How to play pocket pairs when deep in a tournament

KielBasaa · May 30, 2018

I was playing an online tournament recently and I had just won a very big pot, knocked out two players, and had a pretty decent chip stake (somewhere in the stop 20). Anyways, the very next hand i was dealt pocket 5's in middle position, I didn't really feel like playing the hand but I thought folding was the wrong play, so I opened for about 2.5 BB, get shoved on by a smaller stack, I call and end up losing to JJ. I felt that since I had just won a big pot I should fold and decompress a little bit and wait for a better opportunity. How should you play a hand like this in the late stages of the tournament? Also, is it ever okay to fold some hands that you might have played right after a big pot?

DougPkrMonsta · May 30, 2018

How many big blinds did you have and how many big blinds was the shove?

Raising is usually right when it folds to you with a pair, especially if remaining opponents are playing tight. Depending on re-shove size and how tight/loose the player is your default should be raise/fold since you are likely flipping at best.

I would be more likely to raise when running good and winning pots, let your opponents react to you... but there is something to be said for letting up a little - especially if there are many short stacks behind you (and for game flow) and folding some of your more marginal hands.

Good luck to you!

pirateglenn · May 30, 2018

KielBasaa said:
I was playing an online tournament recently and I had just won a very big pot, knocked out two players, and had a pretty decent chip stake (somewhere in the stop 20). Anyways, the very next hand i was dealt pocket 5's in middle position, I didn't really feel like playing the hand but I thought folding was the wrong play, so I opened for about 2.5 BB, get shoved on by a smaller stack, I call and end up losing to JJ. I felt that since I had just won a big pot I should fold and decompress a little bit and wait for a better opportunity. How should you play a hand like this in the late stages of the tournament? Also, is it ever okay to fold some hands that you might have played right after a big pot?

Hi there,

dependent on the effective stack size..your play could have been profitable, again based on the blinds and position in the tournament, if it had been a multi way pot and you had got a 2.5 bet through with callers..dropping another 5 on the flop could potentially put you in dream territory..that said - betting out on a low pair against someone with overpairs or higher suited cars will nearly always involve an eventual race.

Best wishes

pirateglenn

bekel285 · May 30, 2018

Raising there is fine but I'd be folding 55 to any 3 bets and especially to shoves.

Acesinthebig · May 30, 2018

News Flash : You can open fold small PP's in any position

Not the worst play, especially after a big hand.

Bozovicdj · May 30, 2018

Everything is pretty much said already. I would only add, that you shouldn't feel burdened by winnings. That feeling about decompressing is wrong. Just play your game regardless of what happens.
It seems as if you would definitely play 55 from middle position if you for example lost a huge pot right before.
That just shouldn't be the case.

Also, when folded to, opening with pocket pairs is perfectly fine, more so if you are the biggest stack at the table, allowing you to put pressure on your opponents and hopefully win some free chips.

SIMON111 · May 31, 2018

Get your self some poker software to help your decision making in this situation. I create ranges for people going all in depending on their stack size and other variables.
Ask yourself how many times you are ahead of his range is this situation?
Do you really want to flip at this moment?
I would have called in this spot if the villain had less that 10 big blinds, but folded over wise.

Ragequit · May 31, 2018

Same as below, the stack sizes are the most critical thing to consider with a baby pair like 55. Pocket Pairs are strong hands but stacking off with the baby pairs can be risky as there are many cards which Villain can hit to beat your small Pair. For example Pocket Twos is about even money against AK so in that situation you're basically flipping for your stack with a small edge. Against a short stack this isn't so bad because they can't cripple you in the tournament but against anyone who is deeper or equal to you, I wouldn't recommend a call with 22-88 in this spot. Pairs above 99 and TT are where things start to get reasonable.

jfitzg414 · May 31, 2018

I often wondered how to play low to mid pocket pairs especially after a big win. I generally will push a raise medium in the mid position. That being said I will qualify it with what I know about the players at the table. If I know there are some short stack aggressive players then I would probably just call. If I am new to the table then I will push a raise moderate to feel out the rest of the table and decide what to do once it gets back to me.

Vuske111 · May 31, 2018

I think raising was fine,but shove was probably a little to much,i dont know how many blinds you had tho so maybe calling was okay too

Manifestor · May 31, 2018

if you open a player with a small stack, you can risk chasing, somehow the chance that you will catch your set, still there, but if the opponent's stack bites you hard, it is better to drop a small pocket pair.

HK_47 · May 31, 2018

Really completely depends on the relative stack sizes it was completely feasible it was 100% correct or vice/versa, I usually stay away from small pairs unless I'm the first to the pot in position which it sounds like you were, and if you had the correct pot odds it's just as easily an Ax in much the same way your Ax is up against other Ax.

azforlife · Aug 21, 2019

Just went all in with a pair of sevens with 10 big blinds got called by qj & he flopped a straight. I know it's the right play to go all in obviously as villain just limped but I'm reconsidering my shoving range deep in a tournament five from the money, IDGAF about ICM implications lol that's gonna change

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How to play pocket pairs when deep in a tournament

KielBasaa

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pirateglenn

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bekel285

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SIMON111

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Ragequit

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Manifestor

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HK_47

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