Pocket Jacks How do you play them?

Dreaded Pocket Jacks are the bane of many a good poker player, but are there ways to use them to your advantage? You bet and here is one of the ways that you can pay make it pay off for you.

Pocket Jacks is a very difficult hand to play in no limit holdem.

There are three ways to play a hand from early position. You can

• fold
• call
• raise

Folding Pocket Jacks

Pocket jacks are the fifth best starting hand in holdem, so folding is not a very profitable option.
Limping or Calling with Pocket Jacks

Poker decisions are situational. Don't set unchanging rules about how you'll play a particular hand. Your play should never be predictable.
I limp with jacks from early position roughly 20% of the time. Other players' approaches might be different and more profitable for them. But this is the approach that works for me.
Limping and calling are more appropriate at loose, wild tables. But factor your playing style and strengths into the decision.
If you're a strong post-flop player, build the pot without scaring away the other players. You want to outplay them after the flop.
If you're not confident of your post flop play, try to play for a set (in other words, attempt to trap an opponent when you hit a set) or attempt to thin the field.
Before you limp, decide what you will do in each of the following situations.

• If a late position player raises
• If a late position player moves all in
• If other players limp and the flop has a card higher than a jack
• If other players limp and the flop is 10 high or less

These are the types of questions you should be asking every time you have to make a decision at the poker table.
Raising with Pocket Jacks

Raising is more appropriate at tight, passive tables.
Following the same logic, ask yourself these questions before raising. What will you do?

• If a late position player re-raises
• If a late position player moves all in
• If you are called and the flop has a card higher than a Jack
• If you are called and the flop is 10 high or less

How I Play Pocket Jacks

I play pocket jacks like middle pockets. I will open with them with a standard 2.5 x BB and will call a raise for less than roughly an 1/8 of my stack (assuming the raiser also has at least 8 times the bet behind) preflop, and I'll abandon them unless they are top pair or a set after the flop.
I change this routine when other players at the table are very passive pre flop or the player/s remaining after the flop are weak.
You might have better luck with another style, but this strategy works well for me.

There is 3 ways to play pocket jacks and they are all wrong. lol.

evilbughead said:

Pocket Jacks is a very difficult hand to play in no limit holdem.

There are three ways to play a hand from early position. You can

• fold
• call
• raise

Raising with Pocket Jacks

Raising is more appropriate at tight, passive tables.
Following the same logic, ask yourself these questions before raising. What will you do?

• If a late position player re-raises
• If a late position player moves all in
• If you are called and the flop has a card higher than a Jack
• If you are called and the flop is 10 high or less

Click to expand...

I know that you are trying to be helpful, but I don't see a lot of new insight here. Most of what you wrote is pretty much true of any hand.

I think most would agree that a raise is in order to run out the ace-rags if you are in early position, with the occasional limp if you are pretty sure that there will be a raise behind you, or that you will get paid off if/when you hit a set.

What most people fail to grasp is the amount to raise. If you raise a standard amount, your predictability will get you in trouble. The amount should be situational, depending on who is at your table, and how they are playing. Also, your own table image is a huge factor.

Here is how I play them: Sometimes in early position I limp, sometimes I raise small, and sometimes I raise big. It depends mostly on the mood of the table, and what players are likely to have noticed me doing lately.

Straight Flushes,
Mike Caro

(no I'm not really Caro, I just really like his sig

definately depends on how many players at the table and the situation you are in. i wouldn say that pocket jacks are dreaded, because i love them. somehow a jack always shows and i get trips sometimes even a full house. i never complain when i get em

Depends on your position at the table your chip stack and the agresivity off the players at play

Seems like topicstarter is the usual 'IntelliPoker-player' with a calculator and very upset, when the calculation didn't hold.

I have to give credit to IntelliPoker, however, as they explain, A-A or even less, J-J are just pairs.

I see many intelligent posts here, that do not keep a standard playgame with any pair for that matter. It totally depends on very many things; what is my position ? What is my stack ? Should I risk high or low ? Do I want to see the flop, or steal blinds ? Will that stackchamp with all the luck of the world, catch my hand ?

There is no one way to play any hand; not even a Royal Flush at the flop.

I will in late position make a small raise on an unraised pot.
Maybe even make a small reraise on a raised pot.
But definatly would fold them on a huge 3 raise or another reraise.
Depends on my opponets.
In early position I would still make a raise and possible call a reraise,depending on how many people were in the pot still.
I like to see flops with jj/1010/99 and so on.
Defently not a hard hand to lay down,but defently not a hard hand to make some chips in if you play them right in the right situation.

