how to play two pairs profitably - cash game strategy

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Tobaer

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Let’s say that I started playing poker some time ago but it was just recently that I started reviewing the hands that I played. I was messing around a bit and I realized that I was loosing a staggering amount of money when I was playing two pairs. I am writing on the cash game section since in tournaments I am winning with two pairs as much as I am winning with a full house.
My questions are:
- should I play two pairs less aggressive when I’m playing in cash games considering that players are less scared to play draws aggressively compared to tournaments?
- how do you play when there is a 4/5 of a strait or flush on the flop or the turn?
- how to play profitably small two pairs when there are cards over your two pairs on the board (ex. you hold 9 - 10 and there is 9 10 A on the flop given that AT can frequently call a raise especially when in position or flat call when OOP – just an example but it can be any board with at least a card over your two pairs)?

Hope to have been clear on what I am trying to say.

Really need advices here.
 
YoSoyMarce

YoSoyMarce

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-tournaments = bet aggressive pre flop
-cash game = bet aggressive flop
-when 4/5 strait&flush probably check if they do a normal raise fold if they do a continuation bet, you need stop and think i dont have much chips i will fold but if you have a lot of chips you can call and some time they will bluff its not an easy decision.
 
T

Tobaer

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thanks for the tips. :) appreciated:cool:
 
7svetoslav

7svetoslav

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Ive read about the pairs on the preflop, there is a rule for low pairs from 2-2 to 10- 10.
The rule is saying that when you have pair of 5's for example, on the preflop, you have to rise 5% of the chips you have on the table. If you have 100 chips, you have to rise 50 chips. 1000 chips you have, pair of 8-8, that means you have to rise 80 chips.
At all for the low pairs and the high pairs, you have to be in position and know something about the players on the table.
 
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vassiriki

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Let’s say that I started playing poker some time ago but it was just recently that I started reviewing the hands that I played. I was messing around a bit and I realized that I was loosing a staggering amount of money when I was playing two pairs. I am writing on the cash game section since in tournaments I am winning with two pairs as much as I am winning with a full house.
My questions are:
- should I play two pairs less aggressive when I’m playing in cash games considering that players are less scared to play draws aggressively compared to tournaments?
- how do you play when there is a 4/5 of a strait or flush on the flop or the turn?
- how to play profitably small two pairs when there are cards over your two pairs on the board (ex. you hold 9 - 10 and there is 9 10 A on the flop given that AT can frequently call a raise especially when in position or flat call when OOP – just an example but it can be any board with at least a card over your two pairs)?

Hope to have been clear on what I am trying to say.

Really need advices here.

most important thing:

the amount of chips you invested in a pot (did you raise before the flop?). if it's much yes then play aggressive. if not, play passive if you don't have the top two and if you are playing more than one opponent (like if you were sb or bb and just called).
 
dj11

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My natural inclination is probably to play 2P more aggressively OTF in cash games, and passively trap in tourneys. Now that I've said that, I find it curious as to why. I'll have to figure that one out.

I suppose it depends on what 2P you hold.

How many hands did you have stats for? 2P should usually be a winner at both cash and tourney.

Change to a 4 color deck online. It should help some against those times when your 2P lose to the flushes.
 
NCDaddy

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I've won a lot playing two pair. I've also lost a lot playing two pair. These are good questions, but like most things with poker....the answer depends on even more questions. Who's your opponent? What's your table image? How many players in the hand? Board texture, obviously, is important and then merging that with your preflop information (raises, etc.).
 
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braveslice

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When u study remember to separate paired board vs your both holecards made a pair.
 
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arod6893

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Two pairs are dangerous, as most players over-play them. I dont think its two pairs in general, but its what we have at all times, versus just two pair.

I dont like to separate values of hands (two pair, sets, etc) versus just combining the information and figuring out a range. If you have two pair and think your opponent is bluffing, trap. If you think they have a draw, pressure and bet/raise. If they have you beat, well guess what, fold. Its not so much how we play this individual values of hands versus what our ranges of opponents are. On certain boards, two pairs are as good as bluffs, and on others they're as good as the nuts. But its hard to ask how to play an X hand, because we need a ton more info. Deduce ranges, not your two cards.

Good luck!
 
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mikey481968

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i feel i dont have time to read players prefloop but a few and i never look at what could beat me when i got some thing on the floop
 
TheMagic

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- should I play two pairs less aggressive when I’m playing in cash games considering that players are less scared to play draws aggressively compared to tournaments?
You just said the opposite! That´s the point, players are less fearful about calling in a huge number of spots, so you need to put them into pressure and extract value in each bet ! Normally, they don´t fold top pairs on the board, but you need to analyse each situation and each player, depending on the limit that you´re playing.

- how do you play when there is a 4/5 of a strait or flush on the flop or the turn? It depends about what opponents you´re facing. Find information is very important to fold or to keep betting.

- how to play profitably small two pairs when there are cards over your two pairs on the board (ex. you hold 9 - 10 and there is 9 10 A on the flop given that AT can frequently call a raise especially when in position or flat call when OOP – just an example but it can be any board with at least a card over your two pairs)?
It isn´t always that your opponent will have exactaly this type of hands. Like I said above, you have to know what opponent you´re playing against, and make the best move based on that.
 
