How to play pairs

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mozartk551

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I would like some different strategies on how to play pairs. Some of you may have some different strategies based on where you are on the table like sb, bb, or button.

thanks
 
Mr Sandbag

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I'm assuming you mean medium or small pairs, so I won't even address the premium pairs.

Deep stacked: set-mine from any position if you can get a cheap flop. Fold to action while in early position. Consider calling a normal raise in late position and be prepared to fold to reasonable action postflop. If the table is tight, you can raise from any position to get to the flop heads up.

Medium stacked: fold small pairs in early position. Try to see a cheap flop with medium pairs or raise if the table is tight and you can get to the flop heads up or against 2 players.

Short stacked: shove from any position preflop.

DISCLAIMER: These are all extremely general guidelines and can and will change depending on opponents at the table.
 
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TheVeryBlessed

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imo... There's no way certain way to play any pairs. It depends on your stack size, your image at the table, your position, your view of how the table is playing, if you play a lot of pots, and your reading ability after the flop...
 
stevenright

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you need to be more specific,.. in a late stage in a tournament where you have 10bb or so, almost any pair is allin
cashgames i'd play most of the times if the pot was not 3bet
 
hobonc

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I'm assuming you mean medium or small pairs, so I won't even address the premium pairs.

Deep stacked: set-mine from any position if you can get a cheap flop. Fold to action while in early position. Consider calling a normal raise in late position and be prepared to fold to reasonable action postflop. If the table is tight, you can raise from any position to get to the flop heads up.

Medium stacked: fold small pairs in early position. Try to see a cheap flop with medium pairs or raise if the table is tight and you can get to the flop heads up or against 2 players.

Short stacked: shove from any position preflop.

DISCLAIMER: These are all extremely general guidelines and can and will change depending on opponents at the table.

Good solid advise in tourney play in my opinion. In the first two cases you don't want to get married to your cards....the chances are good that if the flop doesn't hit you, you may be holding the worst hand after the river.
 
nax

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I think at the beginning of a tournament you can just raise/call and see if you hit a set, a lot of players call because of the cheap blinds and if you hit a set or no over cards you are in a good position to gain a lot of chips.
If you are short stacked all-in. It works best if you are HU with your opp. :cool:
 
steveiam

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Like any decision in poker it's very much situational. One answer cannot cover it.
 
EvertonGirl

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I tend to see a flop cheaply with low pocket pairs, 2 -9 if I miss on the flop, I muck them. I would only fold them in EP if any raises are before me.

I also found Mr Sandbag advice to be solid, well said :)
 
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Be careful how you play small pairs for example yesterday had 33 min raise got 1 call Q83 Flop I thought I was ahead but after betting heavily and losing a lot of chips player flips over QQ very sick and sneaky I was ITM min cash if he 3-bet me pre flop I probably fold oh well that's poker
 
steveiam

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Be careful how you play small pairs for example yesterday had 33 min raise got 1 call Q83 Flop I thought I was ahead but after betting heavily and losing a lot of chips player flips over QQ very sick I was ITM min cash if he 3-bet me pre flop I probably fold oh well that's poker
Its very hard to get away from trips verses trips.
 
EvertonGirl

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Yea that is poker.

When I hit a set I only bet half the pot and if he had re-raised me I would of folded. UL tho
 
DrazaFFT

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Beauty of poker is that sometimes you can do everything right and still get busted... There is a lot of ways you can play small pocket pairs everyone of them is right and wrong depends of the table and card flips...

for example today i was at the button with 66 everyone folds to me, i bet 3BB sb and bb called. flop was Qd6h2h, sb bet for 1/4 of the pot bb raised pot size and i went all in with trips being sure that qq would 3 bet me before the flop. sb folds, bb called with Q3h and he cached a hearth at the river... now we could discuss for hours were i made a mistake or not... i only know that what i hate most (not really related with a tournament section) is when i just sat at cash table my first hand is small pocket pair, what should i do, i know nothing about opponents and im off position...
so maybe the best universal play is a 3bb bet if not raised, fold if raised before you, fold if you get reraised. on flop depends of your position c-bet what ever is flopped but dont overplay it if you get raised or if someone donkbet before you, now the more i write the more i find out that small pocket are just another example how poker is anything but black and white or this or that...
 
OMGITSOVER9K

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Yea that is poker.

