An offsuit ace-10 is generally considered a decent hand, but it has obvious limitations. When sitting at an online poker table with this hand, you’ll need to choose your spots wisely. It has potential, but many beginners — and even some experienced players — make mistakes with it.

Like anything in poker, knowing how to make the most of this hand is pretty complex. But in this guide, you’ll learn how to approach it before the flop and pick up some postflop strategy tips. 

The Ace-10 Offsuit Hand

Like other types of poker hands, this one can be both good and bad — it depends on multiple factors. It does put you in a relatively strong position, regardless of the game type, as you can pick up some strong draws. While it’s obviously not as great as a pocket pair, it gives you a good chance of beating many starting hands. 

Unsuited ace hands with a 10 or above are also known as “Broadway” aces. As the lowest-ranked Broadway ace, it is also the hardest to play. It will generally beat weaker ace hands, but there’s a good chance that you could come up against something stronger. 

For this reason, you need to be more wary of your position and the ranges of your opponents. Playing strong hands is essential, but how you proceed preflop should depend on what else is happening at the table. 

Playing Preflop

Your preflop strategy here will change depending on many different factors. Unlike stronger Broadway aces, you can’t afford to simply raise without thinking. Although ace-10 is a decent poker hand, you risk putting yourself in a bad position if you don’t hit the flop. So, make sure you add the following scenarios to your preflop strategy checklist with this hand.

Unopened Pots

Raising is usually the best course of action if you’re facing an unopened pot and the action folds to you. You should raise in this situation from every position at a six-max table. However, fold from the two earliest positions if you’re playing a full-ring game.

Open Raises

When facing an open raise with this hand, make sure you think about position before making a decision. Both your own and your opponent’s positions are crucial, as your hand loses value when facing a raise. 

If any players in early positions raise, you should fold, as your hand isn’t strong enough to fight for the pot. However, this assumes they’re playing optimally. If you know they’re a loose player, you could potentially still call here. 

Whenever the raise comes from late position, you can comfortably call or even 3-bet in response. You may find that 3-betting is often the better strategy, as it reduces the chance of a multiway pot. 

3-Bets

In this situation, the best course of action is to fold. You simply don’t have the pot equity needed to call a 3-bet. While it’s possible to bluff with a 4-bet, it’s generally a risky move and has the potential to go badly wrong for you.

The only positions where you might consider 4-betting are when you’re in the cutoff or small blind. 

4-Bets

In any poker game, you should always fold with this hand when facing a 4-bet. Your equity and playability are too low, and there are very few situations where it would be profitable.

Postflop Strategy with the Offsuit Ace-10

Whether you hit or miss the flop will greatly affect your postflop strategy. Whether you’re playing in online poker tournaments or cash games, you need to prepare for either situation. Here are some of the most important tips to remember.

When You Hit the Flop

If you connect with the flop, you’re in a great position to take the pot down. However, you still need to exercise caution. Your strategy should always take opponent ranges into consideration. In addition, you may need to vary your strategy depending on your preflop actions. 

You should probably check-raise if the flop shows a 10 with no potential for straights or flushes. This is ideal when you’re up against overly aggressive players, and you’ll generally force most people to fold. Some opponents may call you, but they’ll generally have weaker pairs. 

Consider a small c-bet with an ace-high flop after 3-betting from the small blind. An ace-high flop is great for the small blind’s range. Catch your opponents in a tough spot where they’re likely to fold or call with a weaker hand. 

Lastly, taking care in multiway pots is essential, even when you hit the flop. Despite having top pair, you should play defensively when there are several opponents to consider. This is especially true if your initial bet on the flop is called or raised. 

When You Miss the Flop

Sometimes, the flop doesn’t go in your favor. However, it’s not necessarily a bad situation. If you flop a straight draw, you should bet most of the time when you’re in position. This is particularly true when you’re in a heads-up situation, as you’ll need to build the pot in case you hit the straight. 

If you’re in position after 3-betting preflop, you should continue that aggression by c-betting. You have the range and nut advantages after your 3-bet, which usually forces your opponent to fold. However, you should be less aggressive if the flop is low and coordinated.

Finally, if you’re defending against a continuation bet (also known as a c-bet), you should look for backdoor draws. These offer opportunities for bluffing, and you could still potentially make a strong hand. Check-call on the flop — and if you’re facing a c-bet, proceed only if you have a backdoor flush draw. 

Test Your Skills at Borgata Online

While it may not be the strongest starting hand, you could certainly do much worse than ace-10. In most cases, it’s better to play this hand rather than fold, though you must be mindful of what your opponents are doing. Postflop, there’s a lot to think about, but if you follow these tips, you should massively improve your chances of success. 

Apply your newly acquired knowledge in an online poker game today and register at Borgata Online.