72o from UTG, first in — fold, call or raise?
The answer
Fold
fold
The math: 7-2 offsuit ≈ 35% vs a random hand, and real ranges aren’t random.
Why
The worst starting hand in poker plays badly against anything that continues. Folding junk early costs you nothing and saves your tough decisions for hands that can win.
The spot
- Your seat
- UTG
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- 7♦ 2♣
- Board
- Preflop — no board yet
- Pot
- POT · $3
- Action on you
- You’re first to act
Every option
FoldfoldCorrect
Calllimp $2
Why not: Limping $2 with the worst hand just donates money. You’ll miss most flops and fold anyway.
Raiseopen bigger
2bb · $4 · 2.5bb · $5 · 3bb · $6
Why not: Raising turns trash into a bigger loss: anyone who continues has you crushed.
The idea behind it
Most hands lose money long-term. The simplest edge in poker is playing fewer, stronger hands, especially from early position, where more players act after you.
Concept: Starting hands
Terms in this spot
Play it instead of reading it
The trainer deals this hand with hints, grading and spaced repetition — and randomized variations of it once you have seen it.