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Joined: Feb '08
Location: Belgium
Age: 64 (M)
Posts: 751
how do you play small pocket pair , like 8 8 ,7 7 , 6 6 , 5 5 ..... For example , 10 person table and you are big blind and have medium stack , one person do a small raise like 1/5 of his stack and he has medium stack also , do you call or raise or do you fold ? Most of the times i fold with such hand because when flop shows nothing usefull and your opponent makes a bet you have to fold anyway or just play all or nothing hoping you still will catch triple .
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 6786
In that situation it is fold or reraise. Players are not deep enough to call for setvalue. Of cause a lot depends on who raises, and from the position he does so.
Cash game i love to go setmining with pretty much any small PP if i have the correct implied odds to make the call & depending on how nitty my opponents are, preferably against those i know stack off with TP. Tourney is a bit more complicated,... i wouldnt commint more than 10% of my stack on any PP lower than 99 or 88, but its very situational dependant, in some spots instafolding 66's but i also might reraise a TAG from the BTN with 66's....
How I play them depends on my position, chip stack who's betting and for how much.With pocket 5's or less, I'll usually fold unless in cut off or button. I'll usually play nearly anything in the blinds if there wasn't any large raises. pocket 7's to 9's are a little more playable but your playing to set or at least catch an open ended draw on the flop.Even then, a draw isn't desirable unless u can control the pot on the turn and river.
Joined: Feb '08
Location: Belgium
Age: 64 (M)
Posts: 751
Posted by Plexo: We need more information. Be more specific with how much stack the players have, blinds and what position is the original raiser.
let's say in a mtt and not in the money yet , blinds 150-300 , no info about opponent , but just wanted to give a example , i am aware that every situation is different , just would like to know how others are playing small pocket pair in let's say standard situation .
You didn't specify if it was cash or tourney. I play cash games and love it when I'm in the blinds and someone pf raises to me when I have pp's. If I hit a set on the flop I have a damn strong hand and that's what wins me alot of money because they don't know until it's too late that they are way behind. For tourney play read what Mast3rKush wrote. I agree with his cash play with pp's too
Joined: Feb '09
Location: Belgium
Age: 34 (M)
Posts: 686
I like to call, particularly if you have an enough good odd (for example at least one more guy calls the reraise). Because here, if u hit your set, you have some good implied odds (much chances that at least one guy have someting, but something less strong than you) and there you can easily double or triple your stack if u play in cash game, its another approach, but im not the best in cash game so ill not give tips ^^
Joined: Apr '08
Location: Argentina
Age: 45 (M)
Posts: 748
In the specific situation the OP describes, I lean toward a fold (although if I were more aggressive it could also be a reraise) Calling for setmining there is no good, because stacks are not deep enough Calling with no plan is also no good, it is a very bad position.
But in general, playing small PPs depend very much on the situation
Joined: Nov '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 47 (M)
Posts: 2194
Small pairs are tricky sometimes as they can get you in all sorts of trouble. Even if you hit your trips with only a low value card you can quite easyly be out triped. Never the less you can play these small pairs depending on the table and your image at the table (presuming its a bit later in the game). I will call a non raised pot with a small pair but would not if the pot had been raised. I dont generally invest in a pot if im gonna be behind from the start. (unless on tilt)..lol I have seen many people over playing small pairs witch can be very profitable as long as you know when to give the pot up, if your being aggressive and some one is going over the top of you its prob best to give it up.....dont go broke with a small pair
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Poland
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 1189
If it would be cash game and his 1/5 it's not my whole stack ofc i would call. In BB you're out of position (which is great to sets) and you can get a lot of cash. But in tournaments.... i would fold pocket pair. To be honest i don't know how to play Pocket Pairs after floop to good ^^. I don't know what to do with T/T or 9/9 when i see at table K/A/Q :/
Posted by ZmxPowah: I don't know what to do with T/T or 9/9 when i see at table K/A/Q :/
If you have 10/10 or 9/9 and theres an ace, K J or Q on the board, and someone bets into you, heres a little word of advice... Its really easy to figure out really.....
Joined: May '09
Location: India
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 4873
i think it depends on a lot of things like ur table image, playing style of raiser and stage of the game you are playing. i think its wise to fold here, not worth putting 1/5th of the stack imo
Posted by mrnugger: how do you play small pocket pair , like 8 8 ,7 7 , 6 6 , 5 5 ..... For example , 10 person table and you are big blind and have medium stack , one person do a small raise like 1/5 of his stack and he has medium stack also , do you call or raise or do you fold ? Most of the times i fold with such hand because when flop shows nothing usefull and your opponent makes a bet you have to fold anyway or just play all or nothing hoping you still will catch triple .
Joined: Oct '09
Location: Lithuania
Age: 43 (M)
Posts: 2805
its only situation can show u are if some rise and more calling u must fall if u stay one on one its just hope for luck and always all in if play 3 persons its aloved all in too its only luck because if u have 88 77 or 66 next player in that time can have jj qq kk or aa just play our game good luck all
if u play in cash game, its another approach, but im not the best in cash game so ill not give tips ^^
