Small Pocket Pairs what to do?

xBecca

xBecca

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I have recently been doing really bad with my preflop pocket pair betting.. I used to just call the blind limp in and see if i flop then fold to a bet.. But then i realized alot of people raise preflop with there small pocket pairs and continue betting regardless of whats on the board ..I dont think thats smart, but I havent been doing well just limping either .. I have seen people put out by continued bets after flop and overcards out the yahoo on the board. Why do people do that with small pairs in there hole ? So i was wanting a little advice on other ways to play your pocket pairs and your fold boundaries when they dont flop. Now if I am the short stack obviously and in good position I push all in with those dam mediocre pocket pairs...
Thank .....xBecca
 
jbatesm

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i always raise a decent amount. it varies due to the differences in tables. If i flop a set then i usually try to slow play it. But if i miss the set, and two of the cards are higher than my pair then i fold. Usually if i dont hit, and it is lower than pocket 7s then i fold immediately. This is just what i do, but i could use some advice on my plays as well though.
 
vincemcnabb

vincemcnabb

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In middle position, I limp unless the blinds are ridiculous...and in late position with nobody coming into the pot, i might 2.5x raise, and if I'm called and I flop a set or there's only 1 overcard, I bet it.
 
SavagePenguin

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Early in tournaments I limp with small pocket pairs, as blinds are cheap and lousy players are still left to pay you off when you hit.

Later in a tournament I'll fold them in early position and raise with them in late position.

In a ring game I'll usually open/call with them from any position. If there are special circumstances (micro stacks or hyper aggressive people after me, etc.) I might just much them.

I'm substantially less likely to play 2/2 or 3/3 than any other pair. I'll muck those most of the time. 4/4 to 8/8 I pretty much put in the same "small pair" boat. 9's-J's being middle pairs, and Q's+ being large pairs.
 
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PlayedYou73

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With a pocket pair and several callers...go with a moderate raise unless someone raises before you..in which case just call their raise. On the flop...if you don't make a set or are on the high end of a str8 draw...throw them away.

The flip side is if your on a final table. Any pocket pair is golden in these cases because very few hands see the flop let alone the showdown. Be sure to raise heavily here.
 
Pothole

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WOW, some strange advice here, and I'll explain why. eg. you limp early with 8c8s, flop is AQ2 with 2 hearts, you bet out and have 3 callers, now what do you do? With 2 hearts on board you basically have 1 out if someone is drawing to a flush, if someone has an A or a Q ur already beat. Early in a tourney call hoping to set, late in touney push especially around bubble time because if ur less than 4x bb the bb will call with any two cards.
 
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suesue981

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wow this is really a cion flip. it always seems more than 1 person gets pp at the same time and like the low one hits. so its really up to you.
 
danny021

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probably limp in early position and in late position you could throw in a raise.. you got 7.3 to 1 oddds of hitting that set.. so always aim to hit that set and make someone go broke... dont overvalue these small pocket pairs though..
 
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Henreiman

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I like to limp, but if I'm in late position and everyone has folded to me, raise for the steal. Fold to big raises from earlier position. Don't like to play small pocket pairs really, rather take the blinds first. But if there are a few limpers and you trip, it's cash-in time :)
 
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djlee888

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heres some advice lol. what i do with pocket pairs differs depending on the size of the cards. anything low usually below the hooks (J J) i will tend to either go double the pot size then you tend to get a vibe when the flop comes out to check or bet usually sticking to the same size bet on each turn of card states alot to the opponent. but if two cards on the flop are higher than than my pockets i become very wary and not afraid to throw them at any stage there after. if the pocket pair is high then i will put a raise in of double the pot and slow play them if i have jacks or queens then i will watch for the ace coming out which people tend to call with pre flop. good luck but all i can say i go with your gut instincts works for me:)
 
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LarryT503

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I think the consistent idea of betting conservatively if early and raising if late is pretty sound. I almost always fold if the flop includes higher cards and other players are betting. I will also go all-in if I have a shortstack, hoping to double up. My questio is are you better off to bet aggressive or slow play if you do hit trips?
 
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jtberrym

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limp

i always limp in with small pp....if i hit a set with a rainbow board i get excited....if i dont hit a set then i wil lstay in depending on how much my opponents bet...see you at the tables...lol..
 
