Posted Sun Aug 24, 2003 9:37 am GMT by mrfloppy
I played in a tourney recently and got dealt a slew of pocket pairs in the 1st 25 or so hands. I got pocket J's, Q's, 10's, and the 8's twice. I folded my 8's with 2 pair on board once and found they were best hand as that deal went to the river. In fact the only hand I won with was the Q's and 10's.
Anyhow I have big time trouble playing these pocket pairs. Any overcard threatens me and any betting action will fold me nearly every time. Who has suggestions for pre-flop and post flop action. If there are few people in the hand do you raise pre-flop if you're in late position? Post flop and even river do you see the hand through if the bets are cheap and there's maybe 1 over card on board?...Tough to answer with all the different scenarios possible.
I just kept getting those cards and realized I had little clue what to do if the flop didn't hit me. I'd rather have offsuited KQ or QJ then pocket 9's and that shows a serious loophole in mucking hands a lot of people would probably win. Any moron can play the high cards well, gotta have something else to give you an edge.
Also I've seen mention of a book that tells you how to play certain hands from certain positions. I think I've deduced it to Sklansky's hold'em for advanced players and Brunson's Super system...anyone tell me which 1 has information on this sort of thing, or any other reads that do.
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Posted Sun Aug 24, 2003 10:44 am GMT by Carson Cashman
When you're playing smaller pocket pairs, there's a simple rule of thumb that will save you alot of trouble... NO SET, NO BET!
I've seen more players chase baby PP to the river and lose a pile of money than you can imagine. You just need to watch the betting action, and remember who's betting what preflop. I try to stay away from playing anything less than 9's unless I'm atleast in mid-late position, and even then I don't like doing it.
If you're playing heads up or short handed, though, thats an entirely different story. Its much easier for your smaller PP's to take the pot then, but still you need to have a good feel for your opponents.
Posted Sun Aug 24, 2003 10:51 am GMT by Poker_Vendetta
Yeah, the best scenarios are the pair either hits a set, or is the highest pair. I'd still probably play it if it was second-pair, because you never know. But Carson is right, i'd say I dunno, 7 and under, no set no bet. But unless someone goes ALL-IN you should at least see a flop with a pocket pair.
Posted Sun Aug 24, 2003 11:39 am GMT by mrfloppy
Oh then I've been playing them mostly right then which is a surprise to me. In tournaments is most of your progression through winning larger pots and doubling up or do you make a good deal from stealing smaller pots? I don't make steals on pots too often. Starting with 1k chips I play a little looser in the beginning with the smaller blinds hoping to pick up a few early pots but it hasn't worked. Usually I drop to 7-800 and double up with a good hand. At 1st hour breaks on UB I'm sitting in top 1/4 of field in chips. It's at this point things start to go downhill. My stack dwindles down from 2-3k to 15 or 1600 as I stay in a hand or 2 I shouldn't and most likely folding out of hands I should stay in. People consistently steal pots for 6-700 and I have had no such luck. At this point I look to double up again, and lady luck usually bites me in the ass.
This morning I was sitting in same situation, about 1600 in chips and an offsuit AQ in the BB. 1st player limps in and a middle position player limps in. I love having good cards in the BB when you get to check in for a flop b/c everyone thinks you have jack crap. Flop comes 272 rainbow...I check it off, 1st person bets 700, 2nd player calls. I find it highly doubtful an Early position player was calling in with a 2 in his hand so I reraise all in hoping to steal a pot of my own and scare them with the check raise. I'm figuring the only hand that can beat me is AK, I have over cards and it's not likely anyone of them are holding a 2, 7 or a strong pocket pair imo. That 1st player folds. After some consideration the middle player calls me and turns up pocket 9's to my AQ. The turn brings an A, a higher 2 pair for me over the pocket 9's. Great my little gamble paid off and I'm doing to double up. WRONG. 9 hits on the river and he picks up a 4k pot with his boat.
Posted Sun Aug 24, 2003 12:54 pm GMT by kluCAR
Yeah. Pocket pairs are ok and you must see the floop. there is over 10% posibilitys that you hit a set on the flop.
I even bet if it is at least second best if oponnents dont raise or sth. If it is somwhere in the middle i wait for buying set on the river or turn. There is good 8% of hitting that.
Posted Sun Aug 24, 2003 3:59 pm GMT by Poker_Vendetta
272 eh? I guess I'm not a gambler, I would have just mucked it, putting atleast someone on 7-something. And I guess I would have lost without taking a reasonable chance, oh well who knows?
Posted Wed Feb 04, 2004 12:45 pm GMT by suds248
Best to hit the set on the flop....If there are overcards and action...fold! If your low pair doesn't hit but there are no overcards on the flop than bet out and see if you're reraised...you'll be better off doing this on the flop as the bets are cheaper...plus you may get a free card on the river if your in late position.
Posted Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:28 am GMT by nicthestick
Small pocket pairs are a great hand to start with in NL. I typically will raise it to 4x to 6x the BB. this will tend to drive out the hands that want to see a flop cheap, and 40% to 60% of the time, its good enough for a steal. Depending on the flop and position, I will bet on out with almost anything on the board. The other players have no clue what I have. If the flop is AAK, and I have 77, I will represent AK, to try and pick up the pot. Think about it. A 4 to 6x raise preflop? I could have AK. This aggressive play is very sucessful for me. But dont forget to mix it up 
Posted Sun Feb 15, 2004 4:21 am GMT by boden11
I'll usually dump overcards if the flop pairs, simply because I've seen *SOOOOOO* many people (even in $4/$eight) play complete junk even in early position that it's not even worth fighting for the pot. I won't even call low PP (2-5) if there's a raise unless I'm in the BB. With 6-9 I'll limp in and call 1 one raise, and 10-Q I'll raise in any position; sometimes even capping it pre-flop.
Posted Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:03 pm GMT by Matt T
I'm a beginner so I'm asking if this would be right: In the example above where the pocket 9's beat the AQo; why wouldn't you raise pre-flop and then bet the flop. You would have then ended up betting the turn due to the A and it's possible he would have folded knowing he had only 2 outs. Anything wrong with this approach? I "think" that's the way I would've played it.
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