Stop Donating Chips Before the Flop

A practical starting-hand system for folding trouble, raising with purpose, and reaching the flop with a plan.

Your cards are only half the decision

A tempting hand can become a costly second-best hand when several players remain to act. From early position, favor strong pairs, strong aces, and high connected cards. Near the cutoff and button, position lets you responsibly widen that range.

Do not pay merely to be curious

Repeated calls create expensive guesses. Open-raising can win immediately and asks opponents to make the difficult decision. Use a consistent raise size, tighten against early action, and avoid large calls with easily dominated holdings.

The profitable-looking move is often the fold

Better preflop play is not about entering more pots. Refuse marginal spots now and preserve aggression for hands that can support it across later streets.