Any Two Cards

[CV619]

When low stacked, around 5 to 7 big blinds, and you have to get a few more chips or your going to be blinded out, so you must commit here soon, especially if antes and the BB coming at you. There is a lot about any 2 cards being close to even and I am wondering what value a 5 or 10 would add to this starting hand.

 

[switch0723]

Im sorry i dont understand. Is that a statement or a question at the end? If it is a question, why would a 5 be helpful when pushing any 2, unelss you have another 5. Id rather have an ace instead of a 5.

 

[Bentheman87]

I use the M system, and when you're M gets to below 3 really any two cards are good enough to push. If you push with say, 9 8 offsuit and get called, you're only a huge underdog against a bigger pair, which you're unlikely to run into if you push from mid or late position. And if you get called by an AK or AQ, it's really not as bad as it looks, you're only a 1.7:1 underdog meaning AK is only about 60% to win. And you could get called by a pair like 22-77 which would be a great result for you. So because of this I like to push with medium connecting or one gapper hands like J 9, 10 9, 8 7 or 9 7. It's more dangerous to push with Ace 2 since you're almost a 3:1 dog if you get called by a stronger ace, and you're more likely to get called with A - X instead of 10 - x or 9 - x. And even if you're really shortstacked still fold garbage like 2 3 or 5 4, because if you get called by even a small pair like 55 or 66 you have almost no chance of winning.

 

[trentonlf]

I'm guessing you are asking about a 5 or 10 since you need one of the two to make a straight. But being short staked it's a moot point as you are not looking for odds on hands when you call, just hoping to get lucky as hell.

g/l

 

[OzExorcist]

I think when you're down to the any two cards stage, having a five or ten in your hand won't necessarily be any more help than having, say, 9-7 or J-4.

If it's in regard to making a straight... again, I don't think actually having the five or ten in your hand is necessary, though having cards that can make a straight might be preferable. I'd probably rather the 9-7 over the J-4 in the above example, for instance.

 

[pigpen02]

and 5-ten is an especially lousy hand.

 

[twizzybop]

My range really opens up now because I am short stacked, meaning short stack one does become desperate for chips. Pushing with just about any Ace-X, King-X, Pairs, Painted connectors... Being short stacked, one can't wait forever for great cards because by then you more then likely will be blinded out.

 

[kingsmalls]

I agree with CV the only way one of these cards would help if you was guessing that you were put all in because someone wanted you to fold your hand because they knew that your chip count was low.

 

[CV619]

Thanks for your responses, some interesting ideas. M3 is pretty low, but patience may pay off. I don't mean to suggest 5 -10 is what I'm looking for, but the straight concept with a 5 or a 10 seems like a small edge when its all added up.
Any real edge is just mental I guess, cause the math don't prove it.
Thanks.