Online Poker Hand Groupings

When discussing hand groupings you are usually talking about texas hold'em. Hand groupings is a term used to describe the hands that are more beneficial to play during a game. There are many theories as to which cards are more playable than others, and a good player knows that even with a good hand you can still lose. Before deciding whether to play a hand or not, it is best to take a look at your positioning to see if you start off with an advantage or a disadvantage.
For example, by playing first at a table you have less information to work with then if you were playing last. The last positioned player can see what everyone else bets and can then react accordingly. Therefore the last player has a lot more leeway with the hands he can choose to use. An early positioned player will not have that advantage and therefore cannot play some hands without throwing caution into the wind.

A player who is positioned early should really not be playing any other hands than AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 10 10, and combinations of them. Obviously having a combination that is suited is far superior to a combination that is offsuit. Make sure to be careful even with these hands because you will need to stand up against other player's bets if you hope to win a hand.

Those players that are a bit further along in positioning can open up their selection of hands a bit. You can use mid to low pair hands and even throw in a few consecutive suited cards. These players have the advantage of seeing whether it is worthwhile to make a move with an A and a low kicker. It is still advisable to act with caution because it is not given that someone will make a move on an AK suited and you might be walking into their winning hand. Some players assume it is a given that you must raise with pocket aces, but not every player will do so, preferring to set a trap for the other players.

Being positioned last, or near to it, is the biggest advantage a player can have at the table. These players have the advantage of playing any hand they feel has a shot at winning. Even if they do not hit, there is still the possibility of throwing in a well placed bluff and taking the hand. These players can play most hand groupings in texas hold'em.