Perhaps it really depends on your post flop skills. I don't really think they are profitable purely for set mining vs the average guy but if you have a decent strategy in place for the 85% of times you miss, (lets face it, we won't often have an overpair) they could be profitable especially if the blinds are loose and passive and come along for an OOP beating.
99-JJ I think are good in these spots but its a bit of a paradox:
With 22-88 you want to be
ahead of their range, yet at the same time you want their range to
be strong enough to pay you off when you
do hit the set!
Most odd!
perhaps its too much of an ask and I should ignore verneers 200NL advice... atleast untill my post-flop game is up to scratch.
This is when we want C9 and Stu to cut in and save the day!
At 6-max you aren't calling to make a set, you're right in that you'll lose money that way because there range isn't strong enough to create the implied
odds. Also against the 11% that I'd open personally (22+,ATs+,KQs,AJo+,KQo) you're not ahead either. The reason it's profitable though is because sometimes you do hit a set and with position you're ina great spot to control the pot. The other factor is that they're going to miss too and you're going to be able to win pots post-flop without making a hand. With position it's also a hell of a lot easier to get your 77 to showdown against his KQ. If you add everything up it should be profitable to cold call these
hands. Mainly because when you hit, you control the pot and build it how you want, when you don't you control the hand so that you can make him fold.
The bottom line, you need to hand read well but that's poker and where your money is made.
One last thing, I think there's a big difference between 22-66 then 77 then 88. 88 seems to play easier even than 77 but much easier than 22-66.
Tried to find a couple hands as examples, I hope you get my point.
full tilt poker $0.01/$0.02 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players -
View hand 1182025
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter
BB: $2.02
UTG: $2.12
MP: $1.55
CO: $3.68
Hero (BTN): $3.01
SB: $2.68
Pre Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with 2 :diamond: 2 :club:
UTG raises to $0.06,
2 folds, Hero calls $0.06,
1 fold, BB calls $0.04
Flop: ($0.19) J :diamond: 3 :spade: J :spade:
(3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks,
Hero bets $0.10, BB calls $0.10, UTG calls $0.10
Turn: ($0.49) 5 :club:
(3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks
River: ($0.49) 6 :spade:
(3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks
Final Pot: $0.49
BB mucks A :diamond: K :diamond:
UTG mucks A :heart: Q :heart:
Hero shows 2 :diamond: 2 :club: (two pair, Jacks and Twos)
Hero wins $0.46
(Rake: $0.03)
Full Tilt Poker $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players -
View hand 1182032
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter
BB: $5.44
UTG: $1.35
MP: $5.00
CO: $8.91
Hero (BTN): $6.01
SB: $5.00
Pre Flop: ($0.07) Hero is BTN with 4 :spade: 4 :club:
UTG raises to $0.10,
2 folds, Hero calls $0.10,
1 fold, BB calls $0.05
Flop: ($0.32) 6 :heart: 5 :heart: A :club:
(3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks,
Hero bets $0.20, BB folds, UTG folds
Final Pot: $0.32
Hero wins $0.30
(Rake: $0.02)
Full Tilt Poker $0.02/$0.05 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players -
View hand 1182030
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter
CO: $1.78
Hero (BTN): $5.00
SB: $1.75
BB: $4.93
UTG: $3.50
UTG+1: $11.55
MP: $4.10
UTG posts a big blind ($0.05)
Pre Flop: ($0.12) Hero is BTN with 8 :club: 8 :spade:
UTG checks,
UTG+1 raises to $0.25,
2 folds, Hero calls $0.25,
3 folds
Flop: ($0.62) J :heart: 5 :club: 3 :diamond:
(2 players)
UTG+1 bets $0.30, Hero calls $0.30
Turn: ($1.22) 2 :diamond:
(2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks
River: ($1.22) 9 :club:
(2 players)
UTG+1 checks,
Hero bets $0.55, UTG+1 calls $0.55
Final Pot: $2.32
Hero shows 8 :club: 8 :spade: (a pair of Eights)
UTG+1 mucks K :heart: A :heart:
Hero wins $2.17
(Rake: $0.15)
Oh and that last WAS a value bet