How often do you play low pairs?

[aquilex2799]

I know that like most things, it depends. But I would like your opinion - and perhaps statistics - on the best way to play small pairs profitably.

What I see at micro limit tables is that low pairs seem to be seen as an almost guaranteed opportunity to double up the stack. While in my experience, the opposite happens, that is, I almost never hit a set, and when I hit it, I rarely manage to extract a good pot and sometimes I still lose. My question is: in what situations is it worth playing small pairs?

I know it's painful to lose with AK hitting two pair on the flop where villain makes a set of 6, but the truth is that the probability of this happening is too small to be worth the cost of playing all the low pairs waiting for this combination of factors.

At micro limits I see players playing low pairs at almost any cost and my opinion is that it's not worth it. What is your opinion?

 

[georgi krastev]

I don't miss to open with 22's... & not only...

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... or to fishing with them...

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[aquilex2799]

I don't miss to open with 22's... & not only...

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... or to fishing with them...

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Hi Georgi. Thanks for your answer!

I still don't agree with opening low pairs, but I can't deny that it's working for you.

I'm following your path towards $100. I hope I can start my challenge soon too. Good luck!

 

[georgi krastev]

Hi Georgi. Thanks for your answer!

Hi, you are welcome!

I still don't agree with opening low pairs, but I can't deny that it's working for you.

Well, man, i'm lucky fish...

I'm following your path towards $100. I hope I can start my challenge soon too. Good luck!

All best for you in your endeavours!

 

[Pokerpoet2]

I know that like most things, it depends. But I would like your opinion - and perhaps statistics - on the best way to play small pairs profitably.

What I see at micro limit tables is that low pairs seem to be seen as an almost guaranteed opportunity to double up the stack. While in my experience, the opposite happens, that is, I almost never hit a set, and when I hit it, I rarely manage to extract a good pot and sometimes I still lose. My question is: in what situations is it worth playing small pairs?

I know it's painful to lose with AK hitting two pair on the flop where villain makes a set of 6, but the truth is that the probability of this happening is too small to be worth the cost of playing all the low pairs waiting for this combination of factors.

At micro limits I see players playing low pairs at almost any cost and my opinion is that it's not worth it. What is your opinion?

As you said depending on various things in a game situation, I will always try to see the flop with any pair dealt to me, but the thing to remember is even playing pocket 2s, anything that drops on the flop that is not a 2 can have you beat simply because they could have made a bigger pair than you have,.
Small pairs need to be played with caution because of this.
I once made a remark to a player on my right that I was sick of getting nothing dealt to me and had to make fold after fold, and he said the biggest pair he had been dealt was pocket 2s, I answered him with "I wish I had pocket 2s, I would be all-in with them" laughing about our misfortune. Then I was dealt a pair on my BB, when the action got back to me I shoved all-in and he said "You got your pocket 2s then" "Nope" I replied "These are better than 2s" I got one caller with an A/K suited and I turned over pocket 4s "These are twice as good".
Laughing about the situation I was in, we saw the flop turn and river hitting neither of us and I doubled up. My point is up against any 2 different cards like A/K or A/Q a pair is always ahead, they need to hit whereas you don't.
I wouldn't have done this as chip leader, but having trouble getting a good hand dealt and low on chips I had already decided that any pair would do.
I play Poker to have a laugh and a bit of fun with Friends and if that means going out early, then so be it. Life is too short to be serious all the time.

 

[aquilex2799]

As you said depending on various things in a game situation, I will always try to see the flop with any pair dealt to me, but the thing to remember is even playing pocket 2s, anything that drops on the flop that is not a 2 can have you beat simply because they could have made a bigger pair than you have,.
Small pairs need to be played with caution because of this.
I once made a remark to a player on my right that I was sick of getting nothing dealt to me and had to make fold after fold, and he said the biggest pair he had been dealt was pocket 2s, I answered him with "I wish I had pocket 2s, I would be all-in with them" laughing about our misfortune. Then I was dealt a pair on my BB, when the action got back to me I shoved all-in and he said "You got your pocket 2s then" "Nope" I replied "These are better than 2s" I got one caller with an A/K suited and I turned over pocket 4s "These are twice as good".
Laughing about the situation I was in, we saw the flop turn and river hitting neither of us and I doubled up. My point is up against any 2 different cards like A/K or A/Q a pair is always ahead, they need to hit whereas you don't.
I wouldn't have done this as chip leader, but having trouble getting a good hand dealt and low on chips I had already decided that any pair would do.
I play Poker to have a laugh and a bit of fun with Friends and if that means going out early, then so be it. Life is too short to be serious all the time.

