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FLHE Starting Hand Chart, Full Ring
How to play hands pre-flop in 10handed Fixed Limit Holdem
| Hands: | Early Position | Middle Position | Late Position | Small Blind | Big Blind |
| AA, KK, QQ | R-R---R-R | R-R---R-R | R-R---R-R | R-R---R-R | -R---R-R |
| JJ | R-C---C-C | R-C---C-C | R-R---R-C | R-R---R-C | -R---C-C |
| TT | C-C---F-F | R-C---C-F | R-R---R-C | R-C---C-C | -C---C-C |
| 99 | C-C---F-F | C-C---F-F | R-C---C-F | R-C---C-C | -C---C-C |
| 88, 77 | C-C---F-F | F-C---F-F | R-C---C3-F | R-C---C3-F | -C---C-F |
| 66, 55 | F-C---F-F | F-C2---F-F | F-C2---C4-F | R-C---C3-F | -C---C-F |
| 44, 33, 22 | F-C---F-F | F-C3---F-F | F-C2---C4-F | R-C---C3-F | -C---C-F |
| AK | R-R---R-C | R-R---R-C | R-R---R-C | R-R---R-C | -R---R-C |
| AQ | R-R---C-F | R-R---C-C | R-R---C-C | R-R---C-C | -R---C-C |
| AJs | R-R---F-F | R-R---C-F | R-R---C-F | R-R---C-F | -R---C-F |
| AJ | C-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-R---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| AT | C-F---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-R---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| A9s-A7s | F-C---F-F | C-C---F-F | R-R---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| A9 | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | R-R---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---F-F |
| A6s-A2s | F-F---F-F | F-C---F-F | R-R---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| KQs | C-C---F-F | C-C---F-F | R-R---C-F | R-R---C2-F | -R---C-C |
| KQ | F-F---F-F | C-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-R---F-F | -C---C-F |
| KJs | F-C---F-F | C-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-C---C4-F | -C---C-F |
| KJ | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C2-F |
| KTs | F-F---F-F | F-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| KT | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C2-F |
| K9s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C2---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| K8s-K2s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C4---F-F | F-C---F-F | -C---C3-F |
| QJs | F-C---F-F | F-C---F-F | R-C---C4-F | R-C---C4-F | -C---C-F |
| QJ | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| QTs | F-F---F-F | F-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C-F |
| Q9s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C2-F |
| Q8s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C---F-F | -C---C2-F |
| Q7s-Q2s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | -C3---F-F |
| JTs | F-F---F-F | F-C2---F-F | R-C---C4-F | R-C---C4-F | -C---C-F |
| JT | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C2-F |
J9s |
F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | F-C2---F-F | R-C---F-F | -C---C2-F |
J8s |
F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C4---F-F | F-C---F-F | -C---C3-F |
J7s |
F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | -C---C5-F |
| T9s | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | F-C2---C5-F | R-C---C5-F | -C---C2-F |
| T9 | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C---F-F | -C---C3-F |
| T8s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | C-C---F-F | -C---C3-F |
| T7s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C---F-F | -C---C4-F |
| 98s | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | F-C3---C5-F | C-C---C5-F | -C---C2-F |
| 98, 97s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C2---F-F | -C---C3-F |
| 96s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C4---F-F | -C---C5-F |
| 87s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C4---F-F | C-C---C6-F | -C---C3-F |
| 87, 86s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | -C---C4-F |
| 85s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C4---F-F | -C---C6-F |
| 76s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C4---F-F | C-C---C6-F | -C---C3-F |
| 76, 75s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | -C---C4-F |
| 65s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C2---F-F | -C---C3-F |
| 65 64s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C3---F-F | -C---C5-F |
| 54s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C2---F-F | -C---C4-F |
| 54, 53s,43s | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-F---F-F | F-C4---F-F | -C---C6-F |
About the Starting Hand Chart (SHC).
The SHC is a basic guideline for new players who want to start out with the most lucrative game for beginners, 10handed Fixed Limit Hold'em. When I decided to go pro, I quickly blew my bankroll, borrowed $1000 from a friend, and started taking poker seriously. I bought two poker books, and went from $5/10 down to $2/4 FLHE and followed this SHC 100% of the time. From the first month I was making $3000/month! All by following these basic guidelines for pre-flop play, as well as the advice provided in the poker books for the later streets.
How do you work with the SHC?
When looking at it, you see two different columns. One is representing the whole cards that have been dealt to you and the other stands for the position on the table you find yourself in.
The first thing you have to do is to find the row with the cards you´ve been dealt. (Every hand that doesn't appear in the SHC should be folded in all situations.) Secondly you have to locate the position you´re in on the table:
Early position: 3 positions called “Under the gun” (UTG), “UTG +1” and "UTG +2". The player sitting UTG is the one immediately located to the left of the BB and therefore is the first to act after the whole-cards have been dealt.
Middle position: 3 positions called middle position. They are located between UTG + 1 and the Cut Off position.
Late position: 2 positions called Button and Cut Off. When the dealer button is in front of you, you´re the last player to act before the blinds pre-flop and the last player to act after the flop has been dealt. The Cut Off-position is the spot seated directly to the right of the dealer-button. The player sitting there is the second to last player to act before the blinds pre-flop and the second to last player to act after the flop has been dealt.
Small Blind: The Small Blind is forced to invest half the bet of the BB, meaning he only has to call ½ BB to see the flop if no one has raised - or 1½ if someone has. The small blind is the last one to act before the BB pre-flop and the first one on the flop - and all additional streets
Big Blind: The Big Blind is forced to invest a full bet pre-flop, meaning he doesn't have to put out any additional chips to see the flop if no one has raised - or 1 BB more if someone has. The Big Blind is the last one to act before the flop and the second(after SB) on the flop - and all additional streets!
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After identifying your hand and determining your position, you then find a four letter combination when looking at the SHC. Every letter is an abbreviation of the action you should take: (F)olding, (C)alling (Checking in certain situations when you've already paid the BB) or (R)aising. "C2" means that you should only call if there are already 2 or more players in the pot (besides the blinds). C means that you should call, but can reraise if the raiser is in late position. Equally, F means that you should fold, but can reraise if the raiser is in late position trying to steal the pot.
When looking at the SHC, you see four different letters, e.g. R-R---C3-F. Every letter, and therefore every recommended move, reflects the previous action on the table during the hand:
The 1st letter represents the scenario of everybody folding their hands, meaning you would be the first person betting. (This letter doesn't exist for Big Blind as this would mean everyone has folded and you've won the pot.)
The 2nd letter represents the scenario of having at least one caller before you.
The 3rd letter represents the scenario of having a raise before you.
The 4th letter represents the scenario of having a reraise before you.
Now that you know how to read the SHC, let me give you a brief example:
You've been dealt 55 and you´re sitting on the Cut Off-position, meaning the button is located directly to your left. In order to use our SHC you take a look at the “Hands” column and find the field 66, 55”. Then you locate the “Late position” collum and find the following letters: “F-C2---C4-F”. These letters mean that you: 1) Fold if you´re the first one getting involved in the hand, 2) call when you´ve seen at least two opponents call, 3) call if there's a raise, but at least 4 other players involved and 4) fold your hand if there has been a raise AND a reraise before you.
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