Small pocket pairs

[nasty bent gorilla]

What are the most profitable ways to play small pocket pairs, such as 22, 33, and 44, in different positions at a table.

Should you only be looking to flop sets with these hands?

 

[Grabobbe]

Personally I try to stay in as long as I can, without having to throw a lot in the pool. If you hit a third on the table, there is a good chance of earning quite a lot, since it is hard for the opponents to guess what you have. I hate to loose to pocket pairs hitting a third on the table…

 

[Huntre]

i think slow play is a key for this situation, but if table are short in players, any pair- it is a reason for 3bet

 

[Luvepoker]

Playing pockets 2, 3 and 4s carefully is a smart thing to do. I would not say you should be just playing for sets but that is where there true value it. Against certain players on certain flops they can be played for value, but it is not overly often you will get that chance.

 

[jcxmendes]

I think it's important to play with these pairs, especially when with a good image at the table

 

[German629]

What are the most profitable ways to play small pocket pairs, such as 22, 33, and 44, in different positions at a table.

Should you only be looking to flop sets with these hands?

Hello, nasty bent gorilla! I think, a play with small pocket pairs this is often as lottery... Because, if you even can to catch set on the flop,
you can lose to any more strong set eventually!..

 

[Iryna Stryzheuskaya]

I think that you need to play taking into account which opponents are playing against you.

 

[Gallarado777]

the chance of such hands is 1 out of 8 hands you will win and make a set on the flop so expect that you have to win 1 out of 8 times and to lose less than you win, such pairs will raise 2bb and all to watch the flop for a small amount but from early positions you should not play the middle or late position is best for such a hand

 

[Jamil]

You have to be a long time to reveal the cards in order to take a risk

 

[Alexey Shley]

I usually throw small pairs into passes. If everyone has dropped their cards before me, I can compete for the pot by preflop with a few blinds. It's rare that you get into a set on the flop, and your opponent will often have higher pairs.

 

[louuu19]

Depends on the type of table you're playing in, small pairs will cost you a fortune in an aggressive table

 

[christovam]

This will depend on the position you are in and the size of your stcak.

In early table play only pairs over 6 if you are in UTG, 55 in UTG+1, 44 in UTG+2, and so on.

Always give 2x or a little more when you are the first to raise. If someone has limped before, then you can lim as well.

Only call if your stack is ten times your bet.

Pay to bite anyway, the odds are one to six. If you don't check, check and if you get bet, simply fold the hand.

 

[Rost]

What are the most profitable ways to play small pocket pairs, such as 22, 33, and 44, in different positions at a table.

Should you only be looking to flop sets with these hands?

Yes, a set on the flop is probably the most reliable option. At least that's how I try to play.

 

[Baldy86]

i often limp with them (any position)

sometimes in cash games i raise preflop though

on torunaments rarely so . since people are more likely to go crazy there and i want to see the flop as cheap as possible

 

[afecho]

I have little to no success playing low pocket pairs. I don’t want to pay much to see the flop so often fold them. But I see many others play them much more aggressively and do very well so I’m not sure the correct way to play them. Thanks for Thai’s thread and I look forward to more suggestions.

 

[martinoni]

It is a good hand to shove when the action folds to you and you are short stacked

 

[alabos]

With raise its very though too stay but that could be interestong if your 3 of kind go on the table........its all or nothing

 

[freerobert]

A straight pair wins the game 27% of the time.

Three of a Kind wins 12% of games.

In probability, every 17.5 hand dealt is a pair.

A set is only hit every 7.5 times in flop.

 

[Atararo14]

Generally, we open raise hoping that everyone folds. Otherwise if a player calls, we hope to hit a set because these hands have low preflop equity. For example, if you have 22 or 33 your opponent has at least 2 over cards like JT, KJ, A9... so you will play at maximum 50% equity and if your opponent has a pair over you will have a 20% equity vs 80% so it's not profitable to go all in preflop with these hands when you have a comfortable stack.

On the other hand if you have less than 10BB in a situation without ICM, in this case you can open shove with these hands.

 

[ADRI7HO]

Set hunting with the low pair makes sense, because if you hit the flop, you can win a nice pot with it, but in order to make your hand unpredictable, you should sometimes raise or re-raise with it preflop, just so that your game is not predictable.

 

[ednaroza]

Personally I play them by limping or calling 2-3 BB max (maybe more if you are deep-stacked and in late position) and basically hope to hit a set. Mainly set because you can get most value - if you have 22 and the board is 3 4 5 6 for example, I don't think you can get a callers

 

[jonaselloco]

I usually limp call them from late position,
If it's like an opening, max an openraise from MP or BN.
I don't do more than that.
Before a strong reraise, I fold.
Greetings

 

[ElScorcho008]

I have had a couple in person tournament wins thanks to small pockets that tripped up. I try to see a flop with low pockets whenever possible, and nice to see a turn and river if you can. If you do trip up, slow play and let people bet into you

 

[ROYALROAD]

Certainly, I have many experiences of beating AK with 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, etc.
In such a case, there is a "premonition" that will result in such a result in advance.

 

[valanddon]

If the bet is not to high, see what the flop brings you.