What's the best way to play 2 2

[eNTy]

i think im going to want to subscribe to the lolz

yes thats what ill do.

 

[ColdHardMetal]

I play cash games exclusively so this applies to that:

I raise with 22 from pretty much anywhere. If I get re-raised and am still getting better than 8-1 implied odds I call the re-raise.

If I hit the set on the flop I c-bet, and then probably fold if re-raised.

If I don't hit and I'm in late position and it checks around to me I c-bet anyway, and you usually take it down right there. If re-raised, fold. If someone calls my c-bet they usually check to me on the turn so I can check back and see a free river card, again looking for the set and betting accordingly if I hit.

Auto folding a pair is a wasted opportunity.

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

If you think that playing 22's is less profitable then playing the over valued ace and/or king. Then you are crazy

Really:questionm Perhaps the word "crazy" should be changed to "sensible" :questionm

 

[shinedown.45]

It has been mentioned by many noted poker pro's.
You should not play 22 because it can and usually does get counterfeited.

As for the best way to play 22, fold unless limped around to you in the blinds.

 

[eNTy]

set mine or gtfo

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

FOLD 22 always!

Please ignore this advice - poker is never that simple.

 

[jdeliverer]

Why is everyone so blinded by the fact that 2 2 could, possibly, maybe make a set? If you pull that off and find a 3rd on the flop (8-1 odd's against it roughly), would you still be willing to back them against a pot sized bet? Pocket pairs lower than 8's have gotten me in trouble more times than I'd care to remember, set or no set. There are far better cards to get your cash behind, throw away low pairs unless your 6 handed or less, or your last to act with no bets in the pot.

Would I be willing to back a set of 2's against a pot sized bet?

Yes...

 

[bfw0082]

You limp in with it in any position, make a call with it in SB or BB to a raise, and fold it in early position if the blinds are 15% of your stack or more, unless you want to push all in with it and hope Ax calls you....

Have to see a flop with pairs, missing that opportunity to hit a set and get rewarded huge can be critical.

 

[Machidon7]

i usually fold this hand, unless i'm SB or BB then i check or call to see the flop and hope for sets....but if u play cash games or heads up u should fold :smile:

 

[wtdaddy1020]

dont be over aggresive with them. i like to see a flop if i can but it depends on the action before me. if a player as been plaing real aggresive and showing mediocre hand i would try to get heads up with him and try to fore him out or try to out play him or her after the flop pending on what hits.

 

[eNTy]

whoever bumped this thread should diagf though

 

[Jodieblonde]

I'm no expert for sure but pocket deuces is a good fold unless you can see the flop real cheap. Good luck on those deuces!

 

[aznman08]

limp in with them in the btn or in the blinds pf, if you hit a 2 and there arent any scare draws then check and let your opponents fire into you. if you miss throw them

 

[billyth3kid]

to be honest you got the right idea... fold 22.. a lot of pros dont play pairs lower than 6s just for the fact that u have a higher chance of running into a better set.....if you are going ot play them some people play them like AQ raise.. and if an ace or k hits bet on it.. if you get the set... youll know what to do

 

[Qutsemnie]

I think the situation might be worse than the EV calculations indicate. The reason is that in order for those sorts of EV calculations to be ball park meaningful you need to win as much cash on average about the same amount of cash as you lose on average. (edit: guess in poker speak I am saying the implied betting is pretty skewed against making money off 22).

Alot of the winning that 22 does in that EV calculation is when your opponent simply doesn't pair up. So somehow you would need a betting strategy facing 3 over cards on the flop (if you didn't hit trips) that wins about as much cash as it looses going to a showdown or until someone folds. That is pretty tricky!

I think the poker knowledge base has incorporated this effect of expected amount to win versus expected amount to lose preflop in to their consideration of position. When someone says they will play it if everyone else limped in and is out of position, they are saying they know how to use position to making a betting strategy that makes 22 mean win amount closer to the mean loss amount.

That takes some skill outside of trips when you think about it. Most of us shouldn't bank on it.

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

This is a 22 that I didn't fold.

 

[Bernard Pugi]

I play this hand it depends if no one raises. I just call but when I'm the first one to move, I fold. When the flop comes and it doesn't help, I check or fold. Sometimes lucky comes getting yourself a three of a kind. haha. I sometimes win this kind of hand.

 

[Tokeard311]

limp if in lp, fold to raise, if you hit set trap.

 

[S93]

This is a 22 that I didn't fold.

You shoved all-in?
Asuming the SB limper doesnt have a 2BB< stack shoving i probably the most ev+ in that spot imo.

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

Yes I had the impression that Jodieblonde was playing too many hands at this point of the tournament, and had often folded to a big raise in a similar sort of situation. So I shoved, and Jodieblonde folded.

 

[RA2000]

Depends on many things!
Way your opponents play, position, table image, cash or tournement, chip stack.....

 

[c9h13no3]

In this hand, I knew that 22 was a favorite over any non-paired hand. And UTG would have raised if he had a pair, because pairs are better than non-paired hands. So he didn't have a pair, so I bet until the river because I knew I was a favorite to win. Obviously if you're playing them any other way, you're playing it wrong.

Ultimate Bet, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players

Hero (MP): $112.40 (112.4 bb)
CO: $51.14 (51.1 bb)
BTN: $309.78 (309.8 bb)
SB: $116.50 (116.5 bb)
BB: $82.45 (82.5 bb)
UTG: $137.38 (137.4 bb)

Pre-Flop: Hero is MP with 2♠ 2♥
UTG calls $1, Hero raises to $4.50, 4 folds, UTG calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50) K♣ 7♦ 6♣ (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $8.25, UTG calls $8.25

Turn: ($27) 8♦ (2 players)
UTG bets $4, Hero raises to $32, UTG calls $28

River: ($91) K♥ (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $67.65 and is all-in, UTG folds

 

[aprocketsa]

i personally beleive it totally depends on what poker your playing if it is tourney poker i might play it differently at different levels of the tournament. If it was final table that was full and i was small stack i would fold however if it was beginning of tourny and blinds were still small i would just most likely limp hoping to catch a set. The only problem i foresee with limping and trying to catch a set that you could very easily catch a set and also have someone else catch a set which obviously is bigger. Definatly a hard hand to play. Just go with your gut.

 

[imasquare]

To it depends on the situation of the tournament and how im feeling at the table, but i will usually be aggressive preflop with 22, and depending on the flop and if i know my opponent well i will slowdown or keep being aggressive all the way.

 

[PattyR]

i go for a HUGE raise, like super huge raise, that way ppl with hands like AQ and AK or KQ or whatever big hands will call. than once the flop comes if you dont see any over cards or if the other person is making small stabs at the pot with nothing just to get you to fold or get a free card, shove them all in =]

best of luck, hope this helps