Am i nuts for always folding 2/2 preflop

#1 6th January 2009, 8:40 AM

This hand has killed me in the past trying to bluff postflop with... therefore everytime I get it now I fold, think its acceptable?

#2 6th January 2009, 9:10 AM

No. It's silly. (Folding 22 might not be too bad.. but doing something always is usually silly.)

There are many times you could play 22.

As a rule of thumb you could:

1. Fold 66% limp 33% from early position. Fold to raises.
2. Fold 33% limp 66% from middle positions. Fold to raises as it seems prudent.
3. In position Limp, or call raises up to 3x BB, Fold to a 3 bet.

Flop: If you don't make a set on the flop dump it.

If you do, tread carefully.

#3 6th January 2009, 9:15 AM

Oh.. and for that extra missing 1% up there?? ALLLLLL IIIIIN!

#4 6th January 2009, 9:19 AM

I'd more often than not see out the flop, especially if the bets are only blinds or double
More than once have I hit the quads on the flop
But again, i guess it depends on the size of your stack, the size of the bets, and how the tables playing

#5 6th January 2009, 9:32 AM

I agree that always folding them is a waste. Don't play them in early position, but I would raise with them on the button if only the blinds were left. Of course chip stack and the overall table quality also comes into play. Super tight table and you probably always fold them. Loose donkey table playem.

#6 6th January 2009, 9:37 AM

With pocket dueces every flop will have three overs unless you happen to hit the trips. Every pair out there will be higher then yours!! You have little straight potential and even less flush potential. So in a ten player table I can see why you would "never" play these. But get the table down to 4 or less and they can be great!!

#7 6th January 2009, 10:56 AM

I would play them the same way I would play a speculative hand; see the flop for cheap. If I am in middle/late position and a bunch of people have trailed in before me, I'll call. If there is a raise and/or re-raise I would probably fold. Once I see the flop and completely miss it I would probably check/fold. If I hit a straight draw, I would see what type of pot odds/implied odds I am getting to decide whether to fold or call. If I am on a flush draw, I would check/fold.

However if I am playing heads up and the blinds/ante's are super high, I would shove.

#8 6th January 2009, 2:18 PM

Well it depends on how early the tournament is or how much is your size stack, how much is the raise. You can fold it 2-3 times but try limping it in time if you do catch it again. Its never a waste no too see the flop with 22 once for awhile. If you got the set then they won't know what hit them and take precautions when your going to slow play your set.

#9 6th January 2009, 5:26 PM

I agree with the other responses about seeing cheap flops for the set value. Generally speaking, it is obviously irrational to hold grudges against any two hole cards. When I find that I've been burned repeatedly by certain cards, I look to see if I've made the same mistakes with that hand over and over and try to fix the problem rather than avoiding playing those cards in the future. Obviously by starting this thread this seems to be the route you are taking, so good luck to you!

#10 6th January 2009, 5:42 PM

it may sound silly, but having the ducks actualy means you have a made hand, and you actualy have preflop cracked (slightly) any two over cards. so doing a move preflopped when this hand is actualy the best as it can be is not that outofline (not speaking of the made set after the flop).

#11 6th January 2009, 5:57 PM

In tournaments I can sometimes take a 2/2, call a pre-flop raise and if the flop is pretty ragged (no A/K/Q), take the pot right there. But I'd have to have a good read on my opponent (or be short stacked) to really play games with this hand. Cash games on the other hand - set mind with 2/2 only. I mean there's no sense in trying anything silly with this hand in a cash game. Try for the set, and dump it if you miss.

#12 6th January 2009, 5:58 PM

I agree with Caps, you shouldnt commit to any one action no matter what your hole cards are.

If the BB is a very tight player, and you are SB with 72o, and everyone at the table calls the blinds, you call. You have odds, its 1/2 price and ANYTHING can happen on the flop.

#13 6th January 2009, 6:05 PM

ive seen doyle fold 44 preflop UTG, however always folding 22 is a waste

you could even raise with them in late position to steal, and if you get popped well you can fold, if they call you, you still have a chance of hitting the flop, dont try to bluff the flop, you will still have position and could see a free card if they check and you check.

But sometimes popping a bet on a ragged flop might just do the trick if one of the blinds checks, especially if you have a tag image

#14 7th January 2009, 5:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cAPSLOCK

No. It's silly. (Folding 22 might not be too bad.. but doing something always is usually silly.)

There are many times you could play 22.

As a rule of thumb you could:

1. Fold 66% limp 33% from early position. Fold to raises.
2. Fold 33% limp 66% from middle positions. Fold to raises as it seems prudent.
3. In position Limp, or call raises up to 3x BB, Fold to a 3 bet.

Flop: If you don't make a set on the flop dump it.

