Playing JJ

I've been browsing different posts about how to play different hands and it got me thinking about JJ. It seems like I lose everytime with JJ. Usually over cards will hit the board and someone playing K8 will take the pot down by hitting their 3 outer. I have lost all confidence in that hand... Does anyone have any advice on how to be successful with JJ?

J-J, in my opinion, is one of the worst hands to slow play, just for the reason you mention about overcards and lousy hands that hit top pair, so that's why you always raise with J-J. However, in the early stage of a tournament people tend to play a lot more hands than later on, which means that even if you raise 5xBB, they may still play Q-7s and hands like that, which is why you must be prepared to fold if you think that your opponent/s might have hit a top pair. Later on in the tournament, however, don't be afraid to push with J-J, especially not if you are close to the bubble and the blind levels are relatively high.

I too seem to fail with this hand... sounds stupid but I swear I do better with lower pocket pairs than I ever manage with jacks...

Can't remember where the post was currently, but I do remember the advice, RUN FROM JACKS! ALL JACKS ANY JACKS! LOL

I think that is a piece of advice I may begin to heed... the problem is that it is so hard to see that pair of pretty painted cards and not get a bit excited... LOL... ya know???

You guys are doing it wrong.... maybe you need to read about the WA/WB concept?

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I heard last night that there are only three ways to play JJ , ... nd they are all wrong. I just lost today dude hit JJJ on the flop to my AA I shoulda went all in. JJ is one of those hands that can win big if you hit big and only if you hit big.

you do not slow play JJ, you raise pre flop, at list tripple it, shows you who, most likely, has over cards, flop will take you from here. over cards, 3 of same suits, or possible streight flops, be worried, depending on position, check it to see a turn, or make a smart bet, no more then double the blind, once again to show you who may be drawing, or have those overs, someone raises, get out, cut your losses. if it checks down, hope for a set, or a boat. best possible flop, no overs, streight draws, or flush draws, play it out, know who your playing and don't give them an opportunity to suck out... bet and raise, jacks are a touchy hand, but they can be had, reading your opposition helps alot if overs come up

From a statistical standpoint, the simple approach to playing jacks is thinking about the probability that an over card hits. Depending on how many other people have over cards, the probability that an over card appears on the flop is anywhere from about 45%-55%. This then should lead to one of four possibilities:

1. They have one or more over cards and there is at least one over card on the flop: This is just assessing whether or not they hit. (If they had two overcards, the probability of them hitting an over card is about 33% just for reference).

2. They have middle or low pocket pair and there is at least one card on the flop: Assuming they haven't hit trips, there will probably be little betting going on but you will probably have to fold if they make a big bet so being somewhat aggressive is probably the right play.

3. They have one or more over cards and there are no over cards on the flop: You probably want to bet aggressive so they don't hit.

4. They have a middle pocket pair and there is no over cards on the flop: Assuming they haven't hit trips, and they have a pocket pair higher then the high card of the flop, you can probably make some chips by being aggressive.

This is just a simple scenario analysis that ignores trips, a preflop overpair, as well as flushes/straights but hopefully it provides some insight into playing the hand.

I prefer to standard raise them 3 or 4x.
See the Flop preferably in late position, if there are overs and no one has bet, bet 70% of Pot.
Wait for the Call/Re Raise and or the Fold.

Call is dangerous/Re raise is Fold

Again on the turn repeat, if you get a call it is a check and or Fold on the river depending if they bet the river and your trip did not arrive.

Good luck.

i too find it difficult to play pocket jacks. seems like there is a 50/50 chance of an over card. i dont invest too much in pocket jacks unless i either get a set or there is no over card.

if you cant play hands like jj then you cant play anything. you just wanna play with aa or kk? jj you must always play agressive preflop raise like that and the you look if someone calls and what cards come on flop. if you play jj like oh let all players on table see the cards then most likely you will lose. of course you can meet a higher pair or watever but you must risk it and against hands like ak you have fifty fifty chance.

c9h13no3: Where did you find the chart that you posted above? I'd like to see the whole thing, if you have a link. Many thanks in advance!

That's HEM (Hold-Em Manager) It's a program like Poker Tracker. Both have free trials.

Since you asked for a link: http://www.holdemmanager.net/

c9 is (I believe) primarily a ring guy.
I am primarily a tourney guy.

Here are my top winning percentage hands per PT3 (~~66,000 hands at either Tilt or Stars, sorted by winning percentage, so this makes JJ my 3rd best winning hand);

PT3 top 5 hands.JPG (http://www.cardschat.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15458&stc=1&d=1228408374)

My general approach is, of course position dependent, but I seldom slow play JJ's and am generally willing to drop them to overcards but again that is dependent on who is playing how at that particular time.

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Exactly. With a big raise pre-flop... it would be a tough call for somebody with K-9 or even an Ace.

I only like JJ in the big and small blind. But no matter were I play it I have to l have to hit a set. But the final table when the blinds are high they are good for taking the blinds. And when heads up we all know any pocket pair is a huge hand. So I guess u have to look were u r at in the tournament.

