How to play low pairs?

F

felipeanicio

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This week I stopped to reflect on the best way to play low pairs and I ended up finding out how complicated this game is. So far I played low-hour pairing limp and hour raising 2.5BB, always trying to see the flop as cheaply as possible, but that thought is very "raw." Despite having a very superfluous notion of how I should behave at the table with low pairs, I know one thing. I always want to pay the smallest amount against hands that are in front of me in the PF or form a multiway pot, having the flop set as strategy. I think the flop strategy is the one that defines my action in the FP. I will propose some situations, considering that our stake is not short. The RAISE in EP: For me this raise in EP is only advantageous against passive players, because sometimes they will pay with better hands than ours, allowing us to see the flop for the price we stipulate. Weak point is that we probably will not have a multiway pot. Taking into account that we want a set on the flop to go down, it would be interesting more players involved. The problem with this raise is when there are aggressive players on our left. I believe that we will rarely call with better hands than ours. A re-raise would already make it very expensive to see the flop. In this case the call should only be valid if we are big So the villains on our left should be very well evaluated and our stake.The LIMP in EP: I find this play very advantageous. There are three possibilities, or we see the flop very cheap and probably in a multiway pot or we raise a villain who wants to exploit the limpers or raise a villain who has a better hand than ours. Three situations we'd like to have with a set on the flop! The CALL in EP: If the UTG has increased, I believe it is folded most of the time. The call in this case should be profitable only on a passive table, because in an aggressive the chances of a 3bet or squeeze are quite large, which will make the flop very expensive. The RAISE in LP: I like this LP raise! For me, even if our strategy is to go flop try to hit the set, this raise gives us another 2 possibilities. We can steal the blinds or as a consequence our aggressiveness in the PF to profit with a c-bet if the set does not appear. The care we should have for this raise would be our picture on the table, how aggressive are the villains to our left and if any is a short stake, then we would probably take a shove. As for the aggressive villain, a 3bet it would complicate our strategy enough, restricting us to only one set on the flop. I believe that depending on 3bet and our stake may be worth this call. The LIMP in LP: I think it should be profitable only against the villains where the raise is not profitable. Players who do not let them steal blinds, short stakes and aggressive. In these three cases we will often see the flop cheap. It's a strategy if our stake is not so high. The CALL in LP: This call should be profitable most of the time, depending on the villain increase, I believe 3BB is payable. The risks would be a squeeze. Maybe the bubble with a big stake or aggressive player at this stage is not a good move, as it will probably hit or bounce. This is for raising in LP and EP and the call in EP. Of those 6 possibilities I least understand is the raise in EP, I'm not sure if my analysis has anything right! Limp in LP also do not know if the line of thought is correct.
 
Shrops

Shrops

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Hello

I play low pairs as small as possible and try to hit a set on the flop. The only time I play them big is if I am short stacked and get to go all-in first in late position. Good luck !
 
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boonvech

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I call and fold when not hit the set but sometime i bluff.
 
edc1

edc1

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I think set mining with low pairs is the way to go for me,late position with no action im raising them up,depends a lot on how the table is as well
 
manolo salazar

manolo salazar

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Every game is distinct to another so you have to play it in different ways. The last night I was playing a live tournament I was in LP with 33 everyone call I raised 3.5 the blinds ( 200_400 BB) . I did that because I created a Tight aggressive image during the play so everyone folded until the BB a guy who was really active and bluffing for a while.
The flop comes KT9 rainbow this guy checked and I fired a Cb for 1/2 of the pot . The turn was 5 clubs the guy bet 2k ( 5BB) I called because I thought that guy was looking for a straight or flush because the K was clubs.
The river was 4 the guy bet 2k again it was strange so I decided to raise his bet to 6K . The guy was thinking and folded he Showed 78 of clubs so I decided to show my pocket 3s . Since that moment started to bluff and steal some pots because. When I raised most of them folded.
 
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Salavat Kozhakhmetov

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depends on the position,to go in all in was a bad idea if you 2 2 3 3 4 4 55 if bankroll allows you to open and see the flop,if the flop is not present set it is necessary to throw this card!
 
blueskies

blueskies

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try to see the flop as cheaply as possible in a multiway pot.

If you miss you can check fold. If in position and villain(s) look weak, try to take the pot.

I've seen players at micros throw away half their stack with nothing but 22 and 33. It's nuts.
 
nml

nml

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Splitsuit has a great video on playing small pocket pairs on YouTube. Breaks it down in extreme detail and I found it very useful.
 
kratos

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I open with mini raise and and wait for some player 3-bet ,so I call and try to hit the flop with three of a kind.
 
