Ep. 1 - Mastering Starting Hands in Texas Hold’em: A Simple Guide for MPL Players

If you’ve spent any time playing in the Misfits Poker League, you already know that no two tables play the same. Some nights are loose and wild, and others feel like everyone suddenly became a professional. But no matter what style you prefer—or whatever chaos your table brings—there’s one part of poker that never changes:

Good poker starts with good starting hands.

Choosing the right hands based on your position at the table is one of the biggest edges you can have in any game, whether it’s 9-handed, 6-handed, or somewhere in between.

In this post, we’ll break down what positions mean, which hands you should play from each of them, and how to adjust for full-ring (8 or 9-handed) and short-handed (6 or 7-handed) tables.

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Why Position Matters More Than You Think

In Texas Hold’em, position is everything. Sitting closer to the right of the button means you act later, see what other players do first, and make more informed decisions. Players in early position have less information and need stronger hands. Players in late position can get away with playing more speculative hands because they hold the informational advantage.

Here’s the golden rule:

The earlier your position, the tighter your starting hands should be.

The later your position, the wider your range can be.

Starting Hands for 9-Handed (Full-Ring) Tables

Early Position:

“Under the Gun” (UTG), “Under the Gun+1” (UTG+1)

These seats require premium strength. You’re acting before most of the table, so stay disciplined.

Play hands like:

• AA–TT

• AK, AQ

• Occasionally AJ or 99–88

TIP: If you’re new or unsure: stay tight and review the situation with an experienced player or dealer at the next break.

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Middle Position:

“Middle Position 1” (MP1), “Middle Position 2” (MP2), Hijack (HJ)

Now you can begin opening up your game.

Add hands like:

• AJ suited–AT suited, AJ off-suit–AToff-suit

• Mid-pairs: 99–77

• KQ, KJ

• Suited connectors like 98s or 87s

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Late Position:

“Cutoff” (CO), “Button” (BTN)

This is where you can really chip-up.

Play wide with:

• Any pair

• Most suited aces

• Broadways

• Suited kings, queens, and connectors

• Many hands become playable simply because “position is power”

TIP: On the button, you should raise more hands than anywhere else on the table.

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Blinds:

“Small Blind” (SB) & “Big Blind” (BB)

The small blind should generally raise or fold with a strong, polarized strategy.

The big blind, however, gets excellent pot odds and can defend very wide—up to half of all hands versus a small raise.

Starting Hands for 6-Handed (Short-Handed) Tables

Short-handed games play faster, looser, and more aggressively. Everyone must widen their ranges just to survive the blinds.

UTG (Early Position)

Think of this like middle position in a 9-handed game.

Open hands like:

• AA–77

• AK–AT

• KQ, KJs

• Some suited aces and suited connectors

Hijack, Cutoff, Button

Your freedom grows here.

Open most aces, broadways, pairs, suited kings, and connectors.

These spots are the king’s throne of poker seats.

Many winning players raise 60–70% of hands here at higher levels—because they can. You don’t need to go that far but be aggressive.

TIP: Most playable hands gain value when you act last.

Small Blind & Big Blind

The small blind should attack often but carefully.

The big blind should continue very wide versus small raises.

Overall Differences:

Factor	9-Handed	6-Handed
Starting ranges	Tighter	Wider
Action frequency	Lower	Higher
Pot types	More multi-way	Mostly heads-up
Patience required	High	Medium
Aggression level	Moderate	High

TIP: In short-handed play, you simply cannot wait for premium hands. You must embrace a more active style.

Common Mistakes Players Make

If you want to immediately improve your game in the MPL, avoid these:

❌ Playing weak aces in early position

❌ Limping (just calling the big blind) instead of raising, be smart and intentional with you raise

❌ Calling raises too lightly with off-suit broadways (AK,AQ,AJ,KQ,KJ)

❌ Folding too often from the big blind…Defend, defend, defend, but be smart about it!

❌ Not widening your range when the table is short-handed

These errors are incredibly common at pub-league and league-style games, fixing them gives you a real edge.

The MPL Advantage: Don't be a Donkey...Put the Odds in Your Favor

At Misfits Poker League events, the environment is fun, social, and welcoming, but make no mistake: smart players win more consistently. Starting hand discipline is the simplest and most reliable way to elevate your game without memorizing complicated strategies.

Think of positional ranges as your poker compass. They won’t play the hand for you, but they’ll point you in the right direction every time.

The Councilman's Final Thoughts

Poker isn’t about playing more hands, it’s about playing the right hands. By tightening up in early position, opening up in late position, and adjusting to whether you’re in a 9-handed, 6-handed, or anything in between, you’ll see improvements almost instantly.

This league is all about having fun, but you can play strategically to win and still have a great time. I hope this helps you either re-focus your game or give you a foundation to build the type of game that you find fun and a winning proposition.

Please feel free to use the interactive chart below to find the ranges that best suit your game style and preferences.