When I hit a set I only bet half the pot and if he had re-raised me I would of folded. UL tho

..come on. really?!

-

btw 99+ are pretty strong hands, it depends on what games you're playing as well as positions.

FR or 6 max?

posting hands would help you learn more instead of how to play pairs, its way too vague. hope this helps.
 
Mr Sandbag

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Yea that is poker.

When I hit a set I only bet half the pot and if he had re-raised me I would of folded. UL tho

That's so nitty. You're more likely being re-raised by top pair, two pair, or even a draw than a higher set.
 
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I advice you that AA KK QQ from any position to raise them 3 or 4 time BB or all in ,medium and small pairs for me its better to see preflop cheaply or call the raisors if you are in good position.
 
Loonbat

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Its very hard to get away from trips verses trips.

Pet Peeve #326

This is called "set vs set"

Set = holding a pair and having the third one on the board
Trips = holding unpaired cards and having 2 of one of your cards on the board
 
EvertonGirl

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..come on. really?!

-

btw 99+ are pretty strong hands, it depends on what games you're playing as well as positions.

FR or 6 max?

posting hands would help you learn more instead of how to play pairs, its way too vague. hope this helps.

Originally Posted by vic75
Be careful how you play small pairs for example yesterday had 33 min raise got 1 call Q83 Flop I thought I was ahead but after betting heavily and losing a lot of chips player flips over QQ very sick I was ITM min cash if he 3-bet me pre flop I probably fold oh well that's poker

That was the hand I was referring too. I play small ball betting approach and I would of folded if the villain had re-raised with that board. I play more FR than 6max.
 
EvertonGirl

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That's so nitty. You're more likely being re-raised by top pair, two pair, or even a draw than a higher set.

I do play nitty, but I keep my bet sizes consistent so no-one can put me on a range. Like I don't bet small on a weak hand and jam it up when I have something good, I keep it the same :)
 
OMGITSOVER9K

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I saw the hand were referring to, small ball doesn't mean folding sets..

I mean if you're folding sets then raising you on that board as an opponent is so +ev they actually print money vs you.

even given the hand preflop (min raised and got flatted) do we really ever epect QQ to not 3bet? that gives him 3 combos of 88 and if you give him QQ thats another 3. compared to all the combos of Q8 and everything else?

we can't fold, or really justify folding..

edit: if I come off as a douche, sorry but I can't let people carry on justfying folding the 3rd nuts on the flop
 
EvertonGirl

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I have just played a hand that a guy never 3bet on having quads, so I thought my FH was the winner.

I will sometimes take the chance but not if there is 2 overcards on the board and I am only holding 33. I have been scrutinised for playing low pocket pairs in the past because I was doing just that.
 
Mr Sandbag

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I have just played a hand that a guy never 3bet on having quads, so I thought my FH was the winner.

I will sometimes take the chance but not if there is 2 overcards on the board and I am only holding 33. I have been scrutinised for playing low pocket pairs in the past because I was doing just that.

Something isn't making sense. If you're going to fold a set of 3s every time there are two overcards and somebody reraises you, just fold 33 all the time. Otherwise, you're an ATM for everyone at the table.

Also, not being sarcastic here, just want to make sure you know the long term results of flopping a set. There will be situations in which you can fold a set, like obvious flush or straight boards, but if you flop a bottom set on a dry board like Q83, you'll make a ton of money in the long run getting as many of your chips as possible into the middle. Sometimes you'll lose to a better set, but it won't matter because you'll have made so much money from the more common occurrence in which you win.
 
OMGITSOVER9K

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take the chance, with bottom set?

EVG, come on.
 
EvertonGirl

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Something isn't making sense. If you're going to fold a set of 3s every time there are two overcards and somebody reraises you, just fold 33 all the time. Otherwise, you're an ATM for everyone at the table.

Also, not being sarcastic here, just want to make sure you know the long term results of flopping a set. There will be situations in which you can fold a set, like obvious flush or straight boards, but if you flop a bottom set on a dry board like Q83, you'll make a ton of money in the long run getting as many of your chips as possible into the middle. Sometimes you'll lose to a better set, but it won't matter because you'll have made so much money from the more common occurrence in which you win.

Tbh I actually do fold 33 a lot pre-flop, the only ever time I ever play them is when I get a check on the BB :D
 
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