In chapter 5 of Advanced Texas Hold’em, David Hamms explains how table type (loose, typical, or tight) should strongly influence which starting hands you play, when you raise, and when you limp. The main idea is to match your pre-flop choices to how many opponents you’re likely to face and how often raises happen.
Using Opponent Count to Choose Hands
Hamms points readers to a win-percentage chart (in the appendix) that estimates how each starting hand performs against different numbers of opponents. He argues that this kind of reference helps you decide:
-
whether a hand is strong enough to enter the pot,
-
whether it should be played aggressively (raise),
-
and how position affects those decisions.
A repeated point: big pocket pairs are strongest against 1–2 opponents and lose value quickly as more players see the flop, which matters a lot in no-limit where your whole stack can be threatened.
Three Table Types and How They Change Your Strategy
Loose tables
Hamms defines loose games as ones where many players routinely see the flop and pre-flop raises are rare. In these games:
-
speculative hands (like suited connectors) can be playable if the expected win chance and implied odds justify it,
-
but you should usually avoid playing them early position because you can’t predict whether a raise will price you out,
-
and you still need to be careful about domination and hidden strength (someone limping with a monster).
His core message: in loose games, you often need a hand with enough equity to justify multi-way play, not just a hand that “might get lucky.”
Typical tables
These have a moderate number of players seeing flops and occasional pre-flop raises. Hamms warns that pre-flop raises eat into profit if you routinely limp with hands you can’t continue with. He suggests a useful self-check:
-
If you wouldn’t usually call a raise with this hand, don’t limp in with it.
This keeps you from donating blinds and small calls that add up over a session.
Tight tables
Tight games have few players seeing flops and frequent pre-flop raises, with many pots ending via a single continuation bet. Hamms’ guidance here is stricter:
-
you generally need stronger hands to continue versus raising ranges,
-
but stealing opportunities increase because opponents fold more,
-
and when heavy pre-flop action happens before you, beginners should mostly stick to top-tier hands.
Why Suited Connectors Can Rise in Value in Some Tight Spots
Hamms notes an interesting exception: in a tight game with multiple raisers, small suited connectors can sometimes perform better than people expect because:
-
multiple players holding big cards reduces each other’s top-pair potential (shared “blockers”),
-
your hand can win with straights/flushes that dominate one-pair outcomes,
-
and you can occasionally stack strong one-pair or overpair hands when you hit well.
But he stresses the downside: if high cards hit the board, your hand often becomes disposable, and even making two pair with small cards can still be vulnerable.
A Case Study: Speculation, Equity, and Vulnerability
Through a hand example, Hamms illustrates how speculative suited cards can crack premium pairs when the flop favors them, but also how risky the line is without the right price. The example highlights two lessons:
-
speculative hands rely on implied odds (winning big when you hit),
-
and small two-pair hands remain fragile because the board pairing can give a premium pair a way to catch up via a full house.
So even when you “hit,” you still have to evaluate how the board can turn against you.
“Pair Poker” and Isolating Opponents
Hamms emphasizes that many strong players lean into a style he describes as pair-focused, using raises to isolate one opponent rather than letting the whole table in. The logic:
-
pocket pairs gain value when you reduce opponent count,
-
your equity share is larger than your “share of the pot” in multi-way scenarios if your pair is strong,
-
and you can profit by forcing worse hands to make incorrect calls.
He also points out that pocket pairs often become races versus two overcards, so isolating the right opponent (and denying correct odds) matters.
Limping vs. Raising: When Each Makes Sense
Hamms frames limping and raising as tools, not habits:
Raise when:
-
you have a clear pre-flop edge and want fewer opponents,
-
you’re protecting equity (especially with premium pairs),
-
you want to deny correct drawing odds.
Limp when:
-
you have a speculative hand that needs multi-way implied odds,
-
you expect several callers behind you,
-
the table rarely raises pre-flop and you have position.
Tighten Up vs. Loosen Up Debate
Hamms presents the idea that loose tables often reward tightening up (because people call too wide), while tight tables may require loosening up (because fold equity is high). He also notes that some players choose the opposite—playing looser in loose games—to win unexpected big pots, but that approach increases bankroll swings.
Core Takeaway
Chapter 5 argues that starting-hand selection isn’t universal—it depends on how many players you’ll face, how often raising happens, and what kind of table you’re in. By choosing hands that match the table conditions and by actively shaping the number of opponents through raises (or choosing the right moments to limp), you create situations where the odds and expected value consistently lean in your favor.