I will raise with jj in pos,,
But i will usually fold to a big bet oop.

JJ always good to go ALL IN .... or increasing Bet .... pretty much all situations when I had JJ in hand we went ALL IN .... but many times I lost the little mustache

JJ is a big hand but those overcards on the flop are scary.

You can win big with it but you just need to be prepared to fold if you think you are beat.

I've seen alot of players bust out on it by overcommitting to it.

I love when I hit trips and beat a guy with TP/TK

JJ is a very powerful opening hand but the points you make are valid. I think every player I know worries about them and as a result you back off from being aggressive with them. Like you I have gone through a period when I either just called or made a small raise with them. All this does is give your opponents a chance to see the flop for a small cost. You have to be aggressive and limit the field. The chances are somebody will call you and if they have an A, K or Q they have around a 29% chance of hitting each of them. You have got around a 12% chance of flopping a set. The J's are favorite.

The only two times I remember playing through a whole hand (lots at stake) are when I hit my set on the river (twice it happened). Other than that, I've missed and lost more times than I can count

I love JJ - maybe has something to do with the name - and usually have pretty good success.

I play them hard - Big bet or all in with the right scenario. Eliminate the Ace rags and the like. I don't want anyone limping in with K8 and hitting the K on the flop just because I failed to push them out of the hand with a weak bet.

I was playing extremely patient and after hands and hands of waiting. I had JJ on the button. I raised a lot on the button and still had LOTS of callers, perfect flop 1073 all os. I pushed allin and got a caller with K10, turn was a K and blank on the river. It does seem like JJ always loses for me also. When I do win a hand, it is barely enough chips to actually help. So, i might think twice before playing this hand deep in a tournament.

Hi.

Like RA2000 says, you have to raise at least 3BB, if anyone pays then you have competition. But if in the flop comes some A, K or Q remember that doesn't means that your opponent have one of those.

Anyway, i also had have bad luck with JJ.

Bye.
manalva

I would raise 3BB with JJ, when I'm first in, add 3BB when you have a limper( except when the limper is trappy and you think he might do this with KK or AA)

After a raise from a loose player, 3-bet, from a tight player just call. And remember that JJ is just a pair, a pair is only second in hand rankings, but I agree it's hard not to overplay especially when you've been carddead for a while.

It still happens to me sometimes when you think 'damned now that I have a hand the pot is mine'; which may cost you a lot of chips.

"Don't go broke on a pair" as the pro's say summs it up nicely IMO.

EDIT: I meant to write add 1BB per limper not 3

If you get called after raising 4-6 BB by several people, do you just give up the hand in the situation mentioned above if someone bets after the flop? People who call could have KK, AA, or QQ. How about for one person? If I get re-raised after an initial raise after the flop, I will probably have to fold and lose many BB's total....

Pushing seems dangerous after the flop if someone has KK or QQ and the flop comes 10 7 3 like it's mentioned, and that situation is complex to me.

i always lose with jj lost with it today against j10 made me feel sick to be onest lol i play jj agressive raise pre flop say 3/4 times the blind but if some 1 pushes and its a big torney i think they must have iver ak aa aq kk and every time i call with it that the case gotta say jj is horrible cards to be holding in my case anyways hehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP9CBtSW0kA&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%

heres a guy who knows how to win with pr of jacks lol. just tryin to let everybody see some humor in there poker playing

It is difficult to play any two cards in poker. Your raises are usually not respected. I play tight/aggressive and position. When I raise of course I don't always have a great hand, maybe a position raise, but when I raise out of position, trust and believe I have a good hand. Some people don't believe you and keep calling your bets until they make a hand. I had AA, KK, QQ, AK suited all cracked by lesser hands on the river. One caller called me to the river with a pair of deuces and every card on the board hand him beat. The deuce comes on the river and he ships. I call to lose with JJ. What can you do? X

Dont get confused now, JJ is a very good hand, but you have to play it agressively. The more people in the pot, the more likely one of them has one of the over cards that hit... So thats the first reason you should raise hard preflop. Now, after you do this, if big cards come up, take it easy and dont be scared to fold your hand... if only 1 big card comes up then you still have a chance at the pot dont worry. However if no big cards come up, your in the zone! You could trick people into thinking that you were bluffing and cause them to reraise or call your big raise to that low flop... But be careful about your raise... dont let it be to small since the people calling have high cards and they probably even have 6 outs on you! be careful and raise hard, dont be scared.

I sometimes play with JJ and sometimes not. Well, of course it depends again in the situation. I call for JJ, and wait for the Flop. If the 3 cards in the Flop are lower than JJ ( 2-7-10 ), of course 'm going to call. But if not,( K-7-Q ) I'm going to start again reading bluffs. Notice them if they got the pair or not.

If someone do ALL IN before the Flop, it's now depends in the situation on what your position is. If many of them calls for the ALL In, better Fold because there is a possibility that one of them got an As, Ks and Q,. And if everyone Folds with that All IN, I'm going to call BUT IT DEPENDS AGAIN. It is better also to notice them how they play from the beginning wether they are tight aggressive or not.