My ranking system for Texas Hold’em

I created my system taking into account both theoretical strength of various cards and their combinations and existing preflop strategies. I’ve already mentioned that I used preflop tables from books by of Mathew Hilger and Ed Miller and 2+2 forum. The resulting system works quite well in almost any situation – except, probably, the blind play (it’s difficult topic because of blinds stealing and defense). Here is my system:

Points counting

1. Add the value of your two cards using the scale below:

  • Cards 2 to ten are worth their face value,
  • Jack – 12 points,
  • Queen – 14 points,
  • King – 16 points,
  • Ace – 22 points.

2. Add 22 points for pair.

3. Add 7 points for suited cards.

4. Add 7 points for connectors; for one-gap connectors or for connectors below 54 and higher JT add 2 points.

5. For broadway cards (cards from ten to ace) add 2 points, or if the broadway combination has an ace in it, add 7 points.

Decision making for full table

Basic points counting will give you a strategy for full table in middle position with 1-2 limpers before you. Based on total points you should make following decisions:

  1. Above 49 points – 3-bet (re-raise),
  2. 41-49 points – raise or cold-call of opponent’s raise,
  3. 32-40 points – limp (fold to raise before you).

Depending on the position and previous actions our strategy must change, and it’s better not to change combination count, but to switch the action criteria instead. For example, when we are first to act we would like to raise more and limp less. I want to introduce several modifiers that would adjust strategy depending on situation:

  1. Position modifier: -3 for early position, 0 for middle position, 7 for late position, 11 for blinds.
  2. Limpers modifier: 0 for 1-2 limpers, 2 for 3+ limpers or for loose table with above 50% flop seen and rare preflop raises.
  3. “First to act” modifier: 2+position modifier (so if you are first to act in late position that modifier=2+7=9). If you are not first, then it’s zero.

After getting modifiers you can make the final decision:

  1. 3-bet – above 49 points (modifiers are not used),
  2. Raise – above 40 - “first to act” modifier (you can use one exception in loose play and subtract additional 4 points for loose tables),
  3. Limp – above 30-position modifier-limpers modifier.

Decision making for short table

Short table play is much more aggressive. I must say that except for blinds you can choose between two options: raise or fold, and you can forget about the “call” button. Here is the basic strategy for the early position:

  1. Above 39 points – 3-bet (re-raise),
  2. 36-39 points – raise (fold to opponents raise before you!),
  3. 26-35 points – call one raise from big blind and complete from small blind. Fold from other positions.

We have only one modifier here. You can forget about number of limpers, but we are interested if we are the first to act. Depending on the position “first to act” modifier equals: 0 for early position, 5 for middle position, 12 for late position. So you can raise when having more then 35-modifier points.

Examples

You are playing full table and having QTs after two limpers in late position. Let’s make points calculation for the hand: Q=14, T=10, s=7, broadway cards without ace=2, one-gap connector=2, total 35. Position modifier=7, other modifiers=0. Taking into account the table length and modifiers we will get ranges for decision making: above 50 – re-raise, above 40 – raise, above 31-7=24 – limp. Our 35 points are in limp range, so we should call.

Same hand as above, but everybody fold before you. The hand has the same 35 points, but modifiers are a little bit different. Position modifier is 7, and “first to act” modifier is 2+7=9. Ranges for decision-making are: above 50 – reraise, above 40-9=31 – raise, above 31-7=24 – limp. Our 35 points are in raise range this time, so we should raise.

Same pocket cards, but it’s early position of the short table. Modifier is zero for early position so we should check the basic rule. You can see that our 35 points are below 36 raise margin, so we should fold.

You are playing short table with A2s and everyone folded to you. Let’s make points calculation for the hand: A=22, 2=2, s=7, total 31 points (you can add 2 points as for connector below 54 but it won’t be a big mistake not to do it, so you can skip it for simplicity). For the middle position modifier equals 5. Decisions should be made like this: re-raise above 39, raise above 35-5=30, fold up to 30 points. So you must raise with A2s.

Known issues

Let me begin with the general stuff. As any other preflop strategy, this one does not take into account the playing style of specific players around you. Your hand has 40 points which is enough for raise/cold-call, but the raise before you was from a very tight-passive player, so it’s better to fold the borderline hand. If you prefer the tight style you can raise limp border a little, if you are aggressive – lower raise border, etc.

Now I’d like to tell about certain shortcomings of the system. Unfortunately unified ranking system can’t evaluate perfectly the strength of all 169 combinations in any situation. So I want you to keep in mind the following:

  1. I didn’t place 4-bet hands into the table – I hope it’s not hard to remember those high hands. They are AA, KK, QQ, AKs for the full table and the same plus JJ, AK for the short table.
  2. AK is worth 3-bet in any situation (table gives a just raise for it),
  3. Except for the blinds you shouldn’t play hands below Q8s, J8s , A9, KT (I mean hands like Q2s, J6s or A2; however, you can play 67s or JT as suited connectors become more profitable in loose game),
  4. On the short table after limper(s) you can limp with any pocket pair and middle suited connectors.

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