small pps: only LP?

Hi everyone! even in the 6max nlhe version i consider to be -ev playing small pps EP or call a raise with them. 22-66 look like a 3bet ip to me like i do with ak and aq that i include to my bluffs nowadays and raising them utg and mp always sucks cause i hate 2barreling spewing at microlevels where noone folds. i know everyone setmines and openraises 22+ 6max talking but i find i cant do it myself just for setminings sake.
whats your opinion on the subject? should i open with them cause small sets go up in value anyway and try outplaying ip with certain lines or you share my frustration and just open them LP? im looking forward to ur replies!

In 6max pps are open from any position imo. Then it's all about postflop skills. It's quite easy when you hit of course but when you don't,well, I think you have to just do your best to win the pot / recognize when you can't. It's like to be scared to open with AQ just because you're afraid that you would have to double barrel or something when you don't hit. In full ring it can be a little bit diferent with this issue, but in 6max I think you should just keep opening pps and focus more on how to play them postflop.

Well, first of all, it really depends with the stack you are playing with. setminig with 100bb is mostly rentable (of course you have to fold to 3bets) and I do continuation bet only when I'm heads up, and when there are 1 or 2 cards on the flop that could impact on my range ( it flop is JK2 y do c-bet, but if it is 649 I don't). I think the rentability depends on your postflop game. But be sure that if you always do call20, it will be rentable in the long run, believe me. If you don't hit, then it is better to fold. You just paid 3 or 4bb to see the flop. But then, if you play with 50bb or less, it won't be rentable setmining in the long run

Wtf is rentable? Besides a house that's available for rent?

when I say rentable I mean profitable

small pp are never 3bs, this is bad.

I wouldn't bluff with them either as they have no equity when their beat.

check call and check fold are always an option.

I think you need to consider the other factors first since poker is always situational! I fold them in early position in mtt when the table is loose. If I can expect action most of the time and I can't get in cheap or set my own price then I FOLD. Same could be applied to cash tables or any 6-handed game you want. You are not going to get into a raising/position war over pocket 3s anyways, so just let it go.

Side note: I was playing a live mtt and I folded 44 UTG+1. The flop had a 4, the turn was the last 4! The pot EXPLODED as two players left in the hand both had full-house.
I learned a very important element to my game, sometimes it is right to gamble.

I cannot possibly agree with the strategy of auto-folding them. UNLESS you using a patient strategy and are saving your chips for the best spot (like in a tournament) OR if you simply cannot stand to be re-raised and you think that it will happen whether you enter the pot with a limp or a raise. My BEST ADVICE is not to limit your play. When you feel like you should make a move is a great time to make one!

Once you enter a pot for a raise, try not to play just the cards you were dealt. Remember your opponents have no idea what you raised with so learn what you can during the hand from their actions and don't televise to the world that you just have a pair of 5s when you are wasting a good chance that they put you on KJs, AQ, or any other hand that plays the board better than their hand.

You might have to fold often:

1) When your hand doesn't hit
2) If you are caught in a tricky spot out of position and it will cost you too much to find out
3) When they appear to have you beat (you don't need to go to showdown with the worst hand!).

Still, Better Game = Win Money.

think this really depends on the other players and the stack sizes, at over 30bbs against the right kind of opponents think you can get away with sml pairs in early position

I don't bluff pps at all. If u hit then, bet.

Small pps are goldmine at micros. Open from any position. You just have one thing to keep in mind. You go in big pots only when you hit a set.If not, C-bet if the board is dry or you have a draw like straight draw but this is all for a semibluff. Do not go crazy trying to force your way to the river because you will loose money. When you setmine the goal is to take the opponent stack. If you do not hit just fold. You need a lot of experience to do something else and it is not worth it at micros.

heAdstroMan said:

small pp are never 3bs, this is bad.

I wouldn't bluff with them either as they have no equity when their beat.

check call and check fold are always an option.

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i hate to use the term never and always in poker think more about when you can have a very wide 3 betting range and when these type of hands actually fit into that overall gameplan

swingro said:

Small pps are goldmine at micros. Open from any position. You just have one thing to keep in mind. You go in big pots only when you hit a set.If not, C-bet if the board is dry or you have a draw like straight draw but this is all for a semibluff. Do not go crazy trying to force your way to the river because you will loose money. When you setmine the goal is to take the opponent stack. If you do not hit just fold. You need a lot of experience to do something else and it is not worth it at micros.

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i know what your saying and it is not bad advice but i would counter with this: when people are only playing their hands (aka our villains in the micros) you can actually take pots down a little more then you would think on later streets bc when they have a weak hand/ weak range and they get raised/ aggression they aren't really considering the very important factor of what we are repping or how likely it was that we get to the turn and or river with those hands so if your going to make plays at people when you have reason to think their hand/ range is weak the micros makes more sense to do it in.

Better players are going to consider your range more and consider how good a bluffing card the turn and river is or isnt so you can't get away with such a wildy wide range in spots as much

but your advice isn't bad just wanted to take it one step beyond that

ScottieDuncan said:

I don't bluff pps at all. If u hit then, bet.

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cbetting is fine against hit or fold players and can still be profitable on the right flops.

ezevan1022 said:

cbetting is fine against hit or fold players and can still be profitable on the right flops.

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depends on how it fits into your overall plan and texture sorry to be ambiguous but there are many ways to win hands in poker without having much it is villain and situation dependant

I generally try to see the flop as cheaply as possible and with as many people to the flop as possible. I wanna flop a set and get value - and with multiple ppl to the flop, chances are you will get value.

I usually don't raise with small PPs except from late position because I will have to fold to a threebet from players in later position. I'd rather just limp/call raise preflop.

Obviously I vary my play depending on villain/situation but generally I am looking to set mine and no more. I find it pointless to play for a big pot with nothing but small PP if I haven't got a set.

I usually limp/re-raise a raiser to try to isolate so I'm only against one opponent. Then I'm real aggressive on the flop. As long as they miss, which they usually do, they typically fold. If they hit the flop or have a bigger pp, they raise and I fold.