[butrflynlambie]

The one area I have trouble playing is the low pocket pairs.

Anything under a pocket 10, I run into potential problems. I see alot of players going all in on these same hands and for the most part seem to fair much better than myself.

What is the general strategy with pocket pair playing.

Thanks!!

[vrecksler]

I am also a person who struggles with the low PP (other than 4's, which have been gold for me) and I have been trying to address one key problem when dealt these hands.

1. Poor position.

Not sure what it is about a PP, even a low one, but when someone raises I ALWAYS want to call and hit that magical set. Unfortunately it is only supposed to happen 1 in every 7 or 8 tries, so in most cases I am check folding when the flop brings overs and the raiser has position on me, and this is a major leak for me. If it is folded to me I am comfortable playing them, opening for a raise or just limping, because I have position after the flop.

In general if I am in early position and I think the pot will not be raised I will call but if I notice any aggressive players behind me (megabit, w16227, etc.) I tend more towards folding. Aggressive players are not bothered by one, two, even three limpers ahead of them, they will raise with their usual junk to gain position and force you to put more money in the pot or get you to fold.

In middle position and no one has entered the pot, I tend towards raising but also call as well to mix up my play. If there has already been a limper before me, again I will see who is left to act before deciding if a call is appropriate.

In late position, I will open with a raise almost every time.

In the blinds, I will call if it is a smallish raise or if it has been raised a called and I am getting good odds. Every once in awhile I will re-raise to defend my BB with a small PP if I have been attacked a lot.

I am sure you will get a lot better advice from some of the more knowledgeable and better skilled players, and I am eager to read what they say.

[OnTheButton]

For me:

PP 9's or better, I'm raising from any position, unless there is a raise or re-raise already to call. Then you have to evaluate the players and the way they play, and hope you have a general idea of what type of cards those players will re-raise with.

Under PP 9's, and I'm trying to limp in to see the flop, but won't typically pay more than 3x BB to see it. More or less. I want to see a flop for as cheap as possible in hopes of tripping up. I won't EVER chase an under PP past the flop unless the betting justifies that I should buy another card.

IMO I want to isolate with a strong PP, (9's and over for me) and hope that my raising results in being up against one other hand that hopefully has unpaired overcards. If not, (and there is more than one caller) I didn't bet enough. Of course I can always end up playing against a higher PP but dangit, that's poker.

Unless I have AA or KK I'll lay down just about any lesser PP if the action means I might be crippled or out by making the call. But then again if I'm in a tournament, and short stacked, I'll race all-in with any PP against any percieved overcards (based on player observations) if it means I double up or go out.

It is gambling afterall, and if the odds and your evaluation seem to be correct, then gamble away!

[Chiproll]

I was watching a show with some pro's and the general concensus seemed to be at a full table, you want to limp in w/ pockets, maybe call 2x the blind, and fold at the flop if you don't hit trips and your single or double over carded and you are being raised. Another video I saw says raise (min to 2x the blind) if you are first to act and there is only one overcard. Otherwise check/fold. Basically don't get too cute. If you hit trips, and there is no flush/straight possible already, you want to bet big and hope any callers are chasing (which should put you about 75% to win if they are). In other words your set should hold up more often than not.

And as you described they considered any pair 99 or below a small pair and not to raise pre flop. Most recomend only raising with TT or better even though that isn't typically how you might see some pro's play on TV. I won't even go into how player "types", table image and reads would come into play.

Two of the most important lessons i try to apply when i hit top pair or have a middle pocket pair are:

Its okay to fold the best hand and
Poker is about the long run, not just one hand at a time.

Sure you can get drawn out on or bluffed off your hand, but if you play consistently you will be ahead in the long run, despite the occasional suckout. Also its easier to fold if you haven't raise your marginally good hand too strongly.

[Chiproll]

Originally Posted by OnTheButton

For me:

Unless I have AA or KK I'll lay down just about any lesser PP if the action means I might be crippled or out by making the call. But then again if I'm in a tournament, and short stacked, I'll race all-in with any PP against any percieved overcards (based on player observations) if it means I double up or go out.