Aces2w1n

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All depends on your table image and opponents.

Just think how am I going to make the money? Is tight opponent going to overvalue their overpairs?

Will the calling station just follow me all the way?

Aggressive is usually best but it really depends what the 2 pair are and how many players are in the hand.
 
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Dingospo

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Be agressive and raise. Dont let them see other cards or someone will have stronger hand. It is a risk, but you must risk if you want to win.
 
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the0

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Vis and vis your second question, how to play two pairs against flush or straight draws, you should raise to protect you hand but you also have implied odds because you could turn or river a full house, to beat his possible straight or flush.
 
fly2tsky

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I consider 2 pairs on the flop is just value, not the nuts to go. Worse than that, the bottom two pairs might break your stack easily since it could be considered as the 3rd weakest hands to play card-ly though
 
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chemdawg42

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Flopping any two pair is pretty great. By the river though on a wet board you have to really be careful trying to value bet them.
 
antonis32123

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Well, it all depends on the position , on the board, on the opponents you have ,but generally you have to play/bet them aggressively . If you have been screwed and the other had better 2 pair or set (!!!!!) , well , that's the game ,we move forward . If the board is wet , has a lot of draws , you bet dependingly on how the board will develop , will the 3rd flush card appear or not , will the villain bet/3bet , then you decide accordingly , oop more likely to fold them , in position maybe you go till the river and re-evaluate . But if it's very micro limits , 2nl , I don't follow so much these rulles , I play more passively cause it's full of donks , they don't understand of raises , reraises, they go to the end to see a flush or whatever , the bb are cheap and many sh*** are happening .
 
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chronical

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All of your questio can be answered in 1 way - who do you do you play against?
Generaly speaking you should value bet your good hands,2 pairs included.
If your op is a loose - you can make money of them with 2pais as if they managed to catch their top pair most likely you will not fol.If they are TAG - most likely it's the same picture, just be mindfull of their actions PRF.
Straigt/flush situations will differ from time to time, but 467T turn is street situtation as of ten as you might think !BUT check-shove is ussualy inducative of a bad sittuation... unless you've seen crazy bluffs.
 
MsNutHand

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Play with 2 pairs you need to analyse the 3 main points:
1) Number of players in the hand and your position and of your opponents and respective stack sizes.
2) Potential possibilities of straight and flush draws and 3 of a kind hands and the way of any opponent played in each street.
3) Stage of the tournament and buy-in and prize pool involved.

So after this analysis you can decide if it is better to play agressive or conservative your 2 pairs.
 
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Morly4

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Thanks for the tips, that will help me.
 
Aces2w1n

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2 pairs... If you have 2 pairs that are easily dominated and can't hold value.
Then your mistake was preflop.

top 2 pairs is best but still vulnerable with people catching sets/flushes/straights etc.

It's one of those hands where you find yourself playing aggressive to find that your opponent followed you because he had bottom set.

It's a hard hand because you want to keep people in and get value but without letting everyone else catchup on you. Make sure the draws are getting charged. Probably wet boards are best, and dry boards won't get much action unless against a set.
 
Bogdan Pyts

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Two pairs on pokeratars it's bad hand. Always board after begin yet pairs and you hand often baddest, what go to loose big part of the stack
 
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Daniljev

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Flopping Ana TVO Pyro IP Pretty Great. Bet for bet.
 
Dorugremon

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My questions are:
- should I play two pairs less aggressive when I’m playing in cash games considering that players are less scared to play draws aggressively compared to tournaments?
- how do you play when there is a 4/5 of a strait or flush on the flop or the turn?
- how to play profitably small two pairs when there are cards over your two pairs on the board (ex. you hold 9 - 10 and there is 9 10 A on the flop given that AT can frequently call a raise especially when in position or flat call when OOP – just an example but it can be any board with at least a card over your two pairs)

#1) It depends. A lot of players have a weakness of over playing hands like two small pairs, overpairs, and TPTK. These are hands that you sometimes have to let go.

#2) In cases like this, you need to play two-pair slow (not slow play) and be ready to fold if you encounter any stiff resistance. You might get bluffed out, but so what? Another name for a player who can't be bluffed is "calling station": how do they do over the long run?

#3) This is usually a good scenario, but it is also highly dependent on flop "texture". In the example given, a (9T) on a (A, T, 9) flop is very dangerous. (AT) and (A9) have you beat already. Add a couple of suited cards, and that makes possible even more combinations of suited aces. Any TPGK needs very short odds to profitably call, and the two Broadways on board can mean you're up against inside straight draws. What do you do if any K, Q, or J rolls off? You're guessing, and you never want to be in the position where you're doing all the guessing.

You'd be better off playing (76) on a (A, 7, 6) flop. Better still would be a (Q, 7, 6) flop as there are fewer combinations of (Qx) that you have to worry about. (A7-suited or A6-suited are both reasonable calling hands pre, Q7 not so much.)
 
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