Starting Hands in No-Limit Hold’em: How to Play QJ

King-Jack might be the most troublesome “trouble hand” in No-Limit Texas Hold’em, but Queen-Jack has to be a close second. If you squint hard enough, you see a strong starting hand – connected, even. Make that QJ suited, and you’ve got the No. 16 hand in terms of hot-and-cold equity, at least by some measurements. 

Don’t get fooled by all that paint. Queen-Jack falls to No. 28 on the Hold’em charts when it’s unsuited, barely cracking the Top 15% of starting hands in terms of strength. And without those suited cards to bail you out, your 55-65% equity versus all those baby multi-gap connectors Daniel Negreanu loves so much is anything but robust.

Now that we’ve warned you about the perils of Queen-Jack, here’s the good news: This is an easy hand to play when playing poker online and in person. Or at least it can be, if you follow my GTO-ish pre-flop Hold’em strategy.

When Should I Raise With QJ?

Open-raise from any seat at the table if you’re suited. If you’ve got QJo, consider folding if you’re in the lojack or earlier, unless you think your opponents are weak enough to make it a profitable venture – or you’re playing microstakes online poker and you want to work on your post-flop skills, or any of the other myriad reasons you shouldn’t play GTO poker.

You’ll never make any other pre-flop raises with Queen-Jack offsuit, or almost never at least, as we’ll see in a moment. Even when you’re suited, the only “100% always” PokerSnowie spots (6-max cash, 100bb deep, etc.) for 3-betting QJs are when you’re in the blinds; for the small blind, it’s against the hijack, cut-off and button, and for the big blind, it’s against the cut-off, button and small blind.

There will be no 4-betting. Don’t even think about it; chances are your QJ is dominated at this point by any one of AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AQ, KQ, AJ, or maybe even KJ. They’re not going to have many hands that you dominate in turn – maybe QTs? JTs? Just don’t do it.

When Should I Call With QJ?

A substantial amount when you’re suited. Here’s my list of 100% always pre-flop calls with QJs:

• after you open-raise and get 3-bet (no other players)
• on the button, vs. cut-off open
• in the small blind, vs. lojack open
• when facing a 4-bet while in the hijack, cut-off or button
• when facing a 4-bet SB vs. BU, BB vs. BU, or BB vs. SB

You could go ahead and “overcall” every time you have QJs in position as a simplified strategy, but there is some room for aggression in those spots – stay tuned. As for QJo, only call if you’re in the big blind facing an open-raise, or in the button or small blind facing a 3-bet.

When Should I Use a Mixed Strategy With QJ?

Okay, I lied about that QJo call: Every once in a very long while, if you’re on the button and your opponent is in the small blind, you can 3-bet very light indeed with this janky hand. You can also raise the slightest smidge if you’re in the lojack or hijack, and the big blind 3-bets you – but you “should” almost always fold here.

It’s also not a 100% always call with QJo when you’re in the big blind. If your opponent is on the button, their range is weak enough that you can reach way down deep into your fanny pack of 3-bets. Maybe do it about one time in seven, but call the rest.

Queen-Jack suited definitely gives you more room for shenanigans. Instead of overcalling in position, why not raise? Snowie would prefer you attack the lojack more aggressively than the hijack, especially when you’re on the button and guaranteed to have position on everyone post-flop. Chalk it up to blocker effects and the weaker hijack range.

For completeness sake, be sure to call here and there from the big blind with QJs instead of 3-betting, if you’re up against an open-raise from earlier than the cut-off. Your “here” and “there” should be logical spots based on your reads of the other players and other game dynamics. For the love of Daniel, don’t use your wristwatch to pick a play at random; ease off the GTO pedal, free your mind for better things, and check back in with us here at Joe Wager for our next Hold’em starting hand.