Pocket Pairs

What would you do when you are dealt low pocket pairs? Anything under 10. I was dealt three pocket pair hands under 10 during in a cash tournament last night and never had much luck with them. Whenever I pay them , the flop has at least two overcards. How would you play them pre-flop when there is already a raise and how would you play them when there is at least two overcards on the flop?

Depends how big the raise was and how small the pocket pair is and how many players are in the game. If I was short stacked I would push all in and hope to get one caller,then your in with a chance. They are useless multiway.
Small pocket pairs are usually rubbish unless they hit to make trips. Then your laughing.
Id call a small raise and definately drop if it didnt improve on the flop especially with two overs.

If i'm short stacked, i'd push all in as well. If i have a substantial stack, i call unraised preflop to see if i hit set, fold otherwise...

Get in cheap and get out fast when they don't hit.

One over card I may take a shot at the pot depending on number of people in the pot post flop.

Bring them in for a raise if your first in the pot or call a smallish to middle raise if not the first raiser. Obviously your hoping to hit your set on the flop so you don't want to see any overcards. Check your pair if you miss the flop and hope to get a free card off, if you're raised your probably beat and you can get away from your hand. Another option is a continuation bet on the flop if you were the pre-flop aggressor. This keeps the pressure on your opponent and can also give you the same information as your check-fold if your raise is re-raised on the flop.

One mistake I see often is when a player brings in a small pair for a small raise from early to middle position-- for the sake of argument say pocket 3's--and they get three callers including the blinds. The flop misses the 3's but still contains mainly low cards, for example 2-5-7 rainbow. Here is a situation that simply because there are overcards on the board doesn't mean that the pocket 3's are beat. Since the initial raise was from early position, you should in most cases assume that the callers behind you had relatively decent starting hands. Always ask yourself what would each individual player have called raise(X) from position(X) while holding? Probably some hands like high suited connectors and facecards are out there which a continuation bet can get rid of. Not betting again on the flop takes the control from you and relinquishes it to another player at the table who has position on you. If you check and are subsequently raised, you will be totally lost as to where you stand in the hand, forcing you to basically surrender and fold (possibly the best hand) to someone holding overcards like K-Q who also completely missed the flop. Don't just arbitrarily throw low pockets away if you miss the flop, especially if you're playing knowledgeable players and brought them in for a raise from EP because players that are knowledgeable and or paying attention will respect an early position raise and assume you have a big hand such as a pair tens or above or A-K, etc.

One thing to always be aware of is the position of any other pre flop action at the table. If you're one off of the button with pocket 7's and someone in first position brings his hand in for a nice raise (say, 5xBB) and he gets two callers before the action gets to you, you can be fairly sure that any painted overcards on the board will have hit someone and your sevens are no longer any good. Make sure you always consider position remembering that early position raisers are usually stronger than small-medium pockets if not before the flop definitely after a flop with paint in it.
Remember that a large portion of hands are won--especially heads-up--with hands ranking three-of-a-kind down to high-card.

Diablo made some very good points in his post.

A pocket pair is far less attractive in a ring game than an MTT or SnG. The lower the limit, the less attractive they become.

In a ring game, I will normally consider calling a raise with 1 overcard, depending on the preflop play. When a raiser gets raised with overcars, you are most probably beat and should seriously consider folding

PP's in MTT's however are a far different proposion. A raise preflopopwill normally push out a fair few players, and players holding cards like A-rag of KQos are far more likely to lay down to a preflop raise in an MTT than they are in a ring game.

The problem with medium or low PP, especially when you are out of position, is that its very difficult not to push out a bet, even with overcards on the flop, as you dont want to show a weakness or give the opposing player(s) the opportunity to raise into you

For example, I was at the final table of a 15K MTT a week or so ago, I was chip leader and dealt 4 PP's in the 1st 10 hands. I got atleast 1 caller to every raise I made and lost a fair chunk of my stack betting into a flop with overcards, knowing a raise to my bet meant I was possibly beat and may have to lay down my hand.

Low pocket pairs are nice cards to have but I feel you either have to limp in or make a nice raise, any callers with overcards and you either have to bluff them out or lay down your hand

I play s n' g's myself and find that I have quite a good return with low pocket pairs in early position, believe it or not! I know it can be a difficult hand to play but I find the following is a good help. I mostly raise 4 or 5 times the BB in the hope of isolating one other player. If this doesn't work I tend to get very cagey if I don't hit trips on the flop. If it does work I now know that my chances are probably over 50% now unless they have a higher pocket pair which has me in good shape.
I also know that seeing as they called my early position large raise they are probably on AK or a very good ace(unless they are clueless!!). This means that when the flop comes I have a very good idea what they are chasing. The chances of them hitting thier ace or king on the flop is about 42%(I think) so again you have a more than 50% chance. Another strong bet should see them off now(don't give them anything close to the odds they need. Very strong and aggressive if you are going to play them otherwise just don't bother.
I really hate that play of limping in to see if you make a set. I HATE IT!!! But if you must it has to be in late position. Otherwise you are going to be raised later on and then you have to throw them away anyway. I don't someone should get away with limping in without raisng them( unless of course you are holding a monster...