How to play small pockets? A question pondered frequently.

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boomeranged

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Well, this is a topic which has mixed opinion through-out the community so I will try to present my opinion with examples. I would love to have it criticized by intellect crowds with reason. It will help us all to come down to a better conclusion.

1. Does position matter?

Position matters the most in poker and above anything else. Even if you have aces, the better position helps you maximize the profit and minimize the risk as you get the best control over the pot. For example, if you have 33 against two opponents and you are in position, if checked to you, you can make a raise and take the pot with three over cards to your pair. In the same spot if you are out of position, your best option is to check with three overcards and usually the guy with position bets if checked to and you have to fold. Hence position matters and pairs, however low can be played out of position profitably.

2. Math behind playing small pairs:

One of the reasons to play small pairs is to flop a set and earn the dividend. Let's see in what scenarios it works best. What is the probability of a pair flopping a set? There are two outs in the deck and two cards in your hand and three cards to show up on the flop. So we can say it's about 15% which means you will flop a set once in seven times hence your +EV should be seven times your regular investment on pocket pairs. Hence you need to have more then one opponent in the pot to maximize value. Also considering the fact that flopped pockets have an average of 75% of win rates as there are other straight or flush or top sets drawing which sometimes thrash your pockets bad and ruin your EV on pockets. So you can conclude it is best to have more than one but not a lot of people looking at your flopped set. I believe two opponents is best and three is 'not out of line but almost there'. Anything more than three opponents is risking to have a drawing hand to your set. In a limp pot, you mostly get four five limpers and more often than you want, you will have a guy with small two gap suited hand will crush your set and will get the best value out of his limped trash.

Fold equity involved with small pairs:

When you are in position with a small pair against not more than two opponents, you are more often than not checked to and more often than not any pair on the flop is a good hand. So you can bet when checked to and pick up the pots and earn in fold equity.

Conclusion: to get +EV and to profitably play the pocket pairs, the best way is to raise the pot if out of position so as not to have more than three opponents looking at your flopped set and to call a raise when you have at least two people in the pot already. If you have a pocket and that too against just one player, even limping has a negative EV and hence it's better to muck it.

An example pocket hand (55) and how I would play it.

Never from an early position, rarely from middle position, never in an unraised pot and mostly against two players with sometimes three. Never with a short stack and never against a short stack. You anyways would shove your pair post flop if short stacked or not play the hand at all.

I would generally call a called raise and see the flop. If I have been checked to, I bet half the pot and mostly take it down then and there. If not, just one opponent remains. If there is a bet before I act, I reraise and try to win the pot then and there. And if my reraise gets called. I get a cheap card for a chance to hit my set and if they reraise I fold. if checked to again I bet half pot. If they fold I take it right there or if they call I see another card hoping to hit my set. If they bet I fold, if they don't I place a value bet even when I hit my set or not. This confuses most opponents and they think their ace high has a showdown value and they call or they think their medium pair is beat now as they didn't improve their hand on later streets and it's probably beat. And even if they call, you have some showdown value.

I think the above will be the best way to play pocket fives or any small or medium pair. You have the best position, great pot control, you have a high fold equity, the pot swells up for you in case you hit your set on later streets and a decent showdown value. And above all you have the option to fold the moment you see aggression in opponents with minimum damage to your stack.

Please feel free to comment on this and to put your inputs so as to improve my understanding of this topic too.

To understand odds, position, fold equity, EV, etc read my thread 'poker math for dummies'.

Good luck at the tables.
 
UhhWee

UhhWee

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really nice article! thanks for your point of view, some of my understandings are matching yours.
Daniel N. likes to play small pockets with a lot callers because hitting a trips will give him a lot of value. but only one in 7 cases you will hit it
 
DonSifu

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Per usual, i think the most accurate answer on how to play small pairs is 'it depends', but I think your logic and approach are sound. good advice!
 
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avner

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good post, most of the times you are true, but you know sometimes you step on shit.
 
champyun

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Thanks for the post. I agree with your philosophy/style of play with small pocket pairs. 'Set-Mining' is always worth a 'try'.

When hitting your set, what are some things you should do to maximize profit from it? What would be your strategy with a rainbow board or with a draw board? A scary turn, etc.?

Any input would be appreciated.
 
trippin

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Everything really depends on position... no matter how you put it.
 