JDVB said:

I hate any pocket pair lower than Q. They seem so hard to play. Most of the time I just let them go

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I love any pkt. pr. I guess we differ alot. One of the things I like about poker.
As above, of course it's always situational... there's no one way to play a hand, right or wrong.
On a tight table in LP I'm raising with 33+. Good chance if the bb calls, I'm picking up the pot on the flop with a c-bet (and will c-bet 100% of the time if the flop brings an A or K). Of course this depends on alot of things (table image, looseness or tightness of table, who's on the blinds, stack sizes, stage or level of tourney (if this even is a tourney situation), and much more). If I'm raising preflop (similiar to how I'm playing most hands preflop) it'll keep my opponents guessing (ie. if I'm always limping or calling with med. pkts., etc., it's just way too easy for a good opponent to put me on a hand).

Early in a tourney I'm apt to play JJ from EP as if it were a med. pkt. pr. If I'm in E-MP and there's a limper or a limper & caller in ahead of me, I'm more apt to just call and try to hit a set with it (or to bet out on a pr'd flop depending upon the situation). In LP I'm more likely to raise it up.. with goal being to take it down or to be in the hand with only one other.

If I'm first in from MP or LP, I'm raising as I would with anyother hand I open with. If the bb is a huge blind defender I may open with 4xbb as opposed to just 3x (early levels).

To suggest how I'd play JJ would (could) fill a small book as it would have to include so many different scenarios it's just not reasonable to even try to fit it into one particular way of playing it. Maybe a question in regards to playing JJ under specific circumstances would bring about some answers that might be more open for discussion (seeking other's viewpoints & reasoning behind their play).
first part of this post looked awfully similiar to something I read by D.Negreanu... coincidence perhaps.

Pocket jacks call for a raise in nearly every situation. The raise size is determine by your position. Early small raise and hope for a third jack on the flop. Late large raise to steal the blinds.

Playing Pocker Jacks

pockets jacks can be difficult to play you have to decide if u want to slow play them or be aggressive

i prefer slow play so you can try to figure out what the other people in the table have,but someone may go all in
What do you do? I would call them and take the risk

Being Aggressive isnt a bad thing either just dont be overly aggressive it will get you in trouble if there is over cards on the board

Good Luck

I play them like medium pairs. Limp early raise late. Post flop i only ever really feel comfortable with them is if I improve or am table captain.

I hate jacks. Like everyone else I found out the hard way that jacks are definitely not a high pair, and definitely a medium pair. 88 and JJ are the same hand.

evilbughead said:

Dreaded Pocket Jacks are the bane of many a good poker player, but are there ways to use them to your advantage? You bet and here is one of the ways that you can pay make it pay off for you.

Pocket Jacks is a very difficult hand to play in no limit holdem.

There are three ways to play a hand from early position. You can

• fold
• call
• raise

How I Play Pocket Jacks

I play pocket jacks like middle pockets. I will open with them with a standard 2.5 x BB and will call a raise for less than roughly an 1/8 of my stack (assuming the raiser also has at least 8 times the bet behind) preflop, and I'll abandon them unless they are top pair or a set after the flop.
I change this routine when other players at the table are very passive pre flop or the player/s remaining after the flop are weak.
You might have better luck with another style, but this strategy works well for me.

Click to expand...

Actually, there are 4 ways to play them. You left out "all-in". I'll do this occasionally. Actually, I heard somewhere that there are 4 ways to play JJ, and they're all wrong. Usually won't do a standard raise with them. Half that in early position, or limp later (but somewhat depends on the table). Then prepare to jump ship if overs.

I have the following opinion and strategy about playing pocket Jacks in No Limit Hold'em:

