Ed Miller is a master of poker theory. He's studied the numbers and seen countless hands play out both on the felt and in a simulator. A tight player and a loose player will take very different lines when they pick up pocket threes. Here's how the two styles should play pocket threes according to Miller:
How a Loose Player Should Play Pocket Threes Early Position - Limp into an unraised pot, call a raised pot and fold to a re-raise. Middle Position - Limp into an unraised pot, call a raised pot and fold to a re-raise. Late Position - Limp into an unraised pot, call a raised pot and fold to a re-raise. Blinds - Call a raise and fold to a re-raise.
How a Tight Player Should Play Pocket Threes Early Position - A tight player should fold pocket threes preflop in early position. Middle Position - Limp into an unraised pot and fold to a raise. Late Position - Limp into an unraised pot and call a raise if there are several other players in the pot. Blinds - Call a raise and fold to a re-raise.
Remember that whether you play a loose style or a tight style, your goal is to flop a set and win big – no set, no bet. You'll only flop a set around one in eight times, so don't invest too many chips to see a flop when you're holding pocket threes.
Joined: Feb '15
Location: Sweden
Age: 30 (M)
Posts: 24
Thanks for mentioning that! I'll try to keep this in mind for when I get into a position where I'm not sure what to do with, for example, pocket 3's. Nice little "cheat sheet" to have if you need help making a decision fast I reckon
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
According to Randy Laboy, in order to play pocket fours for a raise, you have to have a good feel for when to make a continuation bet and when to check/fold. For example, if you raise and get two callers and the flop comes A-K-10, give it up. It's very likely one of your opponents got a piece of that flop. It's time to let your sailboats sail away.
Keep one thing in mind when you choose to get aggressive with your sailboat – all you're holding is a measly pair of fours. You're trying to outplay your opponents with aggression and you're not expecting to make any kind of a hand. If you get lucky and flop a set, that's great. You can win a big pot if your opponent also flops a big hand. Most of the time, however, you'll be playing with an underpair.
It takes a skilled player to be aggressive with fours preflop. To play this hand profitably, you need to have a good idea of how your opponent plays different hands so you can take the pot away from him. Without this skill, you'll hemorrhage money with pocket fours.
Joined: Feb '15
Location: Sweden
Age: 30 (M)
Posts: 24
Posted by Tony_MON7ANA: According to Randy Laboy, in order to play pocket fours for a raise, you have to have a good feel for when to make a continuation bet and when to check/fold. For example, if you raise and get two callers and the flop comes A-K-10, give it up. It's very likely one of your opponents got a piece of that flop. It's time to let your sailboats sail away....
Sounds very reasonable. I'm thinking in tournaments, I won't play low-middle pocket pairs at all in the early stages unless I can see a cheap flop and try to flop a set. Later on in the tournament however I'm thinking I will start playing more and more aggressive with middle pocket pairs in good position, and hopefully be able to bully some people into giving up their blinds to me or even bully them into folding any middle-high pair they might flop.
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
Dan Harrington on Pocket Fives
Dan Harrington is responsible for training more tournament players than any other author. His Harrington on Hold'em trilogy can be found in every serious player's poker library. Harrington describes three different tournament playing styles: The Conservative Approach, The Aggressive Approach, and The Super-Aggressive Approach. Here's how Harrington recommends that each style play pocket fives:
The Conservative Approach When playing a conservative tournament strategy, Harrington recommends players avoid pocket fives all together. Whether you're in early, middle or late position; pocket fives is a highly speculative hand and a conservative player is advised not to waste their valuable chips betting on speculative hands. It's easy to play pocket fives when you're playing conservative poker – fold.
The Aggressive Approach Players who play the aggressive approach will play pocket fives from any position. These players will limp with pocket fives in early position and raise with them in late position. An aggressive tournament player might even call a raise with pocket fives in late position if there are enough players in the hand. Aggressive players will play a lot more hands with the goal of picking up many small pots. This playing style can be profitable, but it takes a lot more skill to play.
The Super-Aggressive Approach Rules? We don't need no stinking rules! Pocket fives are gold compared to the trash these players usually play. A super-aggressive player will raise with pocket fives from any position. Like the aggressive player, the super-aggressive player wants to pick up a lot of small pots. In addition, the super-aggressive player is hoping to get a lot of action on their big hands – and they'll usually get it.
