Poker - Poor starting hands

I think I read this from Doyle Brunson... A King-Queen off suit is the most over rated starting hand in Holdem.... I'm not sure if he gave a detailed explanation, but I recently saw this. (I wasn't in the hand.)

The cards were dealt and the player in position 5, a mid position, made it two bets. Position 8 and the button called as did the Big Blind. I later found that the raiser had Kh-Qd.. The flop came Kc-4s-7h... The Big Blind checked, position 5 bet and was called by position 8 and the button. The Big Blind folded. The next card was a Jd. Position 5 bet and position 8 raised.. The Button folded and Position 5 called. The river was a 3c. Position 5 checked, Position 8 bet and was called by 5. Position 8 turned over A-K and took the pot.

Simply put, Position 8 had the best kicker. The guy on the button noted that position 5 would have been better off with a Q on the flop, which was true but not appreciated by the player in position 5...

I didn't see much wrong with position 5's play. It was a limit game so the maximum cost of the mistake was one bet. But in No Limit it would have been dreadful. Position 8 bet the river for value, which I probably would not have done. Position 5 could have raised on a small pair and flopped a set, or made a set or two pair when the Jd came on the turn, in which case I would have been trapped for three bets. Risking two for a return of one doesn't appeal to me.

Also the "one bet mistake" is more important than players sometimes think. If you can save 5 "mistakes" in a 20-40 game that is $200, which is a nice piece of change.

But the real problem with K-Q is that it sets you up to win a small pot or lose a large one. Many people play A-J, A-T, T-9, J-T, A-Q, especially if suited. So a two pair flop of K-Q means that someone is likely to be drawing a strong hand against you.

Am I saying I won't play it? Nope. Just that I won't raise before the flop unless I'm in very late position against only the blinds.

BTW - If you have never read Brunson and are interested in poker, you should Google him up and buy his books. Even if you don't play they are well written and interesting.