick of trash hands

A lot of talk about small connectors or gappers and Doyle Brunsons super system and well we all cannot play like Doyle but basically he says play it with intentions of bluffing and playing it hard. The man has no fear and will play any hand against us mere mortals and win with it so take his advice with a semblence of DISCIPLINE POSITION STUDY YOUR OPPONENTS and always THINK OF HOW YOUR GONNA PLAY THAT HAND AND WHY.

Chap. 3 / 11 - No Limit Hold'em: Trash Hands

ID: Doyle_Brunson
Type: lesson
Level: Basic

With the exception of an Ace or a King with any suited card ... I consider any hand I haven't already discussed to be a trash hand. An Ac-8c or a Kh-4h are hands that I put in the same category as the small connecting cards and I play them approximately the same way. For example, if the Flop was 9h-6c-2c, and I had the Ac-8c ... I'd have a Flush draw and an overcard. If I was in the pot against two Queens ... I'd be about even-money to win it. So I'd play my hand in that situation like I would with two small connecting cards that were suited (say the 9c-8c). That is, I'd play it fast ... and try to win the pot on the Flop because, once again, I'd have two shots to win it.

*However, the trouble hands suited or offsuit should be played the came way - slowly - unless you Flop a Flush or a Flush draw. Then, you can show some Speed.

But that's where I draw the line - with an Ace or a King and another suited card. After it passed the Ace and King ... if the two cards don't connect - even if they're suited - I consider them trash hands. Hands like a Qh-4h or Js-6s are trash.

Naturally, hands with non-connecting and offsuit cards such as Jh-5c, 1Os-3d, 9c-4h are obviously garbage. But, so are the offsuit hands such as K-9, Q-8, J-7, 10-6, 9-5, 8-4, 7-3 and 6-2 that a lot of people play because you can turn a Straight with them. I don't play those hands because if I got the best Flop I could to them (outside of a Full House) ... I could get broke with them by running into a bigger Straight. Consequently, I never play a hand when I have the top and bottom cards of a Straight - except when I'm in position.

I always make exceptions when I'm in position - even with the trash hands. For example, I might call a raise before the Flop if I was on the Button with a hand like A-8 (offsuit) - or any of the garbage hands - if enough (say, five) people were in the pot in front of me ... and I didn't think there'd be any more raises. I might call a small raise and take a turn with a trash hand because it's a good percentage play. I'd be trying to turn a Full, Trips or Two Pair. But, if I don't get a real good Flop to the hand ... I'll throw it away. I won't get involved and burn up a bunch of money with one of those trash hands. I'm not going to call any bets on the Flop. I'll be raising ... or I'll be gone.

I'd even raise with a trash hand if I was in position. More than that ... I'd play it fast after the Flop, too. If the guys in the early positions threw their hands away and someone in a middle position limped-in ... well, if I'm on the Button, I'd be in position and I'd raise it regardless of what two cards I have. And, if it was checked to me on the Flop ... I'd bet regardless of what flopped.

Obviously, I wouldn't be playing my hand because of its value. Trash hands have no value. I might as well be playing with two blank cards in this situation because all I'd be doing is playing my position and my opponent. I'd feel like he's got a weak hand to begin with (because he limped-in) and if he misses it ... I'll be able to pick the pot up.

Doyle Brunsons

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