How should you play low pocket pairs between 2's and 8's???

[Beccy25]

I'm looking for some tips on how to play low pocket pairs between pocket 2's through to pocket 8's??? Pre-flop strategy's, i don't have any cenerios to give, just looking for tips on these hands to build my game up.

[Mawbster]

UTG fold.

Limp in middle position.

If no raise before you in cutoff or button raise 3x BB.

[Da-Duck]

How to play small pocket pairs

Small pocket pairs are generally pocket pairs 8 an under. There are several ways of playing small pocket pairs. Most of how to play these hands depends on position.

If you are in early position and you catch a small pocket pair you generally want to just limp in or call a small to moderate raise. Basically here since you do not have any leverage because you are in bad position you need to spike your pocket pair. If you don’t it is usually best to toss the hand. The exception to this would be if your low pocket pair is higher then the bard then you need to take a stab at the pot and see if you can take it down before over cards start to hit. So if you have a low pocket pair and you are in the blinds or in early position just limp in and try to see a cheap flop if you spike your hand and hit trips make as much money out of the hand as you can. If you don’t hit trips its generally best to just fold. That is why you should not call big preflop raises with this hand because if you do youre going to find yourself committed to a hand that has a low chance of winning because basically you only have two outs so youre chances of winning are very very low.

The other way to play low pocket pairs is when you are in good position meaning close to the button or on the button. From there you can leverage your position to take the pot down. So lets say you get pocket 8’s and you are next to the button. There you would make a raise preflop to see where everyone is in the hand. If someone goes over the top of you, you have to put them on a hi pocket pair or AK, AQ depending on the players. So if they just call you are probably up against over cards something like KJ, A10, or KQ. So now you know where you are at. Also if you get lucky enough to spike the 8 with maybe a K or an Ace on the flop you are going to double up on this hand because if you have a guy in the Hand with AK chances are the 8 isn’t going to scare him and now you have a good hidden hand that you can win a huge pot with. So lets say you make a 5 to 10 times preflop raise from there and you get one caller. The flop comes A 5 9. Should you make a bet again even with the over card on the flop. Since you get to see what the caller does with your good position. If he checks to you, you definitely want to represent the Ace by making a strong bet. If you get reraised its probably time to bail and minimize your losses. Now if you get lucky enough to spike the 8 you are going to win a huge pot especially against AK or AQ.

So these are the two ways that you can play low pocket pairs.

[x searcher]

I really depends on a lot of factors. First off are you playing limit or no limit. Is this in a tournament? If its NL then are you playing deep stacks, short stack v deep stack. Deep stack v short stack. What are you're opponets like. Will they go down in flames with a big PP? How you play those hands could be any where from folding to raising.

[SpecLdy]

Very informative and thank you.
I have always had a problem with middle pairs and never really knew how to bet. I will definitely use what I've read here the next time I am faced with this situation.

[3vb0]

Without having read anyone else's responses...

I basically limp and sometimes I'll call a minimum raise with small pocket pairs looking for the 1 in 8 times you hit trips on the flop, if I miss the set and there is any action with overcards on the board I get away from it.

Sometimes no one hits anything or bluffs at it and you can check your way to the pot, or if everyone checks the flop and you are in late position you can take a stab at shutting down the hand. If you check the flop from early position and no one behind you bets, if the turn is an undercard to your pair you can possibly bet out to try and win it too.

One thing to look out for with a small pair is someone who has flopped middle or bottom pair that is higher then your pockets and has checked the flop worried about the top pair.

Another thing to consider when you hit a small set is a bigger set! That is usually expensive.

[3vb0]

My thoughts above relate to NL HE MTTs, but possibly ring games too.

[kaytarah]

unless I am in the big blind and nobody raises... fold.. without a second thought... except during heads up....

[Skippy Magoo]

Another thing to consider when you hit a small set is a bigger set! That is usually expensive.

I'm gladly going broke w/2nd set - or bottom set for that matter!

[Skallagrim45]

Duck about covered it beccy.

But there is one other place where pocket pairs, even the very low ones, become important hands: As a way to pick off a big hand. This is primarily a tournament tactic, and a very risky tactic at that - but when you are smallixh stacked it has its use.

Say you are middle to late position and someone opens wiht a big pre-flop raise. You know enough about this player to know that raise means "Big Ace" (AK, AQ, AJ, maybe A10). If you know this person well enough to know he plays big pocket pairs different, then this is an even better gamble. Call this player w/ your pair if you are last to act, or move all in if there is a fair chance another player after you might also call - you want to be heads up, but it also nice to see the flop first (if you can) without committing all your chips.

If you have raised, Big ace is going to figure you for a pair and may fold rather than take the coin flip for a lot of chips. Otherwise you have very slight advantage.

If you are in after calling, big ace will almost certainly bet out whatever the flop is. If the flop contains a card higher than a ten, fold. If the flop does not contain a ten or higher, raise for everything.

Skallagrim

[BrendanEff]

Best way to play small pairs is as cheaply as possible. Or not at all.

[jennschipss]

I usually call if blinds are below 100 unless I am on the button then I fold. Depends on position, amount of the blinds and who I am playing, for instance if its someone who plays like KingDolla I am all in :silly:

[Dooxtab]

unless I am in the big blind and nobody raises... fold.. without a second thought... except during heads up....


Because you, ma'am, play like a :kitty:

[bestnana1221]

Usually no matter how I play em, I lose :rolleyes:

Oh well, thats poker :)

[3vb0]

I'm gladly going broke w/2nd set - or bottom set for that matter!

I'm not saying "only ever play top set" or anything like that, just be careful when you do hit a small set, its not a lock hand...

Once I was last to act with 2 others in the pot, the pre flop raiser acting first and another caller between him and me. I hit my set of 3s on the flop, pre flop raiser bets out and bam! quick as a flash the other caller is all in over the top of him, I hummed and hawed about it for as long as I could and felt certain I was beat, I called anyway and sure enough he had a bigger set, 9s.


But it is rare to flop a set with a pocket pair so it is even rarer for 2 people to flop sets.

[Turn-Cat98]

answer. YOU SHOULDNT.

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