pocket pairs.

[Logan1984]

I'm no expert, but I pretty much raise all pairs by 3x or 4* if it's been folded to me.

If someone has raised 3* then if I have 10's + I will 3bet over the top typically, especially if late position.

If EP just a standard raise or a call if someone has already raised it 3*

If I miss my set and I get a big raise in front of me I will fold, of no action in front and I am LP, then CBet.

This is cash game though.

 

[Lheticus]

22-55 possibly 66 I would personally fold in early position in the low stakes I play, 77-88 I limp hoping it encourages further limps and discourages raises. Anything higher I open the betting. Any other position it depends on the action preceding me.

 

[Sosa VII]

Really depends on the table, if you got a tight table, I'd min raise. I could have a chance at stealing the blinds, while also putting a decent amount in the pot if I hit my set.

 

[fearfizz]

i would just call from few possitions but UTG its very risky play just to call early.

 

[fooks]

it all depends on my position and stage of tournament or games,can go directly Allin.or wait for the set)

 

[JPainTrainSicko]

It varies a bit depending on what the table dynamics are. Some tables will be more passive and I may just limp with a higher frequency. On more aggressive tables I'll raise more when I play them. But generally trying to play balanced and positionally sound. With 30bb and the low pocket pairs in this spot.

 

[nickisgeek]

I prefer raising pairs like QQ and higher in any position, raise/call 99-JJ in middle/early, anything lower than 99 i just limp.

 

[leandr0s]

using small pocket pairs ONLY for set mining is a big mistake most players do. i have come to realise it because i myself was making it all the time. we see a raise and we think we can flop a set and get a big payday. thats more times than not just a dream that doesnt become a reality. if you call a raise with the intention to fold to a c-bet if you dont catch a set then you are actually losing money. lets say you are in BTN holding 44. and the CO opens for 3BB. you need to call 3BB to win a pot of 7,5BB so you are getting 1:2.5 on your money. assuming that people in the blinds are getting greater odds after you call as well it gives you much better odds. there is also the chance of someone raising big after you so lets not take into account any action that hasnt happened yet. you will be making a set 11,8% of the time. that means that by solely using your 44 for set mining you are losing roughly 88% of the time. so your pot odds are terrible and by applying that you are losing money in the long run. now on the other hand by making your set you can say that you have implied odds, so that is another thing to take into account. but that also means that your opponent is gonna have (or make on the flop) a big hand as well! but people open far more hands like Aces and if they dont make their hands they obviously arent going to stack of with Q-high. if you have a read that an opponent is opening with a premium hand then calling with the sole intention of set mining is acceptable assuming this person has a stack of more than 10 times the size of the raise you need to call (e.g. if he raises from early position 5X and is a nit you can definetely call and try to get his 100BBs after flopping your set.) but the thing is that more times than not when you are facing with an open raise you are not against an overpair, but a couple of mere overcards. more times than not these holdings will miss the flop but the player holding them are gonna c-bet with them regardless. knowing your oppoents opening range is helping you understand which boards hit him and which dont. a board that didnt hit him is probably gonna be enough for you even if all the cards on the flop are bigger than your pair. a 3,7,9 flop is great for pocket 2s against an early position raise. you can definitely call the c-bet and re-evaluate on the turn. but folding after missing the flop is defintely -EV. most rainbow paired boards are also great to call c-bets with. you need to know how to play small pairs not just go for the jackpot-set or you are actually wasting your money. thats the reason why 3betting with middle pairs is profitable. because you have 1.) fold equity against weak hands who are flipping against you 2) get the aggression so you can c-bet and take the pot if your opponents miss 3)widen your range for when you get the real goodies.

 

[milka1605]

I, too, up to 77 I go limp if necessary call in the big blind. That is higher than before 10 10 can make a raise. On 10 10 has exactly the raise. If JJ and above then 4 BB.

 

[Elena81]

In late position, I always raise with any pair. From early position, sometimes do call if a lot of limpers.

 

[rlzaleski]

I like raising with big pairs. I tend to raise every pot I enter so I can't get away with limping, I'll almost certainly get re-raised, and if it's 55 you really want set mine odds.

Lately I've been winning more with a min raise as the bigger raises tend to just win there. I've been saving those for where I'd like to win the blinds right there.

I'd still never limp early, you're asking for a 5 way pot which is where you will be weakest, especially when you might get 3 all in calls of the flop draws

 

[vascoace09]

It will Depends my position, but most of the time i will raise. even with low pair in my hand.

 

[Omar Kassas]

small pairs almost never appeared from TT up and it's not sure cuz russians love to re-raise KK JJ QQ TT when they had A i mean they only trust in A even if they drunk or not if they see A without any matter of kicker from 2 to 10 they went all in

 

[leorulex]

In first and second blind level i limp. 50/100 and more i can play in late position with raise. But i dont like 55-

 

[Darkelf53]

Pocket pair predicament

Pocket pairs are a two edged sword . I find it smarter to raise 10's and above . I would limp in with anything lower in hopes of catching . I have taken down str8s many times because if you hit on flop .. your chance of hand improvement increases with each card , while a str8 can't improve . Hope this helps

 

[CEO]

I Limp with Pairs Lower then Queens, I found that I have saved so much playing them that way, but thats just me, I prefer to have more players in the hand when sets hit, I havn't heard anyone say glad you raised I would have hit two pair

 

[Goldog]

You got it all wrong

leorulex. 55 is the best!

OP asked a good question. Going through there seemed to be a lot of always do this , never do that kind of posts.Even those instructions by position. Raise a lot , a little or limp directly correlated to your pair rank and/or position? That's not poker. Some more thought out replies on page two.

I think its important to understand how the value and correct line changes depending on the tournament stages. Early stage set mining gives way to positional aggression in the middle stages to the inevitable coin-flip challenges toward the end. You've got to put your money out there sometimes.

 

[hkoch7]

all dependent on position, however the payoff can increase if you limp in and catch more hands on the trap

 

[Bogdan Pyts]

when someone - it limps, do overlimp if all fold to me it open raise

 

[luiaguila]

I recommend just went from middle position to the last and depends on the players that you never are faced from early position and is a weak table

 

[MasterTur]

I usually do a mini raise in early and late position, i dont like to play in middle position, sometimes just limp to see flop, but very unlike.

 

[arbahool]

usually i just limp small pocket pairs and hope to hit the set on the flop,if there is JJ or higher then my usual pre flop bet

 

[SPANKYSN]

I like to limp with 22 - 77, slow play with small bet if I hit the set, but I play more aggressively if the board pairs.