Hi Pokerpoet2. Thanks for answering.

I really like the way you approach poker. And I also can't disagree with your low pair vs high cards analysis, especially when you're low stacked. But I still believe that at 100bb+, playing all low pairs is -EV. This is just my opinion, based only on my experience.

Good luck at the tables!

 

[dreamer13]

Take a hard look at your abilities, and if you think you can't outplay your opponent, play your low pair modestly. Experience will come and everything can change. I play them all the time.

 

[Gallarado777]

watch each younger pair you need to play when you're sure you can beat your opponent after you see the flop turn and river. If you play very hard on these streets, you'll win even with a small couple, you just need to know how to play poker and when you need to play with small pairs and who to choose against then you will win, but if your opponent is stronger than you, you should not play too much with small pairs

 

[pentazepam]

All pocket pairs should be profitable.

But the easiest way to play the smaller ones (22-66) in a cash game is to play them mostly in position and as cheaply as possible if someone has raised before you. Invest 5% of your stack max preflop since you obviously don't get paid every time you hit.

And if you are really deep bottom set can be dangerous, especially on dry boards. Set over set are not always a cooler situation. Against tight-nitty players, you sometimes have to fold them to big bets or raises.

You can fold 22-66 preflop in the earlier positions unless the players are really bad. As you know if you don't hit a set low pocket pairs are hard to play post-flop. And if someone 3-bets you, you often have to fold.

So just call in position (co,button) to a single raise.

 

[Aballinamion]

I know that like most things, it depends. But I would like your opinion - and perhaps statistics - on the best way to play small pairs profitably.

What I see at micro limit tables is that low pairs seem to be seen as an almost guaranteed opportunity to double up the stack. While in my experience, the opposite happens, that is, I almost never hit a set, and when I hit it, I rarely manage to extract a good pot and sometimes I still lose. My question is: in what situations is it worth playing small pairs?

I know it's painful to lose with AK hitting two pair on the flop where villain makes a set of 6, but the truth is that the probability of this happening is too small to be worth the cost of playing all the low pairs waiting for this combination of factors.

At micro limits I see players playing low pairs at almost any cost and my opinion is that it's not worth it. What is your opinion?

At the micros it is profitable to play low pair, or any pocket pairs anytime that:

a) We are opening raise/range (we are the first to speak)

b) When villain gives odds for us to call, i.e, when they raise at maximum 3x we can call IP or OOP to see a flop, remembering that we are not only calling to hit a set but to have a postflop hand with a good playability. For example, we own 66 and we call OOP and the flop comes 345, this is a good flop where we can bluff because we have an OESD.

c) When opponents raise more than 3x consider stack sizing: if both you and your opponents are more than deep (=> 150 BB) we can call raises of 3.5x or 4x. I'm not sure if we are calling 4.5x or higher sizings.

The example you mentioned is good, because when we own AK and we hit Top Two Pair and we get too much action on the flop, it is most likely that villain has hit a set because we own most of combos of AA, KK and AK and villain just a few or none of these combos, so here is the hint, when it comes too much action in spots like this we can exploitatively fold without further worries.

Thanks for your question.

 

[OstroLB]

I believe in all pairs in the game of poker and I always make the first one to see what comes next, of course not all turns but 50% yes and I always do well

 

[Fepitaph]

I play purely by ranges, with utg(in 9-8th) 66+, vs7-6 55+, vs6 and less all pairs. but I can often open outside the range if the conditions allow it: I’m a chip leader / a lot of resteal stacks / a tight opponent in the big blind.

 

[BelFish]

I usually use rule "call20". And better to play small pairs in late positions...

 

[TeUnit]

I usually only play them when the effective stack sizes are at least 30bbs, otherwise the juice is not worth the squeeze.

If you are shoving them or stealing with them its a different story.

 

[Station_Master]

I think alot of players overvalued low pairs and just remember the times they hit a set and stacked someone. Alot of the time you will miss the board and even if you do hit, if your opponent misses then you wont get paid anyway.

They are an easy open raise from BU and CO, but from earlier positions I would fold the weakest ones. As for cold calling to set mine, it's ok, but you really need to be aware who is left to act as you dont really want to face a 3bet squeeze.

 

[bullkk]

I rarely play younger couples.

 

[Viparida]

I´m trying to implement them in my game more. I usually only played the pairs above 7´s.

 

[LaNimmer]

I regularly open with them if I can do it on the cheap and a nice surprise for the villains when you make your trips. Astonishment, and then they throw poo at you!