Phoenix Wright
Legend
Loyaler
As you'll discover, many things in poker have the answer "it depends"
Whatever generalities someone answers almost always has some exception scenario and this is one reason poker is a tough game to get very good at. It can be fairly complex at times - even for what appears to be the simplest of questions.
How to play your pocket pairs actually depends on your playstyle and your hand selection for non-pocket pairs too. Everything works together. Poker reminds me of a golf swing in some ways. I don't know if you've played golf, but there are so many types of golf swings that are good and several grips that are considered good. However, all of these swings share a few key elements, despite being so different.
Successful poker players are the same way, their play-styles vary a ton, but they all share a few key elements that makes them successful. You have to build your own poker game in a way that you are comfortable with and works for you
In poker, 9 player tables, you can be almost certain that a maniac will always be playing any pocket pair (22+), but a NIT might only play the "premium" pocket pairs of something like nines or higher (99+). What play style works for one person might not work for another.
Most of the time, pocket pairs are good if they hit a set (three of a kind with 2 of them as your hole cards: a "set of Queens" means pocket Queens with one on the board). However, statistically, you won't hit three of a kind very often. You need a plan when you miss the board with a pocket pair.
To simplify things, a lot of beginners play any pocket pair by calling and seeing a cheap Flop. If they Flop a set, then they "ram and jam" (try to build the pot by getting as many chips as possible in via betting, raising, re-raising etc.) and if they miss then they just fold unless they have a high pocket pair ("high" is an opinion, but maybe 99+ depending on board texture and other factors).
This strategy of playing pocket pairs to flop a set or fold is popular because it cuts your losses if you miss. Once you play poker longer, then you may realize that maybe the lowest of pocket pairs are folds preflop - this is especially true in earlier position.
Feel free to message me on cardschat or post in this forum if you have any questions on terminology or strategy related to this. cardschat is a great forum community for questions like this
blackknives
Rock Star
Bronze Level
like many said, it depends, type of player you are, the opponents, cash vs tournaments.
Personally i try to irk in for the smaller pocket pairs and hope for a set, which also ends up getting crushed at times by flushes/straights. Never hesitate to fold
Personally i try to irk in for the smaller pocket pairs and hope for a set, which also ends up getting crushed at times by flushes/straights. Never hesitate to fold