Pocket Jacks (sometimes called pocket hooks for the resemblance of a J to a fish hook) are one of the most difficult hands to profitably play in no limit hold'em. It is a good, but not great, made hand that is a sight for card-dead eyes preflop but quickly turns into a problem hand when one or more overcards appears on the flop. Pocket Jacks also require greater attention in cash games, which typically feature better play and can cost you a lot more than a single tournament buy-in when you misplay a hand. In this piece, I would like to give you some of my own methods for dealing with this troublesome no limit hand.
Before I delve into specific strategy, let's examine the actual strength of pocket Jacks without any information from your opponents. Certainly, Jacks are worthy of playing. It is a pretty big pocket pair and a made hand, meaning that you already have a fairly strong hand without improvement from the board. Only pocket Queens, Kings, and Aces have you beaten preflop, obviously. Statistically speaking, you won't run into these better hands terribly often, but when you do the hand can turn very expensive if you're stubborn and don't see the writing on the walls. More often, you will be up against overcards like A-K, A-Q, or K-Q if you are in a raised pot. Unfortunately, you're only in a coin-flip situation against overcards that go to showdown. You should only want to play big pots with big hands in no limit hold'em. Unfortunately, pocket Jacks aren't a "big" hand because of their glaring vulnerability to bigger pocket pairs and overcards.
Preflop strategy in no limit cash games: I will usually raise 3-4x the big blind about 80% of the time if I'm opening the pot (the first one to make a raise) in any position. Many strategy books will discount hands less than pocket Queens from under the gun. I think that's a bit too tight for good players. Just be sure not to overcommit from early position and play it mostly like a small pocket pair on the flop. The other 20% I will just call. My reason for raising is to thin the field and gain information from my opponents. If I am reraised, I can narrow my opponent's probable holdings to a higher pocket pair or a big Ace. If it is a small reraise, I will probably call and rely on my reading abilities on the flop. If it is a large reraise, I will often fold. If I get limp-reraised, I will almost always fold unless it is a tiny raise as my implied odds would still be large. A call from my opponents could mean anything. The 20% limping with Jacks is used to minimize risk and mix up my play. If the pot is raised before I act, I will call about 70% of the time and make a small reraise the other 30% of the time. Against a raise, I play pocket Jacks similar to a small or medium pocket pair in that I try to keep the pot small and flop a set before committing much money. The occasional reraise is, again, mostly for information. If I am reraised again, I am likely beaten already.
Strategy on the flop with no overcards: Much of your action on the flop and beyond with pocket Jacks will depend on your opponent(s) and how the action went preflop. Most of the time, you'll either have called a small raise preflop or you'll have made a small raise yourself and were called by one or two players. The flop is usually very tricky with this hand as, statistically, at least one overcard will appear 2/3 of the time. However, that 1/3 of the time that I have an overpair to the flop, I will bet aggressively. If you get flat-called, try to examine the board for possible draws and play accordingly on the turn and river. If you get raised on a 10-high flop, be on the lookout for A-10 and continue to bet for value. I frequently get lots of action from A-10 and K-10 on such flops. While I can't account for every variable here, the main point is that you can (and should) bet with at lot more confidence with ragged flops. At the same time, this is the worst type of flop if you're up against a larger pocket pair. There is no easy answer for when to release Jacks here other than be ready to much your hand to a reraise or two. The best that can happen is a call/fold in this situation.
Strategy on the flop with overcards: Catching a flop with overcards with pocket Jacks makes it much easier to get away from them cheaply. As mentioned above, this type of flop is what you'll see 2/3 of the time. Of course, just because there is an overcard on the flop doesn't mean you should give up right away every time. If you're heads-up and made the raise preflop, try making a continuation bet of 1/2 to the full size of the pot. You should do this more frequently with only one overcard rather than 2 or 3. Frequently, you'll pick up the pot right there. You will just about every time that you opponent doesn't pair up or hit a good draw. However, with 2 or more opponents and overcards on the board, I would recommend checking and folding to good-sized bet. Defending less than top pair to showdown is a fast way to lose a lot of money in no limit hold'em.
Tournament strategy: As I play mostly cash games, the above strategy is ideal mainly for cash games. In tournaments, I will play pocket Jacks a bit stronger and be willing to risk more chips. The main reason for this is that players will generally play looser and poorer in tournaments than in big cash games. I'm usually not willing to call all-in reraises in a cash game with pocket Jacks as not too many good players will go all-in with worse than pocket Queens. In tournaments, not only will players go all-in with lower pocket pairs, they may also go in with hands like Q-J or J-10 in later rounds. As the blinds increase, pocket Jacks can definitely become all-in hands and are worth a lot more than in your typically tight-aggressive cash game.
In conclusion, always keep in mind that big pots are for big hands. Unless you hit a set or better, pocket Jacks can be extremely vulnerable to both overcards and bigger pocket pairs. While you do already have a made hand, I recommend keeping the pot relatively small preflop. You should also be very careful when you face a lot of pressure on small-card flops. I have seen too many players go broke with pocket Jacks and Queens against Kings and Aces when all the money goes in on a 7-high flop. Remember to bet strongly heads-up on the flop, be ready to concede multi-way flops with overcards, and always be more willing to play in position.

I was in a live tourney in AC when a guy ahead of me raised like 6X the BB
into an unraised pot. When action got to me I said mmmm smells like jacks
then threw my hand away. The guy looked at me like I was an alien.
I guess I was right. BTW the table folded to him.
Anyway I play jacks with a standard raise and just be careful from there.
Keep the pot small and if overcards come and theres a lot of action ....bye bye. I never call an all-in with jacks but I will go all-in if its push or fold time in a tourney.

dweezel said:

When action got to me I said mmmm smells like jacks then threw my hand away. The guy looked at me like I was an alien.
I guess I was right. BTW the table folded to him.

