Playing small pocket pairs

  • Thread starter Thread starter Reprise
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I think if you have at least 30bb you can limp in early to mid position but think you should be raising in late position.
 
Augustus Ceasar said:
Hello Dominiq,

It is true. But in my short practice I saw when such a maniac made a really huge stack with pure luck. We started at 1.5 at the very beginning of a tournament, and at the bubble his stack raised up to 100K, while mine was around 10K with tight-aggressive strategy 🙂 Whe we were at the same table, he got luck for 5 times subsequently.

What to think about all poker books in that case? 🙂

Pardon me for my mistakes, I am from Ukraine.
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It isn't something strange. Poker is a game of luck also. So sometimes guy like him can build a big stack. So what? Maybe sometimes he hit some prize, but not very often.
Just play your game and don't worry about those guys and you will be much more profitable.
 
I play small pairs very carefully, I try to get into the flop with a small pair without raising the bet because the set rarely drops out, and if the players start to raise and reraise I throw off a small pair so as not to lose a lot of chips or dollars on it if the game is for money , Play neatly with a small pair pre-flop
 
I prefer to open with small pairs in later position than to call with them. What pairs I will open with varies by position and if anyone as limped or put in a raise. I have a lot more trouble with facing a raise with small pairs to be honest. Your post flop play is very important with these hands and I think that is what really separates bad, good , and great players.
 
I think that pre-flop you need to make a raise that would have less players.pair even if it is small and still a couple.the enemy can do nothing to be.there is also a chance to catch Seth.if you play aggressive pre-flop the small couple better pass
 
Dmutruu89 said:
I think that pre-flop you need to make a raise that would have less players.pair even if it is small and still a couple.the enemy can do nothing to be.there is also a chance to catch Seth.if you play aggressive pre-flop the small couple better pass
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Ok. Maybe you're right. Let's calculate some math here. If you have a small poket pair (55 and less), then you have 8% of set after flop approximately. If you raise or re-raise pre-flop you can make most players to fold. However, in case of call or re-raise you're in big danger and all you can expect is making your stack smaller in approximately 85% of cases. You still have 9 better pairs to to appear as hole cards of your oponents as well as high non-paired cards like AK-6, KQ-6, QJ-6 suited or not with much better outs, and as a result better chances to win against you.
Taking this into consideration the best option here is to limp and try to see flop as cheap as it possible. If you have a set, than it is a big probability of winning the hand, if not you're underdog and have to fold with first bet in case if flop shows cards higher than yours (i.e. A64, KJ7, etc). Even if you catch a set, there is still flush and streight danger. So in my opinion players should be extremely cautious when play small poket pairs.
 
If I have 22-66 pairs, I usually raise on middle and last positions, and never fold this pairs, even after I see reraise.
 
Twix said:
If I have 22-66 pairs, I usually raise on middle and last positions, and never fold this pairs, even after I see reraise.
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And how often do you win the hand?
 
Yes, I agree.probably better to play more cautiously.but each player has his own style.there are just crazy people. but with your answer I totally agree
 
Limping in general just encourages more limpers.

Multi-way pots are hard to play.
 
Reprise said:
How does everyone play small pocket pairs? To provide context I play live 1/2NL.

I like to limp with small pocket pairs looking to set mine. I don't like the idea of raising because it's rare to hit a set and if I do raise I don't want to see a re-raise making it pricier to see a flop.

Now having said this, I'm noticing that the strong/profitable players raise with small pocket pairs when there is no raise in front of them. Can anyone provide any insight? I'm assuming it's to balance out their range but even so I would think limping with small pocket pairs is better in the long run. But clearly I'm missing something here... 😕
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First thing to say is that I am a new player to the game but I think i have a grip on a few things.. With small PPs I don't like the idea of limping.. I always like to tell the table that I have something.. The general 2 to 2.5 bb raise seems good for me..Then when someone raises me preflop I have a margin to call and see the flop. But it also depends on the players around me.
 
Hello

I play small pocket pairs as cheap as I can and try to flop a set. If I miss on the flop I am pretty much done the the hand.
 
Reprise said:
How does everyone play small pocket pairs? To provide context I play live 1/2NL.

I like to limp with small pocket pairs looking to set mine. I don't like the idea of raising because it's rare to hit a set and if I do raise I don't want to see a re-raise making it pricier to see a flop.

Now having said this, I'm noticing that the strong/profitable players raise with small pocket pairs when there is no raise in front of them. Can anyone provide any insight? I'm assuming it's to balance out their range but even so I would think limping with small pocket pairs is better in the long run. But clearly I'm missing something here... 😕
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Hello. I like to limp with them. Sometimes I will put in a small raise (maybe 3BB's or so) if I have position and/or I playing at a tight table. Take care 😎
 
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