How to play medium pairs?

Katyushka4

Katyushka4

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How to play the middle pocket pair 77-ТТ?
 
TheBigFinn

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What type of game? Cash or tourney? heads up, 6 max or full ring? Loose or tight table? What's your stack size? and from what position?

The answers are different, but the subtext is always with caution.
 
Katyushka4

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In tournament, 9 max, the average stack
 
StraightFloooosh

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Honestly this is a question with so many variables, but here is my opinion on some general situations. I'm a newbie so this all might be bad information.

Lately I have been having success with this (albeit mostly in cash games). Assuming I'm in position, I will typically raise 2-3x the BB, and hopefully I isolate. If I only get one caller (maybe two), and I miss the flop, I wait to see what he does. If he checks, and their is a face card on the flop, I will c-bet to try and represent the face card (semi-bluff). Typically this will get you a fold, but if he/she calls be wary. Since your in average stack size territory, don't make unnecessarily large bluffs because you have no reason to.

If your pocket pair is the highest possible pair on the board (assuming no other pocket pair), I'd probably float the flop if their is a smallish bet on a draw heavy board, and hope I either hit a set or non-draw cards come out.

If the lucky set comes out on the flop, I make my decision completely based upon the player. If he is super aggressive, and loves to check-raise smallish bets, let him check-raise you all day. If its a super-nit, check and hope he bets the turn.


If I'm about to be blinded out... instashove baby
 
skavenger

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In sit n go I recommend raize preflop and shove in a loose table with 10 pocket full ring yet ... but it would be good to analyze the players first ... do it after learning a little about the range of opponents

I believe that if in microstakes , the other pairs ( 99,88,77 ) plays in position, raize to see the flop and fold if you re- raize or bara a flop over ...

I hope this helps !:cool:
 
rock0001

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in early position you can raise with tens or nines and limp with eights and sevens. in middle position it depends on how the other players act, maybe a 3 bet is a good option against a raise and a call because you should try to isolate to have good odds against hands like aq or aj . in late position especially on dealer and cutoff you should also try to isolate in order to be heads up on the flop. its very important to know how the other players act before you and make your decisions based on that.
 
FromHereOn

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Play these similar to how you'd play a lower pair: gambling your implied odds on a flop-set, but with an advantage that you may end a small handful of flops with an overpair.

You want to be in a shoving match with a LAG hand that has top-pair/top-kicker, but avoid trying to play this one into the turn. Get your LAG opponents to fold or shove before the round is over. Always be wary of TAG's possibly spiking their set under you.

No pocket pairs are bad hands as long as you know your competition, and go in with a plan!
 
TheBigFinn

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In tournament, 9 max, the average stack

Average stack implies you are not short stacked where the obvious answer is push.

With more than 20 bbs I limp in EP, bet the 10s and limp smaller in MP and bet both cut off, steal and SB (assuming no action is front). In the BB it depends. I 3B the 10s to a LAG and call the rest.
 
B

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After the flop, if your there are no face cards dealt, I will usually bet big to either represent I have a high pocket pair or to try to price out those players who have a draw. If the highest card on the table is a 9, many players with A-9 might still fold if you properly represent a high pocket pair (even though you really only hold 7-7)
 
shanebob123

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limp or raise with medium pairs?

I tend to limp in with medium pairs, hopeing to hit a set and trap... any opinions on this? Good or bad strategy?
 
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