Click to expand...

Hopefully you were last to act, and your comment didn't influence other players to muck. How about you save commentary until you are heads up, or the hand is over next time?

Dika82 said:

I have the following opinion and strategy about playing pocket Jacks in No Limit Hold'em:

Pocket Jacks (sometimes called pocket hooks for the resemblance of a J to a fish hook) are one of the most difficult hands to profitably play in no limit hold'em. It is a good, but not great, made hand that is a sight for card-dead eyes preflop but quickly turns into a problem hand when one or more overcards appears on the flop. Pocket Jacks also require greater attention in cash games, which typically feature better play and can cost you a lot more than a single tournament buy-in when you misplay a hand. In this piece, I would like to give you some of my own methods for dealing with this troublesome no limit hand.
Before I delve into specific strategy, let's examine the actual strength of pocket Jacks without any information from your opponents. Certainly, Jacks are worthy of playing. It is a pretty big pocket pair and a made hand, meaning that you already have a fairly strong hand without improvement from the board. Only pocket Queens, Kings, and Aces have you beaten preflop, obviously. Statistically speaking, you won't run into these better hands terribly often, but when you do the hand can turn very expensive if you're stubborn and don't see the writing on the walls. More often, you will be up against overcards like A-K, A-Q, or K-Q if you are in a raised pot. Unfortunately, you're only in a coin-flip situation against overcards that go to showdown. You should only want to play big pots with big hands in no limit hold'em. Unfortunately, pocket Jacks aren't a "big" hand because of their glaring vulnerability to bigger pocket pairs and overcards.
Preflop strategy in no limit cash games: I will usually raise 3-4x the big blind about 80% of the time if I'm opening the pot (the first one to make a raise) in any position. Many strategy books will discount hands less than pocket Queens from under the gun. I think that's a bit too tight for good players. Just be sure not to overcommit from early position and play it mostly like a small pocket pair on the flop. The other 20% I will just call. My reason for raising is to thin the field and gain information from my opponents. If I am reraised, I can narrow my opponent's probable holdings to a higher pocket pair or a big Ace. If it is a small reraise, I will probably call and rely on my reading abilities on the flop. If it is a large reraise, I will often fold. If I get limp-reraised, I will almost always fold unless it is a tiny raise as my implied odds would still be large. A call from my opponents could mean anything. The 20% limping with Jacks is used to minimize risk and mix up my play. If the pot is raised before I act, I will call about 70% of the time and make a small reraise the other 30% of the time. Against a raise, I play pocket Jacks similar to a small or medium pocket pair in that I try to keep the pot small and flop a set before committing much money. The occasional reraise is, again, mostly for information. If I am reraised again, I am likely beaten already.
Strategy on the flop with no overcards: Much of your action on the flop and beyond with pocket Jacks will depend on your opponent(s) and how the action went preflop. Most of the time, you'll either have called a small raise preflop or you'll have made a small raise yourself and were called by one or two players. The flop is usually very tricky with this hand as, statistically, at least one overcard will appear 2/3 of the time. However, that 1/3 of the time that I have an overpair to the flop, I will bet aggressively. If you get flat-called, try to examine the board for possible draws and play accordingly on the turn and river. If you get raised on a 10-high flop, be on the lookout for A-10 and continue to bet for value. I frequently get lots of action from A-10 and K-10 on such flops. While I can't account for every variable here, the main point is that you can (and should) bet with at lot more confidence with ragged flops. At the same time, this is the worst type of flop if you're up against a larger pocket pair. There is no easy answer for when to release Jacks here other than be ready to much your hand to a reraise or two. The best that can happen is a call/fold in this situation.
Strategy on the flop with overcards: Catching a flop with overcards with pocket Jacks makes it much easier to get away from them cheaply. As mentioned above, this type of flop is what you'll see 2/3 of the time. Of course, just because there is an overcard on the flop doesn't mean you should give up right away every time. If you're heads-up and made the raise preflop, try making a continuation bet of 1/2 to the full size of the pot. You should do this more frequently with only one overcard rather than 2 or 3. Frequently, you'll pick up the pot right there. You will just about every time that you opponent doesn't pair up or hit a good draw. However, with 2 or more opponents and overcards on the board, I would recommend checking and folding to good-sized bet. Defending less than top pair to showdown is a fast way to lose a lot of money in no limit hold'em.
Tournament strategy: As I play mostly cash games, the above strategy is ideal mainly for cash games. In tournaments, I will play pocket Jacks a bit stronger and be willing to risk more chips. The main reason for this is that players will generally play looser and poorer in tournaments than in big cash games. I'm usually not willing to call all-in reraises in a cash game with pocket Jacks as not too many good players will go all-in with worse than pocket Queens. In tournaments, not only will players go all-in with lower pocket pairs, they may also go in with hands like Q-J or J-10 in later rounds. As the blinds increase, pocket Jacks can definitely become all-in hands and are worth a lot more than in your typically tight-aggressive cash game.
In conclusion, always keep in mind that big pots are for big hands. Unless you hit a set or better, pocket Jacks can be extremely vulnerable to both overcards and bigger pocket pairs. While you do already have a made hand, I recommend keeping the pot relatively small preflop. You should also be very careful when you face a lot of pressure on small-card flops. I have seen too many players go broke with pocket Jacks and Queens against Kings and Aces when all the money goes in on a 7-high flop. Remember to bet strongly heads-up on the flop, be ready to concede multi-way flops with overcards, and always be more willing to play in position.

