Playing a pair below 88 early or UTG in NL holdem

Hi guys.

MTT and SNG`s, full table. When u r first to act, and u have an average stack, say 20 times bb, how do you play them?

I`m talking 22 - 88.

Also, accept this is a general question and I do understand it could depend on the table being loose, tight, etc. So imagine a `standard` table, whatever that is

being as simplistic in my response as possible, i would smooth call

I usually just limp in, so if I don't hit trips on the flop than I'll usually fold.

First in I would always make a standard raise-- a raise under the gun is going to get more respect than a later position one-- remember, the other players don't know you "only" have a small pair.

If you get reraised you may have to dump it, but that's more than compensated for by the times you don't. If you are going to call a raise behind you for set value anyway, why not make the standard rasie yourself?

You might only get calls from hands that would have punished your limp, so you are saving yourself money by open raising instead of limp calling.

Also, if you decide to check the flop after you took control of the hand others may be suspicious of your lack of continuation bet and you may get a free turn for the possible miracle.

With 20BBs? Raise a smallish percentage of the time, fold the rest. Limping in EP here at all but the most loose-passive of tables is horrible because we can't really justify calling any reasonable raise, as it kills our implied odds.

Probably ~25/75 raise/fold (though this is obv also dependent on our exact hand - obv we're raising more with 88 than with22), adjusting as applicable according to table conditions and suchlike.

With 20BBs, I rarely raise here. I'm pretty tight, though. I think I raise 77-88 like %15 of the time, limping the other %85. I fold everything smaller then that.

Easy fold U hit too few times to make profits with blinds so low at the time. Much rather wait till later to play marginal hands. + U limp and u got a rse call call and it back to u what u do u got odds to call now. U call and hit a up dwn str8. Do u chase? Far too much bother early on