Pocket Pairs?

Stew04

Hey guys just wondering how to play pocket pairs. Im pretty new to tournament play and am unsure how aggresive I should be with these hands like pocket 8s, 9s, 10, Js. Also, I always call the big blind with suited connectors then fold if re-raised before the flop. Is there a more sensible way of playing this hand?

Love the sight and appreciate any advice!

Stew04

Talon

  Simple answer to your first question about pocket pairs. RAISE. 

  Raising or folding preflop should always be your default settings preflop. If you are going to enter a hand that is unopened you should be raising whether this is with AA or 72o. Unless you have a hand with enormous implied odds or are confident of out playing your opponents down the streets you should not be looking to limp/call.

  With the exception of when somebody calls to trap with a monster, the simple rule is this. A preflop raiser does not have to hit the flop to take down the pot whereas a preflop caller does.


  As far as defending in the BB is concerned it is a habit that is not advisable, especially either early in tournies or in cash. Once the BB has been posted it is no longer yours and you should not consider trying to save it. However if you want to be calling raises with hands like suited connectors then i would suggest if possible you should be doing this from late position preferably the button. This way you will have position down the streets and can make much easier and better decisions. So in a nutshell defend your button rather than defend your BB.

Crunchybob

Hey mate. depending on position i would always raise, if not i would call a raise.

remember with small pp's the only thing your really hoping for is to make a set, as the chances are ur opponent will have at least one overcard that beats u. so i wouldn't spend too much money to see a flop with a small pp(especially if there are alot of raises re-raises).

with ur mid pairs(8-jj) i would always raise if noone else has. if the flop comes dwn 7410 and ur holding jacks then this is a good flop, alot of 'fish' on the site would think they have a top pair with a 10 and go crazy, little do they know you have them beat.
if a flop comes ace queen 2, then be weary of ur opponent as its possible they have u beat(alot of ppl will call raises even with a rag ace).

tip: dont go spending too much money after flop(on a dangerous board) looking to make a set as i think the odds are like 7:1.

waller02

in the early stages (first 2/3 levels) of a tournament i think there is a case for limping with smaller pocket pairs 9's or below purely to see a cheap flop and set mine. depends on the table though, if there are lots of limpers and any preflop raise is getting 2 or more callers then i think limping with 99 88 etc. is ok. however if the table is playing tight and solid then raise pre. for mid to high pairs 10's plus always raise.
once you get to level 4 say 50/100 blinds then limping is never an option either fold or raise. 

AMYBR

All really depends on position and stack size IMO.

I'm never really limping into a hand though.  If my stack cant accomadate a standard raise in EP with suited connectors (at least 8high) I'm folding. 

Same goes for small PP's in EP 7's and lower.  If you dont have the stack to properly play the hand you need to wait for the spot that you feel you have a highchance of doubling through, rather than dribbling your stack into click and pray flops.

waller02

In Response to Re: Pocket Pairs?:

All really depends on position and stack size IMO. I'm never really limping into a hand though.  If my stack cant accomadate a standard raise in EP with suited connectors (at least 8high) I'm folding.  Same goes for small PP's in EP 7's and lower.  If you dont have the stack to properly play the hand you need to wait for the spot that you feel you have a highchance of doubling through, rather than dribbling your stack into click and pray flops.
Posted by AMYBR

ok say it's level 2 of an mtt blinds are 15/30, you're in mid position with 66 and the hand has been limped round to you. the table is loose with 3/4x raises getting 2 or more callers, i'm not raising here because it doesn't apply any real pressure and leads to a difficult situation on the flop for me but i'm not folding either if i can limp in and see a cheap flop. if i raise and get 2 callers there aren't many flops i'm going to like, say the flop is Q 5 10 and you have 2 more ppl in the pot.

AMYBR

Yes i limp along also.  Sorry I neglected to say I'm never limping into a pot with no action infront.

If theres multi limps or a raise I will most likely come in cheap and limp or flat behind, if raising hasnt been thinning the field.

But if there's no limps or raise infront I'm wanting to take control of the pot there, rather than just initiating limpalooza

So yes, your right (but I was talking about EP)

Stew04

In Response to Re: Pocket Pairs?:

  Simple answer to your first question about pocket pairs. RAISE.    Raising or folding preflop should always be your default settings preflop. If you are going to enter a hand that is unopened you should be raising whether this is with AA or 72o. Unless you have a hand with enormous implied odds or are confident of out playing your opponents down the streets you should not be looking to limp/call.   With the exception of when somebody calls to trap with a monster, the simple rule is this. A preflop raiser does not have to hit the flop to take down the pot whereas a preflop caller does.   As far as defending in the BB is concerned it is a habit that is not advisable, especially either early in tournies or in cash. Once the BB has been posted it is no longer yours and you should not consider trying to save it. However if you want to be calling raises with hands like suited connectors then i would suggest if possible you should be doing this from late position preferably the button. This way you will have position down the streets and can make much easier and better decisions. So in a nutshell defend your button rather than defend your BB.
Posted by Talon

Thanks mate appreciate the advice! Seems i need to be more willing to give up the blinds instead of defending all the time! Cheers!

Crunchybob

remember if ur defending ur blinds ur more than likely going to be out of position, so unless u have a hand you feel comfortable with then i'd give it up. the chips are already in the middle so do u really wanna risk losing more trying to win them back.

as for the early stage of mtt, just limp with pp's hoping to hit a set, if u dont hit then i'd more than likely give it up.
in the latter stages of mtt pocket pairs are much more valuable hand