I would confer with this advice as applicable to tournament play, short stacked, etc. Especially in late position with no raises in front and you have less than 5x the current big blind, I push here w/ any pair. So what if somebody checks you with aces, thats poker.

[_GUN_]

Originally Posted by Chiproll

I was watching a show with some pro's and the general concensus seemed to be at a full table, you want to limp in w/ pockets, maybe call 2x the blind, and fold at the flop if you don't hit trips and your single or double over carded and you are being raised.

And as you described they considered any pair 99 or below a small pair and not to raise pre flop. Most recomend only raising with TT or better even though that isn't typically how you might see some pro's play on TV.

You're talking Learn From the Pros on FSN, I would have to assume.

As you mentioned, you will often see pros play contrary to that advice.

If you're 9-handed and you get 8-8 or 9-9 and you're 4th to act, with folds in front of you, then I believe you need to raise. You don't need to let hands like A5 suited and K-10 offsuit limp behind you and then bluff you on a Q-J-2 flop. There are only three players left, who have position on you, and I like to push them out with those hands. If you raise with 8-8 and get an 8-6-5 board, your opponent may likely put you on overs and reraise your flop bet. It's important to keep people guessing. If you limp with pocket pairs and never raise, then they'll know you hold a hand like 5-5, every time you limp.

I hate players limping with 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 from UTG, UTG2, UTG3. On about 85% of the flops you'll see, you will have no idea where you stand and it costs you like an extra blind. It's important to consider how likely a pre-flop raise is, because if people are going to play aggressively pre-flop, then you need to be throwing these away before calling.

I also like to see players lead with sets when they connect with small pairs, when facing advanced players.

example: J-9-5 (you hold 5-5), you don't believe your opponent will put you on a jack, so you lead here, hoping they'll sense a steal and raise, or call with the intent to bluff on a later street.

[smoore]

When deepstacked, preflop play isn't nearly as important as postflop play. Look at your implied odds. Lets say you limp 44 UTG+1 and it folds to the button who raises it 5x. You each have 100x stacks at the start of the hand.

Now, since it's just you and him you have to do a little psych before you call that raise. Is this the player that is going to pay you half of his stack finding out his AA is no good or is he the kind of player that's going to control the pot on you and shut you down?

Overvalue his aces:
Flop: 10BB pot You bet 10BB, he raises to 30BB, you push, he usually calls, you just hit your 8:1 shot to make 100:4 or 25:1. Good investment.

weak-tight player (or just puts you being a set miner):
Flop: 10BB You bet 10BB, he calls
Turn 30BB You bet 20BB, he decides he's going to fold his overpair.

Now you've only made 24BB on your 4BB investment, getting only 6:1, a long way from your 8:1 odds. Be reasonably sure that you can get action from anyone that's involved in the pot, this is why a lot of my NLHE notes are things like "overvalues TPTK" or "to the felt with top-two pair". I like to see stacks of 10X the raise, nice medium stack that is willing to go broke with aces. Big stacks that have 200x at the start of the hand can be very profitable with baby sets too. Anytime you have multiway action you definitely want to call a raise that's less than 10% of your stack. Be very wary about raise-reraise, because you're sandwiched with a long-shot hand.

[jopkerstar]

With anything under eights, I'm trying to limp in and hit a set. 9s and over I usually raise. Late position, I'm probably raising 6s and up. I can't really discuss odds or anything, I'm just a microlimit donk.

[Devilboy]

If I'm in position I'll call a standard raise or limp in if there's more than one opponent in the hand. Out of position I'll usually just limp and sometimes raise to try to take the pot without a flop.

[vrecksler]

I would really love to hear from jojo, speak, JM, scottwire space, and the rest of the regular Hammer/Hesphateus crews; I have played with these people the most and can most easily identify their opinions with their style of play so pipe up fellas!