Small Pairs

WHATS UP CCHAT?
Listen i have a question for anyone and everyone. I bubble in tournments way too often, but one of my biggest problems is small pairs. I get deep in tournment and what happens is I play 9'9s and below wrong and wind up busting. How do I play small pairs, when, and why? THANKS! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

I seem to struggle in these spots as well. I find that with a small pair, I usually limp in and hope to hit a set and stack off. However, you do not hit a set very often, and my issue seems to be how to play after the flop when I do not hit a set. This is why I think limping is a bad move, since a preflop raise will do 2 things. It will make hitting the set more profitable (bigger pot) as well as allow you to take down the pot with a c-bet post-flop if you don't hit the set. Also, if you are in position, raising preflop may allow you to see the turn for free since many players will check to the original raiser after the flop (I guess the question then becomes do you take the free card and hope to hit the set on the river, or c-bet and hope to just take down the pot there)

I think the best move is to raise all pairs in middle/late position preflop, and try to take down the pot with a 3/4 pot/pot sized c-bet on the flop if I do not hit my set and it is checked to me postflop.

However, from early position I feel that I probably should just fold small pairs, although I must say I am guilty of just limping in and check/folding when i do not hit my set.

I am curious to what others will say on this topic, and hope future replies are more helpful than mine.

Im not a poker pro although sometimes i feel like one..lol! However, I have won a seat in the WPT National amateur championship in 2012.

I also run into the same problem so what I like to do in early pos. is limp with small pockets. It is ok to call a small raise (3x-5xBB) if you can afford it. But one rule I go by in this pos. is NO set No bet.

In late pos. I totally agree with Sori. I would raise, then go from there. I could tell you 500 different things to do post flop but it really all depends on numerous factors like your table image, your opponents range, whether they are playing tight, whether they are passive or not. But I almost always make a c-bet to see if i can take the pot there.

Also ALWAYS know who has the ability to take all of your chips, sometimes ppl call you just cause they have the chips to cover you and a chance to take you out.

In cases where im closes to cashing and my chip stack is on life support, Id definitely fold small pocket pairs in all positions except late, or any raise.

Hope that helps!!

If you read about 'set mining', I think you need at least 15:1 implied odds
in order for it to be profitable.
in other words,there must be big stacks where, if you hit, you can win a lot of chips
or money.
it also depends on how many people are already in the hand.
look up set mining.
gl

In general, I like to set mine for cheap with small pairs.

If the trouble is busting out before the money, then I have assume you are in rough shape at that stage to begin with. That being said, it is important to look at the stacks of the players who are still in the hand. If they don't have to risk much of their stack to call a shove from your small pair, their range is larger than if you had more chips.

Greta replys Guys!!! I couldn't have asked for a better group of answers.... Happy New Year

If your concern is not cashing, you may be missing the broader picture. It's more profitable to cash somewhat less often provided you average placing somewhat higher and make a few more deep runs. That's simply because of the way payouts are typically structured. I have to admit it took me quite a while to grasp this principal enough to act on it. But I have definitely been more profitable ever since I did.

In terms of how this impacts middle and small pairs, a big thing is either to be aggressive or to fold. Don't limp, and if you're prone to calling after someone else bets, do that a lot less often. .

This. I usually raise 3x, and I go with the old adage sometimes "If I don't flop to it, I'm through with it". It's usually dependent on a lot of other factors, like Dactal has stated (range, equity, image, et al). Generally, on position, I'm playing them late, SB and BB. Depending on stack sizes and my opponents, however, I'll open raise in middle position.