It seems like on of the hardest things to do in playing No Limit Hold'em poker, is to know how to play pocket pairs, especially online. Of course, everyone can play A-A, but I am talking about how to keep from losing all your chips when you have a low to mid pocket pair. What do you do from middle position with 5-5? How do you play pocket 8's? These are questions that many beginning players struggle with, as well as seasoned vets as well.
First of all, conventional wisdom will tell you to raise with your low to mid pocket pair in order to push other players off their hand, thereby eliminating me of the hands containing over-cards which could beat you after the flop. However, particularly online, you are still going to be called by players holding K-Q, or A-T, or Q-J, etc. So, if any of these over cards come on the flop, your pocket pair of 6's is now worthless and you have to give up the chips you have invested, or as many beginning players will tend to do, invest even more chips in a hand where you only have 2 outs (the other 2 6's).
What I like to do with small to mid pocket pairs is limp in if I can, or if not perhaps call fairly minimal raises. It is seldom that a hand like 6's will hold up until the River, so you are really just wanting to see as many streets as you can for as cheaply as you can, in order to try and hit your set. If you do hit your set, it is most time likely to pay off in a big way, as it is extremely hard for other players to recognize that you hit it. This is why I like to see flops with pocket pairs as much as I can; the potential big pay off.
Of course, there are always exceptions to this strategy: I may push all in with any pocket pair at certain stages of a tournament, depending on my chip stack as well as many other factors. I may also make raises if I feel the other players will fold and I can steal the blinds or antes. But, overall, low to mid pocket pairs, while they have huge potential, are better off not investing too many chips in pre-flop. If you do, you will be forced to make difficult decisions after the flop and that is something that you do not want to have to do.
Chris Wilcox has over ten years experience playing poker both online and offline and provides up to date, cutting-edge, current, information to the Online Texas Holdem community through his books and website. He authored a book titled The No B.S. Guide to Winning Online No Limit Texas Hold em. He is co-founder of Poker Publishing, LLC a Nevada based company which specializes in teaching others how to improve their online poker game.
First of all, conventional wisdom will tell you to raise with your low to mid pocket pair in order to push other players off their hand, thereby eliminating me of the hands containing over-cards which could beat you after the flop. However, particularly online, you are still going to be called by players holding K-Q, or A-T, or Q-J, etc. So, if any of these over cards come on the flop, your pocket pair of 6's is now worthless and you have to give up the chips you have invested, or as many beginning players will tend to do, invest even more chips in a hand where you only have 2 outs (the other 2 6's).
What I like to do with small to mid pocket pairs is limp in if I can, or if not perhaps call fairly minimal raises. It is seldom that a hand like 6's will hold up until the River, so you are really just wanting to see as many streets as you can for as cheaply as you can, in order to try and hit your set. If you do hit your set, it is most time likely to pay off in a big way, as it is extremely hard for other players to recognize that you hit it. This is why I like to see flops with pocket pairs as much as I can; the potential big pay off.
Of course, there are always exceptions to this strategy: I may push all in with any pocket pair at certain stages of a tournament, depending on my chip stack as well as many other factors. I may also make raises if I feel the other players will fold and I can steal the blinds or antes. But, overall, low to mid pocket pairs, while they have huge potential, are better off not investing too many chips in pre-flop. If you do, you will be forced to make difficult decisions after the flop and that is something that you do not want to have to do.
Chris Wilcox has over ten years experience playing poker both online and offline and provides up to date, cutting-edge, current, information to the Online Texas Holdem community through his books and website. He authored a book titled The No B.S. Guide to Winning Online No Limit Texas Hold em. He is co-founder of Poker Publishing, LLC a Nevada based company which specializes in teaching others how to improve their online poker game.
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