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There’s three ways to play Jacks preflop – and all of them are wrong

Aside from “don’t fold the nuts on the river,” very rarely is anything in poker a slam dunk piece of advice. But I think I’ve come the closest thing to it. Now, I can’t take credit for coming up with this and perhaps you’ve heard it already but here it is anyway: “There are 3 ways to play Jacks preflop and they’re all wrong.”

A friend of mine, known in the poker world as “Candyman,” heard someone say it at a 2-5 no limit game and he rushed over to my game to tell me about it. “John, you have to write an article on THAT!” It’s not too often I ‘must’ do anything but I will cater to my rabid fans one time only ; ) Let’s see if this piece of advice is an alley-oop or a dribbler off our foot and out of bounds.

First things first. What are the three ways to play Jacks preflop in no limit Texas Hold’em? Um, there’s more than 3 ways given all the possibilities of game types, opponents, opponents’ betting, etc.

But if I was asked that question “what are the 3 ways to play Jacks preflop” I’d immediately shoot back ‘in what position?’ But let’s cover the basics. You obviously can call, raise or fold. For the sake of keeping this article out of overtime, AKA under 10,000 words, let’s isolate this situation to playing Jacks under the gun against a full table (8 or more opponents) THAT you have NO info on. And we’re only concerned with your initial decision. Calling with the intent of reraising or raising with the intent of calling the reraise or better yet folding with the intent of calling but being too chicken and you’ll do it next time? Another article.

Well, this seems to be a most extreme starting condition for Jacks. So let’s light up the scoreboard and see what plays out.

Why Calling (limping) with Jacks UG is wrong

• You’re allowing worse hands to come in for a very cheap price (1 point)
• If someone behind you raises you are in a very awkward spot (1 point)
• You’re playing the whole hand out of position, possibly against a large field of random hands (2 points)
• An over card will hit the flop more than 50% of the time (2 points)
• When you have an overpair and get any action you’re probably facing some draws or two pair, so there’s no good turn card for you (3 points)

Total score 7 points

Why Calling with Jacks UG is right

• You get in for the minimum and see what everyone else does before committing a lot of money (1 point)
• When you flop a set chances are someone has top pair and you can make some money (2 points)
• If you go to showdown, your limp with Jacks may allow you to limp UG with weaker hands later in the game (1 point)
• Umm, you just can’t fold can you? (.5 points)

Total score 4.5 points

7 to 4.5. It appears calling with Jacks is wrong.

Why Raising with Jacks is Wrong

• You are giving up the strength of your hand (.5 points)
• Your raise is attacking one big and one small blind and that’ not a lot (1 point)
• Your raise will still probably price people in to draw at your stack (1 point)
• You’re likely crushed by a hand that reraises you but you can’t be sure (1 point)
• You’ll be out of position the WHOLE hand against better than average starting hands (2 points)
• An Ace, King or Queen will flop more than 50% of the time (1 point)
• When the board is under your Jacks, you’re probably getting action from a draw or a real big draw like two overs and a flush (1 point)

Total score 7.5 points

Why Raising with Jacks is Right

• You charge lesser hands a premium to see a flop (1 point)
• You MIGHT get small pocket pairs and hands with an over to fold instead of out-flopping you (like AT, KT, KQ) (1 point)
• You’ll probably get bigger hands like AA, KK, QQ to reveal their strength early in the hand (2 points)
• Your hand plays best against a small field and your raise increases the chances of that (1 point)
• You can’t fold Jacks can you? (.5 points)

Total score 5.5 points

Hmm, a trend. 7.5 to 5.5. It also appears raising with Jacks is wrong. Folding Jacks? Let’s see.

Why Folding Jacks is Wrong

• Most of the time you’re going to have the best hand preflop (5 points)
• When you flop a set, you’re probably going to make some money against an opponent who over plays top pair A, K or Q (1 point)
• Even though one over card is likely to hit the flop, that doesn’t mean it hit your opponent(s) (.5 points)
• You can’t fold Jacks preflop, can you? (.5 points)

Total score 7 points

Why Folding Jacks Preflop is Right

• You’ll play the whole hand out of position (2 points)
• Unless you’ve flopped a set, you really can’t feel good about your hand if you get any action (2 points)
• You will establish a super-tight image and that can be good for you when you play your button (1 point)
• Umm, you can’t fold Jacks and I know it (-3 points)

Total score 2 points

So, that’s 3 of 3 ways to play Jacks preflop all wrong. Strangely enough, Jacks are one of those in-betweeners that are all wrong to players who don’t play at a high enough level on all streets. Good players love to play Jacks because it gives them a chance to showcase their skill.

So how can you play Jacks preflop right? There’s no one right answer and I think the truth lies in your image and comfort level playing out of position.

I know you don’t want to fold. Although it wasn’t discussed in this article, I prefer limping with the intent of reraising. In that spot if I get re-re-raised I can fold thinking I’m beat or barely ahead. And sometimes I get QQ to fold thinking they’re up against Aces or Kings. But I’d rather lose that initial investment rather than see a flop and overplay an overpair when I’m crushed.

Slam dunk?

I think so. So when you look down and see Jacks under the gun remember that no matter what you do, your first decision is probably pretty marginal at best.

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