Online poker players have sophisticated tools. Poker software programs like Poker Tracker analyze hand histories and give detailed statistics about you and your opponents.
Some very useful Texas holdem tips that such tracking software can provide is your level of pre-flop aggression. We’ll try and explain what it means and why it’s important.

What is Pre-Flop Aggression?

Pre-flop aggression represents how often and how much you raise before the flop in hold’em. The more and more often you raise pre-flop, the more aggressive you are.

Some players like to limp in and see a flop most of the time, while others like to try to end the hand as soon as possible by raising and re-raising.

The pre-flop aggression statistic will tell you which one you are and which ones your opponents are.

Why is Your Pre-Flop Aggression Important to Know?

If your win rate is not what you would like it to be, your level of pre-flop aggression may be responsible. You may be ending hands prematurely and shutting yourself out of the opportunity to win a big pot.

Or you may be putting a lot of money pre-flop with a hand that does not merit it.

Why is the Pre-Flop Aggression of Others Important to Know?

If you are a player that likes to see many flops and does not have a high level of pre-flop aggression, you generally do not want to get involved with games where there is a lot of pre-flop aggression, as your limps will become dead money when someone raises pre-flop.

On the other hand, if you have a very strong hand, you can safely bet or raise in these games knowing that there are players who may call with a weaker hand. However, if you find a game that is very passive pre-flop, you may have an opportunity to scoop up a lot of pre-flop dead money with frequent raises.

The importance of poker stats is all about what you do with them.