Preflop Strategy: Which Hands to Play from Every Position

The single most impactful change you can make to your poker game is tightening your preflop hand selection. Most losing players play too many hands — if your VPIP is above 25%, you're bleeding money.

The TAG Approach

TAG stands for Tight-Aggressive. It means playing a small percentage of hands (tight) and betting/raising when you do play (aggressive). This is the most profitable style at micro-stakes.

Position Ranges

UTG (Under the Gun) — 6% of hands

This is the tightest position. You act first on every street, so you need the strongest hands.

That's it. Everything else — fold. No AJo, no KQo, no small pairs. Discipline wins.

MP (Middle Position) — 10%

Slightly wider than UTG, but still tight. Add a few more broadway combos.

CO (Cutoff) — 16%

Now we're talking. The CO is where you start opening wider, especially if everyone has folded.

BTN (Button) — 24%

The Button is the most profitable position in poker. You act last on every post-flop street, giving you maximum information. Open wide here!

SB (Small Blind) — 10%

The SB is a losing position. You're out of position for the entire hand. RAISE or FOLD — never limp from the SB.

BB (Big Blind) — 25%

The BB is special — you've already invested money, so you can defend wider against raises. But still be selective.

The 5 Cardinal Rules