Best thing in my mind is to mix it up between these 3 approaches depending on context. Sticking to one way of playing pockets 2-9 will make you a bit predictable especially against skilled players.
Also, even for a conservative player, I don't see a good reason to fold a small pocket in late position if everyone folds to him... Since you most likely have a tight image, a x2 raise should make blinds fold most of the time since they are out of position. And if they call you can always hit your set or a flop like 234... Or try to rep something strong wth a c-bet if the board is scary and they check to you. (which will work about 60-80% of the time in my experience)
But I guess that's just the LAG part of me talking, unable to not create some action I feel like limping too often is a good way to lose a lot of small pots and they do add up in the long run.
Edited by TheMachineQC (27 February 2015 @ 20:57 GMT)
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
"Small pocket pairs test the mettle of a poker player. These hands require finesse to play properly; however, pocket sixes can be very profitable for a skilled player. These players use sixes to pick up small pots when they don't flop a set and win big pots when they do. Good players also know that making pocket sixes profitable is more about stemming losses rather than earning profits. You have to have a good sense of when you can steal and when you need to give up the hand."
"The next time you're wondering how you should play your pocket sixes, consider these facts: There are only four hands that you crush (55, 44, 33, 22). You are a coin flip against most hands. There are eight hands that crush you (77, 88, 99,1010, JJ, QQ, KK, AA)."
“When you're out of position your small pairs become an untenable proposition.” - John Vorhaus
Edited by Tony_MON7ANA (28 February 2015 @ 01:04 GMT)
Joined: Feb '15
Location: Sweden
Age: 30 (M)
Posts: 24
Posted by TheMachineQC: Best thing in my mind is to mix it up between these 3 approaches depending on context. Sticking to one way of playing pockets 2-9 will make you a bit predictable especially against skilled players....
Good point. I haven't figured out what kind of player I am yet, though I believe I play fairly tight. I don't know how to size my bets properly in different situations, and I don't know which situations could warrant more aggressive play and which situations warrant less agressiveness... I usually just try to be rational and don't play any bad hands, think of my position at the table etc. Still have a lot to learn
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
Summary
Smaller pairs You can split pocket pairs into groups.
Small pairs (2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5) These hands stand a reasonable chance of winning a 1 on 1 confrontation against overcards, but they have several major vulnerabilities. If three or more players see the flop, you’ll usually need to make a set to win and these pairs are the most vulnerable to counterfeiting.
Middle pairs (6-6, 7-7 and 8-8) Most of the time these hands play like small pairs. On the plus side they aren’t as vulnerable to counterfeiting and sometimes you’ll only be up against one overcard rather than two. However, these hands are often more troublesome than small pairs and as a general rule, unless you flop a set or a good straight draw (that is, the board is 4-5-6 and you have 7-7), you should get out, quick.
Danger pairs (9-9, 10-10) Danger pairs play a lot like middle pairs, but will occasionally hold their own against an opponent who has hit part of his hand (like someone playing A-8 suited who hits the 8). Play them like you would middle pairs, you’ll very rarely get counterfeited but try not to push them too hard. You’ll only end up disappointed.
Posted by mhj07: I find it really hard to know how to play low to mid pocket pairs. For example if I have anything from 88 and down in early/mid position I usually try to raise 3bb and re-raise if someone bet in front of me. In late position I always raise if no bets in front of me, otherwise call.
Lets say I have 55 now and flop comes 4 7 J rainbow. How should I play my hand in early/mid and late position? Should I just lay it down unless I hit a set on the flop? If there are any straight/flush draws or high broadways I usually only check and fold to any bet, unless I hit a set on the flop.
So how should I play these hands in tournaments and 9-man ring games? I find it so difficult to know when I should continute betting or calling and when I should lay it down and realize my hand is beaten.
(sorry if there's a post for this already, I searched the forum without finding anything except the guide to which hands to play)
you should play your stack and your position, on button you can raise with 22 and bet bet bet on paired 2flush board, and take the pot in headsup in 7 times of 10 if you are not reraised postflop
in tournament you can have 22-33-44-55-66-77 with 5k stack on CO or BU, and push preflop to 2 or 3 players preflop with lesser stack than yours, and you also will be winner in 7 times of 10(3 times A or K falling or vs AA KK QQ you lose)
I feel like limping too often is a good way to lose a lot of small pots and they do add up in the long run.