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PokerVector

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"Early in tournaments I limp with small pocket pairs, as blinds are cheap and lousy players are still left to pay you off when you hit.

Later in a tournament I'll fold them in early position and raise with them in late position."

...that's basically my low pocket playing strategy as well. And, the reason I would put out a continuation bet if I open preflop is because everyone respects the initial raiser.
 
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jtberrym

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i have said this before

and i will say it again.....always limp with low pp....your only chance of winning is to hit a set....this is for early and mid tournament strategy...obv...latein the tourney when blinds are high u can raise with them....but for early and mid always limp and once u hit the ste then u are golden unless a flush draw is out there...then thats a whole new ballgame...lol
 
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teksmith

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I think the consistent idea of betting conservatively if early and raising if late is pretty sound. I almost always fold if the flop includes higher cards and other players are betting. I will also go all-in if I have a shortstack, hoping to double up. My questio is are you better off to bet aggressive or slow play if you do hit trips?

Usually slow play is the way to go but if there are draws on the the flop I try to be more aggressive to price them out. Be especially careful if the board pairs with something higher than your pp. I've been beat many times with a full house when somebody has something like j10 and makes a better full house when the board pairs jacks.
 
PurgatoryD

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With small pocket pairs, I either limp in or I go way over the top (8x BB to all-in). I limp in if I've got no position and/or the stacks around me are much larger than mine, and I go over the top if no one has raised and/or those who do I out stack. Any "medium" type of raise just seems like a waste of money to me with this hand. Any "information" I might receive I just won't trust after a bad flop. That may be conservative, but I've lost a lot of money on low PP in the past!

dave
 
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jokerjay311

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small pocket pairs are not the easiest hands to play either in early position or late if you see a flop with no set hitting and a couple overs. like most said, and i agree, in early position limp or even raise 3x bb try to get most to fold. late position just raise, a lil 2 1/2xbb raise or even 4 x bb to narrow the field. and slow playing when you hit your set isnt always the best option. if there are straight or flush draws, even a couple overs, bet it out to get rid of draws or maybe have someone with top 2 or even just top pair to raise you. then you can slow play or push back.
 
bwrobbel

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I would limp in with low pocket pairs, definitely. If I have 10s+ i would raise. And maybe 9s. Anything below you just gotta hope you hit something on the flop. And if there are flush or straight possibilities you have to bet hard. But laying down low pockets isn't that hard. I'm sure if you play carefully like you have been playing: throwing them after a flop bet with nothing and limping in or raising slightly you'll be fine. You'll hit one of these times and hopefully someone will pair their aces and you'll take the pot.
 
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davidd6961

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I like to raise with pockets over 9's in just about any position, but will play them very carefully if over cards hit. I'm not very lucky when it comes to coin flip situations (especially of late) but despite my luck, I will pop it all in with 10's or lower in late position if their is a lot of limpers in the pot. I like doing this techinque because my post flop play with pp is weak and I would rather win a few blinds then lose half my stack by just making a small preflop raise. I know this isn't the best strategy, but it helps me win a few blinds during the course of a tourney, especially with my tight image.
 
10crow10

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i raise with 8's plus and limp in with anything lower, after the flop (if i dont make a set) i will just lead out and see what happens
 
Strong Dollar1

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I limp in early position, raise 2xbb in middle position, and depending on the players in the blinds I might raise 3xbb. If called then I C-bet and if reraised I fold, if called then I hope to hit the set on the turn, if not the I check, if bet into me then I fold.
 
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markpro

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Well you see, small pocket pairs can make a lot of money if a set is made cause a lot of the time people dont expect it. Now... people tend to bet if high cards come due to the fact that you dont know what they havE!!! most people might think that if they raised preflop, they probably have high cards, so if the other person doesnt have anything, theres a good chance that the guy who raises with small pocket pair can steal the pot, even though he was probably winning in the first place :p... that is if he is playing heads up. With more than one person other than you the table it is very risky to bet with it... but if the reads are good then go for it. Its always good to vary your play too, but thats all up to you. Good luck at the tables :)
 
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markpro

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and i love that picture becca... shame its probably not really you lol. hope to see all of you guys on full tilt one of these days!!
 
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