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Grearix

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Every game is distinct to another so you have to play it in different ways. The last night I was playing a live tournament I was in LP with 33 everyone call I raised 3.5 the blinds ( 200_400 BB) . I did that because I created a Tight aggressive image during the play so everyone folded until the BB a guy who was really active and bluffing for a while.
The flop comes KT9 rainbow this guy checked and I fired a Cb for 1/2 of the pot . The turn was 5 clubs the guy bet 2k ( 5BB) I called because I thought that guy was looking for a straight or flush because the K was clubs.
The river was 4 the guy bet 2k again it was strange so I decided to raise his bet to 6K . The guy was thinking and folded he Showed 78 of clubs so I decided to show my pocket 3s . Since that moment started to bluff and steal some pots because. When I raised most of them folded.
Great play! I agree with you that every game is different and you cannot set up a one line rule for playing low sets. Play them wise and you can make good money with them.
 
radartodd69

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I like small pairs when they set up other then that they're pretty weak. Going to be against 2 overs most of the time should you decide to race with them but if you got the opponent covered sometimes you can take a chance with them. I also like small pairs heads up.
 
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hooble1

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Don't change your opening bet sizing pre flop based on your cards! *never* do this! This is the biggest tell in online poker. If you make this mistake, ppl will be able to tell how strong your hands are pre flop. You will start to get raised a LOT.

Make sure if you are trying to see a cheap flop with low pairs, that you and the players you are targeting all have around 15bb or more. It's hard to flop a set, so you need to get a big payout when you do.
 
VITOS

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Small pocket couples are really excellent hand for banks in which draw several players participate. You can often appear at a table where the majority of flop watch four, six, even eight players. Small pocket couples are just a dream in such games because they form sets which you can consider the best hand in most cases. The more you opponents, the have a high probability of the fact that among them there will be nothing the suspecting player about a top in couple who will be happy to pay your set. Kollirovaniye of large rereyz with small couples absolutely inadmissibly.
 
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valanddon

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If you can get in for cheap, go for it and
see if you hit a set.
 
polote21

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Things are more interesting at this point because everything will depend on how the preflop was played and we have on the flop, you must have an idea of ​​what the range of 3bet players at your table. if the villains example only make 3bet with so-AQ type 10 hands and the flop is 5-3-9 and your hand is a pair of 8 or strong bet all in.
 
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rudy988

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I think set mining with low pairs is the way to go for me,late position with no action im raising them up,depends a lot on how the table is as well


+1
 
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NBB

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The way if or when I chose to play small pairs mostly depends on my position on the table, along with the size of the blinds.
Since it is so difficult to play small pairs after the flop, that if my hand does not improve and there is a raise after i have checked, then my decision is automatic, I throw away my pair.
Better investing a small amount of chips, then throwing away a huge amount of chips because you are too attached to your hand.
Note; This is only my method of playing small pairs, others may have their own ideas on this aspect of the game.
 
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pokersextreme

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Personally playing low pocket pairs can only do one of two things. Make you or break you. I play them only if the price is right, in early or late positions. I prefer to give worth to every hand i have and will only spend what i deem the hand is worth otherwise i fold them!
 
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Manifestor

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I make three bet, on all in with an equal fold, if the stack is three times less than the call. And so more than 4 bet I do not call, I throw out 5 bet.
 
cranberry

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With a low pocket pair try to limp and cheaper to see the flop. You can put a standard raise of 2.5-3 bb if you play in positions.
If you get a set on the flop, then play on. If there is no set - then you can make a check or bet; raise from the opponent on the flop - then fold.
 
poliaris747

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My opinion is always the same, I realized it by playing 5 years of poker 7 - 8 hours a day. You can play with any cards, the main thing to understand the strategy of the opponent. Under any opponent you need to choose a strategy game, and no matter what cards you have. Learn the style of playing players at the poker table, and then I'm sure with any cards you win a lot of chips.
 
stackedmegaman

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I typically try to see a flop cheap, and hope for a set.
Otherwise, seems like a good hand to push if i am small stacked.
Coin flip pretty much.
 
sissto

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Most times, with low pairs like 22, 33 or 44 I limp into the flop. If I hit something I start raising. Until now, I didn't make bad experiences with that strategy :)
 
Popaye

Popaye

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If i have low pairs and this is last chance for up my stack, i go all in. In pokerstars crazy flop, and low pairs can beat kk or ace k
 
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