How do you play these pockets ?

cdidit622

cdidit622

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I have been on a bad run last couple of days and one hand I seem to keep getting is pocket JJ. I really don't know how to play this hand pre flop. As I don't really have problems with pocket KK and rockets ....Jacks, Queens and tens I really hate. It s like I dont want to raise to high but at the same time when I do raise them I get too much action. Do I bet these pairs hard or do I just call or what. Thanks in advance .... Losing my mind and money too!
 
Poker Orifice

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Few suggestions:
first, post this in 'learning poker' section
you need to make a reference to what game this is > MTT, SNG, cash table...??

If Tournament situation, it's also very important to outline the context of the hand (post the HH's & look for feedback). When posting a HH (hand history) for tournament situation, be sure to include stack sizes of all players on your table, blind level, any player reads (if possible), & maybe 'our table image' as well.

The only decent answer to your post so far is > "it depends" (< which obv. sucks but is true)
 
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buster999

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When deep in a tourney JJ is a good shoving hand. but besides that I will treat them like 1010, Your one pair could be busted easily and you could always run into a overpair or a set. Alot of times when you raise preflop with JJ and bet on the flop with no overcards it will look like possible bluff and sometime others will shub with a pair they made and that makes it hard to read what your opponet has. If it is early stage in tourney I don't like calling shubs with JJ with no overcards, becuase you could be beat and they still have a desent chance of catching the card they need to beat you.. I still will call most of the time. I will only fold if I have an above average stack size and opponet comes off Tight. When over cards fall it all depends on position. Just take a stab at the pot and see where you stand.
 
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cgoodrich09

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Geez I've been getting this hand tooo..... just how do you do this trick buster999? - I know it's not a trick.. but I feel really like a baby reading your answer.. ahaha
 
alaskabill

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I play cash games,tournaments might require something different. That being said: JJ is a premium hand. If you are first in always raise. You of course should have a standard pre flop raising size so whatever that is use it. I play six max and do 4xbb but whatever you use raise that baby up.

If someone has limped in front of you raise it up and add one bb per limper. So if I'm in cutoff and utg limps in front of me I'm raising 5xbb.

Now if you are facing a raise in front of you it depends on who raised and what their position is but generally I'm 3 betting here. There is a good chance that you can take it down pre flop and if you do get called are at least playing a pot in position with the initiative. If I get 4 bet/shoved on I'm folding unless they are a known lunatic or they are extremely short stacked.

Post flop if they check it to me I'm firing a c bet on virtually any board. I represented strength pre flop so I'l continue to do that. If the flop contains over cards and my c bet gets called I'm going to probably shut down on the turn and river. If I can I'll check it down for showdown value. If my opponent bets the turn or river strongly I'm probably folding at this point. If I get check raised at some point I'm going to give them credit without some real strong reads.

IF the flop contains no over cards and no real dangerous draws, go to value town. Keep betting. If you get check raised you can probably fold (Baluga Whale's theorem FTW) otherwise if you think they can be calling you with a number of worse hands bet and extract value.

All of this could change if you have some really good read on a specific opponent of course. Just make sure you don't over think it and out level yourself.

That's usually how I play JJ. As always I welcome someone with more knowledge correcting any obvious howlers in my ideas.

GL
 
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swingro

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JJ is a nice hand HU but sucks when there are more players in the pot. I saw a million oppinions but no one is sure how a beginner should play jacks. You play it like a premium hand preflop and like an average pocket pair postflop. That is the only answer i could came up with.It is not a horse not a donkey. The problem with jacks is that you loose more money with them than you loose with a smaller pair. Simply you cannot let it o that easy.
 
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Amroth

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Maybe one of the most common leaks in newbies playing is the difficulty we have to get rid of some hole hands.

We have to learn to muck a hand despite of his strenght preflop if it seems it is not the winner hand post flop.

I see many players in micro stakes getting always to SD with AK and hands like that in a flop they have nothing to do with. Try not to be one of those players.
 
alaskabill

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That video is wonderful. I really did laugh out loud. Great find.
 
midgetfactory

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hilarious video, ty for posting, i another who finds j j hard to play.

in the video what is the software he is using?
 
Poker Orifice

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hilarious video, ty for posting, i another who finds j j hard to play.

in the video what is the software he is using?
HoldemIndicator (or TournamentIndicator... of something like that). This is "MartySmith" he puts out a bunch of SNG training vids. (beginner stuff really) & in doing so he's basically promoting the software (not sure what he has to do with it... 'affiliate' thing or partner.. idk).
 
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ballers101

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I play cash games,tournaments might require something different. That being said: JJ is a premium hand. If you are first in always raise. You of course should have a standard pre flop raising size so whatever that is use it. I play six max and do 4xbb but whatever you use raise that baby up.

If someone has limped in front of you raise it up and add one bb per limper. So if I'm in cutoff and utg limps in front of me I'm raising 5xbb.

Now if you are facing a raise in front of you it depends on who raised and what their position is but generally I'm 3 betting here. There is a good chance that you can take it down pre flop and if you do get called are at least playing a pot in position with the initiative. If I get 4 bet/shoved on I'm folding unless they are a known lunatic or they are extremely short stacked.

Post flop if they check it to me I'm firing a c bet on virtually any board. I represented strength pre flop so I'l continue to do that. If the flop contains over cards and my c bet gets called I'm going to probably shut down on the turn and river. If I can I'll check it down for showdown value. If my opponent bets the turn or river strongly I'm probably folding at this point. If I get check raised at some point I'm going to give them credit without some real strong reads.

IF the flop contains no over cards and no real dangerous draws, go to value town. Keep betting. If you get check raised you can probably fold (Baluga Whale's theorem FTW) otherwise if you think they can be calling you with a number of worse hands bet and extract value.

All of this could change if you have some really good read on a specific opponent of course. Just make sure you don't over think it and out level yourself.

That's usually how I play JJ. As always I welcome someone with more knowledge correcting any obvious howlers in my ideas.

GL

Completely agree with this. I always play my opponents rather than just playing my cards. If the board is strong I always bet with my Jacks even if there are over cards because usually they will still fold because I raised a lot pre-flop.
 
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