Click to expand...

Another post that you have "borrowed" but not credited the source:
http://www.beatthefish.com/poker-strategy/how-to-play-pocket-jacks.html

One thing I keep seeing over and over again in the $.05/.10 NL tables I've been grinding at is people reraising all in with JJ. If there's a call I'd say 80% of the time they lost to a higher pair or two over cards. I'm sure there were more where the pot was taken right there, but I doubt those 5BB takes offset the 40BB losses.

I'll usually raise with JJ if there is no raise behind me, but with a raised pot I'm really cautious. Depending on who did the raising and the size of the raise I'll usually call or fold. If they don't continuation bet post flop I'll take a stab at the pot but back way the heck off if they show strength.

Short stacked late in a tournament sure I'll push with them in a heartbeat, but not in a cash game.

Higher stakes and/or stronger post flop players might find different things work for them.

In a cadh game I play em like AA or KK pre-flop unless there`s an all-in, then forget it. Raise big and c-bet with them but fold to serious opposition, especially with an A or K on the flop. I generally am satisfied with taking the blinds with pocket fish hooks.

As a general rule of thumb play jacks hard unless someone plays hard back

JJ is a very special hand as whenever you do end up allin preflop you very often find yourself in an race-situation.

Thats why you should raise with Jacks at least 3,5xBB if there are no limpers (2,5 just aint enough)

JJ is the kind of hand where you can call a re-raise but if you limp/get raised/and you re-riase/ what do you do if your opponent gives you a decision for all your chips?

Thats why you need to make the first raise....

=) JJ

I like Pocket Jacks. Most of the time it hits the flop. Though i'm still gonna raise the J's in early position up to 4x - 5x the big blind just to see whos holding other good hands. I limp or raise 3x the big blind on late position depending the players on the table if they are too tight or loose. anyways thats how i play em.

I play Jacks pretty fast PF. Think about it, there are only 3 hands that are beating you PF and those are queens, kings, and aces. I think raising is probly your best option the majority of the time. You want to get your money in when it is best. When the flop comes i readjust my strategy. If it comes one high card with two unders ill still probly play them fairly strongly. Obvioulsy 2 or more overs you slow down. 3 unders and you bet/raise all day.

just my 2 cents

dranger7070 said:

I play Jacks pretty fast PF. Think about it, there are only 3 hands that are beating you PF and those are queens, kings, and aces. I think raising is probly your best option the majority of the time. You want to get your money in when it is best. When the flop comes i readjust my strategy. If it comes one high card with two unders ill still probly play them fairly strongly. Obvioulsy 2 or more overs you slow down. 3 unders and you bet/raise all day.

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Yep, "beating you PRE-FLOP". There are still 5 cards to come, and you don't need 'most' of them. 'Any' Qx, Kx or Ax has YOU beat post flop.

"i readjust my strategy" - When? "You want to get your money in when it is best". So - you have your money IN - now what ??

"2 or more overs you slow down" - from what? 100mph to 60mph?

"3 unders and you bet/raise all day" - what about a 5,6,9 board and an 8 turn? 'Bet/raise all day' and you'll be re-loading all day and we didn't even get to the river.....

There IS no set way to play any hand. Every hand and every set of hole cards should be played according to stack, position, reads and situation.

"you won't run into these better hands terribly often, but when you do the hand can turn very expensive if you're stubborn and don't see the writing on the walls. "


This is a succinct rule to remember out of that earlier post that works not only with JJ, but a lot over other mid-level starting hands that you should never fall in love with.