Small PP

U got 66 2 from the button in a ring game, there's one person limped to ur right who allways limps (his limpin range is huge K7s, JTo etc). How do u play ur small PP? Do u limp for a cheap ez flop of do u raise to build that pot up hopin to make a nice big pot for ur set or if u misse du've got sum ammo to try a bluff?

I tent to vary from the 2 but im kinda stuck with limpin with small PP's these days hopin to catch a cheap flop, so i can get away with out b-in over commited too.

Just ur thoughts pls.

This is always a tricky play because the same idiots who limp with k-7 suited will call a small raise with it. Some people seem to feel if they put the big blind in then whats 3 more big blinds. On the button I will raise a good range of hands anyway, so this would diffidently be in my range to do it. Just hope both blinds fold or you hit your set when you get someone defending their blinds.

If I limp I find that a high percentage of the time (in that position two from the button) someone will raise (either SB or BB). I call their small raises in general.

I have tried raising every time I was in that position, but it seemed to be a way to lose chips quickly. Anyways, my comments are donk-comments

deumsac said:

If I limp I find that a high percentage of the time (in that position two from the button) someone will raise (either SB or BB). I call their small raises in general.

I have tried raising every time I was in that position, but it seemed to be a way to lose chips quickly. Anyways, my comments are donk-comments

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No I agree with you there. More often then not you raise with your smaller PP and don't hit on the flop, someone else does and you have to fold and you lose the money you raised. I prefer calling here because that way if you hit your set you know (almost assuredly) it'll pay off, and if you miss you only lost the big blind if it stays or at least it's easier to get away since you only called a raise and not made the raise.

I limp call in this situation most of the time but then again I think I play bad....

ukaliks said:

U got 66 2 from the button in a ring game, there's one person limped to ur right who allways limps (his limpin range is huge K7s, JTo etc). How do u play ur small PP? Do u limp for a cheap ez flop of do u raise to build that pot up hopin to make a nice big pot for ur set or if u misse du've got sum ammo to try a bluff?

I tent to vary from the 2 but im kinda stuck with limpin with small PP's these days hopin to catch a cheap flop, so i can get away with out b-in over commited too.

Just ur thoughts pls.

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It depends.

But yeah it kinda does depend. Whats villain limp/call %,what is his fold to cb, WTSD ect.
But even if you include all thouse stuff i still raise like 95%> time since there is nothing better then playing a horrible player IP HU.

I tend to limp in that position when others before me have as well and look for the set.

in ring games i'll tend to limp and try and catch a set. U cud raise but if u miss ur set and try take a stab with a c/bet i realy think ur only wasting money as so many ppl check/call bets these days hopin to spike on the turn or river.

But in tourneys i tend to raise from a late pos with small PP to try n act like a bigger hand. if he's still there by the turn or river i'll need to have a good read that this dude has something.

I would limp in with a small pair, and only call a small raise. Id get in as cheap as possible and if the raise is too big, you either are dominated by an overpair or would be in a race against aq or ak. This would be in a ring game because in a tournament it all depends on the situation, players and stack sizes.

Against a loose calling station like you're describing, I'd limp in and let them play their K7 if they want. It's cheap to enter a pot like that and if you hit a set, you can gain a lot. Low risk, high reward.

If the odds of hitting my set are only 1/8, I don't raise. Because more likely than not, there will be bigger cards than your small PP on the flop, and you can't call a decent bet chasing 2 cards. I think It's way better to just limp/call raises with it, hoping to hit. You miss, you get out cheap. You hit, you get a good payday. Just how I see it. And personally, I can't remember many times I raise with small PP (on a full 10 person table) unless everyone folds to me and I'm on the button, or right before the button.

ukaliks said:

U got 66 2 from the button in a ring game, there's one person limped to ur right who allways limps (his limpin range is huge K7s, JTo etc). How do u play ur small PP? Do u limp for a cheap ez flop of do u raise to build that pot up hopin to make a nice big pot for ur set or if u misse du've got sum ammo to try a bluff?

I tent to vary from the 2 but im kinda stuck with limpin with small PP's these days hopin to catch a cheap flop, so i can get away with out b-in over commited too.

Just ur thoughts pls.

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Raise or fold. Do not call.

Right now your hand is most likely best. So the bet is for value.

Should an opponent 4 bet you, you can happily fold.

You have position, what you do not have right now is initiative.

If you call, what are you hoping to do? Flop a set or fold? We'll the chances of that are 8:1 and even if you hit you cannot be sure your opponent will stack off.. so in reality this is a losing play.

By 3 betting in position, especially against an opponent who is loose, you create a better situation.

Firstly he may fold out a better hand. He may also fold out random hands that make hand reading near impossible post flop.

Second you give yourself initiative.

You should be looking to call virtually any bet he makes on the flop (you have heard of a donk bet .. right)

You should also be looking to bet any flop he checks (you have heard of C-Betting and how a flop is missed 70% of the time)

Then if he calls the flop, you need to be betting most turns should he check. Again, he may read your bet as a c-bet and decide to call it, so then you fire again on the turn.

If he calls that, then probably you are behind.

C-bets in 3-bet pots should be fairly small 1/2 pot and on the turn about the same.

If you aren't prepared to take this line then really you should fold. You will find very few flops that connect with your hand, and you wont get nearly enough action to make up for the times you hit and your opponent folds.

When you have a pocket pair,especially a small one, you're trying for a set, and rarely get any more. Limp in, call a 2x raise if it happpens, but no more. If you hit your set then you can slowplay it if it's not too scary of a board. Great time to trap. But if you don't hit it and see a medium sized bet,then fold. There will be a better hand to get your money in.

Stu_Ungar said:

Raise or fold. Do not call.

Right now your hand is most likely best. So the bet is for value.

Should an opponent 4 bet you, you can happily fold.

You have position, what you do not have right now is initiative.

If you call, what are you hoping to do? Flop a set or fold? We'll the chances of that are 8:1 and even if you hit you cannot be sure your opponent will stack off.. so in reality this is a losing play.

By 3 betting in position, especially against an opponent who is loose, you create a better situation.

Firstly he may fold out a better hand. He may also fold out random hands that make hand reading near impossible post flop.

Second you give yourself initiative.

You should be looking to call virtually any bet he makes on the flop (you have heard of a donk bet .. right)

You should also be looking to bet any flop he checks (you have heard of C-Betting and how a flop is missed 70% of the time)

Then if he calls the flop, you need to be betting most turns should he check. Again, he may read your bet as a c-bet and decide to call it, so then you fire again on the turn.

If he calls that, then probably you are behind.

C-bets in 3-bet pots should be fairly small 1/2 pot and on the turn about the same.

If you aren't prepared to take this line then really you should fold. You will find very few flops that connect with your hand, and you wont get nearly enough action to make up for the times you hit and your opponent folds.

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100%... I would play this the same. I would C-Bet the flop and likely C-Bet the turn if he checks again and there are not more than 3 overs. Calling is never a good move with this hand unless there are 3 or more limpers before you in the pot.