If you do, tread carefully.

This is good advice. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Always & never are dangerous words & you should always never let them into your poker decision making thinking.
As to whether or not you are nuts, well we are not sure yet.

#15 7th January 2009, 6:39 AM

I would always play any pp no matter how big early in the tourney.This does not mean i raise or call big raises,I limp and then faced with a raise I factor in the odds of calling.Now late in a tourney when blinds are fairly big and you cannot afford to chip bleed I would fold any pp lower than 7's coming from early position that is.

#16 7th January 2009, 7:57 AM

i nearly always play my low and mid pk pairs preflop, unless someone makes it 3 or 4 times the blinds... also depends on whos raising.. but if all im doing is limping in... make the call.. the payout in the end is worth it...

#17 23rd May 2009, 6:29 PM

In a Tourney if the Blinds are Big Fold them.
In cash games play them in late position.

General Rule:
Play pocket smalls when it's cheap to see the Flop.
Careful .... Set Mining can Make or Break your Bankroll.

#18 23rd May 2009, 8:14 PM

Small pocket pairs (22-66) are good for:

- Stealing in late position
- Shoving when you are short
- Calling after two or more limpers are already in the pot because of pot odds (obviously this means you will be playing them in late position)
- Occasionally limping/raising in early/middle positon just to change it up.
- Calling a normal raise when you know they have a big big hand, to try and stack them (if you hit).
- Finally for folding. They will get you in trouble if you play them too often.

Golden rule for small pocket pairs. No set, no bet.

#19 23rd May 2009, 8:25 PM

I feel it's nuts to always do anything preflop.

1) Switch up your play
2) Baffle the villains
3) Profit

#20 23rd May 2009, 8:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PokesMcgee

This hand has killed me in the past trying to bluff postflop with... therefore everytime I get it now I fold, think its acceptable?

I forgot to add that I don't think your conclusion of folding preflop is justified based on the criteria of bad results due to bluffing postflop....Try another course of action other than bluffing? Obviously there is great advice in the above posts from players far better than me.

#21 23rd May 2009, 9:15 PM

if you can get in Cheap with Any small pair pre-flop sometimes its worth it, if you get a good flop your all set, ive stayed in with 2 2 pre flop and got 2 dueces on the flop, it dont always work, but like i said, if you can get in CHEAP,< hi-lited, sometimes it works out good,, gl,,,,buck

#22 24th May 2009, 1:32 AM

Sounds like you don't know when to get away from a hand. A set is really what you're playing for. If you can get in to see the flop cheap and you don't hit it on the flop, see if you can see the turn cheap. If not, then fold them. If you don't hit with a hand, that doesn't mean you have to bluff it to the showdown. Try to hit with any pocket pair, and if you can't then it's time to find a better hand.

#23 25th May 2009, 3:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuckyChippy

Small pocket pairs (22-66) are good for:

- Stealing in late position
- Shoving when you are short
- Calling after two or more limpers are already in the pot because of pot odds (obviously this means you will be playing them in late position)
- Occasionally limping/raising in early/middle positon just to change it up.
- Calling a normal raise when you know they have a big big hand, to try and stack them (if you hit).
- Finally for folding. They will get you in trouble if you play them too often.

Golden rule for small pocket pairs. No set, no bet.

Perfect ...........
Great Suggestions ............

#24 26th May 2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PokesMcgee

This hand has killed me in the past trying to bluff postflop with... therefore everytime I get it now I fold, think its acceptable?

No. Why are bluffing and folding the only options you have considered? If you can limp to a flop, and trap someone if you hit a set on the flop, it can be a huge hand. If the flop produces no deuces, fold.

If someone raises in front, muck it.

If you are on the button and they check to you on the flop, you might consider a small bet semi-bluff, but I wouldn't fire a second bullet if you get called and don't improve.

#25 27th May 2009, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cAPSLOCK

No. It's silly. (Folding 22 might not be too bad.. but doing something always is usually silly.)

There are many times you could play 22.

As a rule of thumb you could:

1. Fold 66% limp 33% from early position. Fold to raises.
2. Fold 33% limp 66% from middle positions. Fold to raises as it seems prudent.
3. In position Limp, or call raises up to 3x BB, Fold to a 3 bet.

Flop: If you don't make a set on the flop dump it.

If you do, tread carefully.

are you suggesting limping (keeping 22 in other words) even when
the blinds are like 1,000 or 1,600 late in tournament?

I don't like to play 22 in late tournament unless I'm dealt them in the BB.
Is this wrong? It just seems everything beats 22 and you need to
get darn lucky with the flop in order for this hand to pay off.

#26 6th June 2009, 12:55 AM

Capslock summarized it well. 22 can be good cards, so just call low bets, it can be a nice drill with a lil luck.

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