Jim Brown

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Good post, but I disagree with "never in an unraised pot"

I would open all pairs if folded to me on the cutoff or button unless there is a likely re-steal stack behind me. 22 is just as good as anything to pick up the blinds and antes and it's easy to let go post flop.

If it is then 3bet pre then the normal set mining rules apply. How likely am I going to get 8x the raise amount those 12% times when I hit.

I always comes back down to position and stack sizes.
 
7svetoslav

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GOOD JOB MATE!
Thats one of the most valued and full posts from a member here. Im agreed with you with the most of the things there. I think you have to play more, also follow the game you play, no metter you fold your hand. That will build you the instinct when this is justified or not.
Are you agreed with me, that sometimes you have to trust your intuition not the numbers in math? :)
 
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Snakester420

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Yes, set mining is best, but always consider implied odds. If you have position on one opponent and they raise UTG and you smooth call, they almost always C-bet flop. That is more chips you need to consider for when you make a set. Also, when they have AA KK QQ you are in great shape to win their whole stack, as they are fit to bet bet bet their over pair. So remember to consider implied odds.
 
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jerohit

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As you said to reraise a bet on flop hope opponent will fold.. seems very difcult to do in late stge of mtt where blinds are very high.. Do you really wanna do this if you missed your set??
 
wayrOK

wayrOK

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Спасибо прочитал! Очень даже не плохая статья!
 
BogdanStark

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Спасибо прочитал! Очень даже не плохая статья!

Nobody understand you rusguy
Find right thread to wright rus language
 
BogdanStark

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All depend on position. Imagine, you make 3bb raise on batton with 33-77 but villian on BB make re-raise...
Your call will depend on 2 things: stack size and knowing villians hand range.
Make sure you will call, and than, you get three of a kind right on the Ace flop...mmm...what can be better?!
In this case, you gonna take all villian chips.

So, as for me set - is the greatest hide combination, especially made by small pocket pair
 
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Rodrigo sampaio

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EXCELLENT ARTICLE

EXCELLENT ARTICLE, small pairs can turn large hands, however care should be taken and pot control to not be in a difficult situation later. I learned one thing for me is very important at the tables before the start of each hand, Do not rely solely on the cards, if you depend on them will lose a lot of money,
 
87shorts

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it really does depend on position with small pockets. with that said you also need to keep in mind the ranges the remaining players are willing to play pre flop. the real goal is obviously to make a set but check raising usually scares most amateur players off on the flop I find.
 
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remyboiz

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Nice guide, but there is no mention of stack sizes. It's all good going in to a multi-way pot with a low pp, but to maximise your profits you need to be able to extract the maximum out of your opponents, With an opponent who has 15 blinds for example, hitting your set wouldn't be as profitable as if your opponent had 40 blinds because you simply wouldn't be able to get that much in the middle.
 
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3ccasd

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Great article! Very happy reading !
 
Bob McPherson

Bob McPherson

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Thanks for your insight, although it will take me a couple of reads to fully digest. At the end of the day I play all small pockets with quite a bit of caution regardless of position. Thanks again. Cheers . . .
 
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serenshippity

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Early in tourney, early pos = fold, mid pos + you can open, and cbet, check or bet turns depending on texture. I'd call opens early in tournies if say <4% of my stack or < 5% and another caller is in the hand.

Later in tournies I'd play them more aggressively. I'd generally call a flop bet always unless the guy only plays premiums.

Good hand to re-shove later in tournies to light opens when <20 bbs or to shove when <15 bbs when no ones opened.
 
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kTactics

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Pre-flop If someone raises about 3-4 times BB from UTG and i have a small pair i only call when i have a lot of chips others i would fold
 
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ivandrago

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No reason to bet small pairs. I always call them. The only meaning for them is flopping that set. I never raise a small pair, why would i? The most profitable hands are sets. Its not easy to get value from a flush or a straight, as the table scares people off. You bet, they gone. Never fold a small pair. If theres a raise, call them too. You know he got a big hand. You hit the set, he gone. Use them ninja style always. Now, if you dont flop a set, you can still play it if your opponent min raises, hoping for the turn or river. Dont see no reason to fold them or raise them. Just call. And hardly ever do you get bad beat. Reply if you agree. :)
 
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deeshark420

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So many factors go into playing a small pocket pair. Are you first to act, how many are behind you, how big is there stack, did someone raise ahead of you, what is their stack size, the list goes on and on. Best advice I can give you is be cautious facing action with a small pocket pair until you hit a set.
 
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