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"Playing Small Pairs
by gidders
I want to talk to you guys about something that I have put a lot of thought into over the past year. It's about playing small and medium pairs, 2's through 8's. I have read in a ton of books and read everywhere that the generally theory behind playing them is to limp in early levels, and "hope to hit a set". Well I don't think that this is necessarily the best option on how to play them.
You are in middle-late positon in Level 1 with 55 (aka. the nuts), and there is 2 limpers in front of you, then by all means go ahead and limp yourself. You will probably get 1-3 callers if you raise an amount like 4xBB, so there is really no point to raise in that situation. In this case, you want all the callers you can, and then you can "hope" to hit that set and win a larger pot.
I have a problem with the "hope to hit a set" statement. Essentially, this is a weak/tight play. If I don't hit my 2 outer on the flop, I am folding having lost minimal amount of chips? Naw, get in there and raise that unopened pot! Let them guess what you have. Make them be the callers. Give yourself that preflop edge, where you have control over the pot. And make that bet at the non scary board. Not too mention if you do actually flop your set, your continuation bet on the flop will look exactly like that, a continuation bet. Good things.
You must excercise caution with the small pairs, however. If you raise 3xBB and you get 3 callers, and the board comes out Kc Jc 8s, it really doesnt make much sense to continuation bet does it? One of those guys has to have a piece of that board, or some kind of draw. Leave those ones alone. But if you have 3 callers and the board comes Ac 9s 2h, go ahead and throw out a good sized bet. If you get called, you can be sure that the caller has an ace. What else would he have on that board? Okay, time for an example of passive play with a small pair vs. aggressive play with a small pair.
You are first to act with 55 and blinds at 15/30. I would recomend raising 3xBB, just as you would later in the SNG. The reasoning behind this? Many people have read from books "you need to have a supreme starting hand to open a pot from early position", and will give you more credit for a big hand. Which is great, you always want your opponents to think you are huge. Even if your opponents have no idea about position (which I'm sure most of you are thinking) well they will have to have a big hand to reraise you with, because most bad players are calling stations. Which is fine, if you raised the pot preflop, than you have control of it and are "in charge" of the betting on the flop. Now let's say the hands behind you are: A3o, 87o, K4o, 77, Q2h, 63o and T5c. Let's see what would have happened if you limped.
55 - Limp. - Translation - "I have a limping hand, like a small pair, Ax(s), KQo - K9s. I might have a monster, but probably not."
A3o - Limp. - Translation - "Oh UTG is limping? I suppose I can limp here too. If I had a big hand I would have to raise it because I want to narrow the field with my AKs-TT.
87o - Limp/Fold. - Translation - "Oh this is a limpfest? Count me in! I have straightening cards!
K4o - Fold.
77 - Limp. - Translation "I've got a limping hand, I don't wanna get trapped by that original limper, he might be huge. I'll see a flop and 'HOPE to catch my set'."
Q2h - Limp. - Translation "No one has shown any strength and they are sooted, might as well see if I can flop something big, like a floosh draw in this multiway pot."
63o - Limp. - Translation "I'm gettin half price and they is a big pot brewing, let's see if I can flop huge."
T5c - Check. - Translation "I wouldda folded to a 3x raise but if I get a free flop I'll take it!"
Flop: Qh 4c 8d
Now what? Clearly could be queen or an eight out there, because you didn't raise. Let's continue.
63o - Check/Fold
T5c - Check/Fold
55 - ??
Now what? You gunna bet out into 5 or 6 guys with two overs? Narrow the field with a standar raise preflop.
Let's play this hand back with some aggression.
55 - Raise. - Translation - "I like my hand, and even though there are 8 others to act behind me.. I ain't scurred."
A3o - Call/Fold - Translation - "I have an ace! I can't lay down an ace!/ I might be dominated by a bigger ace, I'll lay down."
87o - Fold - Translation - "I can't play this hand to a raise, I just can't."
77 - Call - Translation - "I'll try to flop my set, or I'll push on a 6-high flop because right now I put him on two overs."
Q2h - Fold - Translation - "Can't play this hand to a raise."
63o - Fold - Translation - "Drab yo, wish I couldda seen a cheap flop."
T5c - Call/Fold - Translation - "Sooted! Half price too!/Can't play this hand to a EP raiser, or any raiser for that matter."
Flop: Qh 4c 8d
55 - Bet - Translation - "I still like my hand, if fact I now have AQ for top pair top kick on this non scary board. I will bet about 3/4 - Pot.
77 - Fold - Translation - "Too bad I didn't hit my set, he might not have that Q, but it's way too early on in this SNG to pay to find out. Besides, I only have 77 and there is two overs already."
T5c - Fold - Translation - "Well I missed horribly, nice hand EP raiser."
As you can see, by playing this small pair with some aggression - you have given yourself a better opportunity to win the pot.
I like to play small pairs the same way I play any of the hands I want to play. I like to come in for a raise. I generally like to be the first guy into the pot with them, and I like to have a close distance to the button if at all possible. That being said, if I am dealt 33 UTG, I will open the pot for a raise. I really like the idea of being the first person to open a pot. It puts more pressure on the players acting behind me, knowing that I have not only shown strength, but I've shown early postion strength too.
I just want to clarify that I don't ALWAYS raise with small pairs. Part of playing poker is mixing up your play, of course. If you do the same thing everytime with a certain hand, people are going to catch on. But betting and raising are the two best options you usually have, so it just makes sense to raise with almost all the hands you want to enter the pot with. I would like to explain my thoughts more clearly, but I'd like to learn a little bit more on my own about how to play these hands, so I can better illustrate my points.
If anyone has any more in depth questions on how to play small pocket pairs, please feel free to email me at gidderbomb@hotmail.com or private message me, as I'd be happy to try to answer your questions and concerns."
