Playing pocket pairs online

[klezmerblues]

Here's my problem, I'm a half decent player, pretty tight/aggressive., but like to mix it up and sometimes play a lot of hands. I can usually be a dominating force around the table. But my achilles heel is that when playing online, I always (say 80%) seem to lose when dealt pocket pairs. Up to 9-9 I usually limp/call, but usually raise with bigger pairs. Even if I'm dealt KK or AA I get ripped, no matter what raise or position. Now I get scared whenever I get them . So how do you guys/girls play pocket pairs online? My gut-feeling is to muck them, or just start limping.

[Geica]

Just try to remember pocket pair from the start are only one pair,
if they are high,AA, KK,QQ it does not mean that you will win the hand.
Take things into account such as the amount of chips you have and the players that you are going against ! Hope this helps and good luck !

[suitedaces84]

mid/low pocket pairs--if you two or more uppers hit on the flop, and you don't get your set fold. If there's a lot of action with one upper fold. Play them as drawing hands. l

[QuietOne]

What kind of games are you playing on-line. If you are playing low stakes games, you probably have 3/4 of you table playing everyhand. If that's the case, you might as well close you eyes and play blind. When everyone stays in with garbage, one of the craps hands will catch a lucky card or two.

[gol4pro]

My favorite move with 22-88 is a 2xBB raise. Works wonders at PP.

No matter what the position, I always used to raise to 2xBB... here's why. No moron in the right mind at party poker will not be willing to call 2xBB if he's not going to call the BB anyway. It's a fact of life-- that's how idiots play the game.

For some reason at PP, whenever someone enters into a raised pot and they flop top pair... it automatically becomes the Holy Grail. How many times have you been raised all in by KJo with the board K73 in a raised pot? Too many to count.

By raising to 2xBB, people go crazy with top pair, because they're now in a raised pot. Therefore.... when you raise 66 2xBB, get 4 callers, and the flop is A86 rainbow.... one of the idiots is bound to have top pair and make a hefty donation to your bankroll.

Another thing about a raised pot is that it automatically commits someone to a draw. How many times have you been all in after the turn with a set, only to get called by someone after a flush draw and have them hit? I know it pisses you off..... but they're an 85% dog, and that's what we want!

So when you flop a set and the board 2-flushes on the flop.... go ahead, be aggressive, you know someone caught a piece and is going to call you down.

Even though you're investing more money into a pot by raising 2xBB it works because of the following:

1) Even if you get reraised.... you'll be pot committed to your set. If you hit, congrats, you've doubled up... and if you miss, just find out if you're beat.

2) Multiway pots. Usually 4-5 people take the flop on a 2xBB raise at PP NL 25. Therefore, someone is going to catch a piece of that flop, and you're going to get paid off.

3) Top pair is the holy grail. As explained above.

4) Morons chase draws. Be glad when idiots draw out on you chasing their flush draws, that means you're playing well!

[Jauron]

In a NL ring game I tend to be aggressive anyway (especially the short handed tables) so I usually bring my higher pocker pairs in for the same amount as the other hands I raise with, this throws them off the scent a bit. If the flop brings nothing scary to me or I sense weakness I'll bet 3/4 to the pot again and continue this on the turn and the river. I find this hides my hands most of the time.

If you don't want to play them that way whatever you do keep this in mind: The most dangerous thing you can do IMHO is expose too much of your money post flop, and make it so the only hands that can call you either have you beat, or hold cards that you are trying to avoid outdrawing you. If you put in a huge bet on the flop your stuck now if you get called. You must make it hard on them to decide what you have. It's not the call you mind, it's the tough decision of figuring out if you have the best hand you want to avoid.

I had a buddy who until recently played his big pairs the following way without exception. He'd raise to 3 or 4 all day preflop (he rarely raised otherwise, or there was just something about how he bet when he had the big pair, it was obvious to me he had them) and then move in on the flop no matter what came up. Now I picked up on this and would call him with any two cards knowing if I hit the flop hard, I'd break him for his stack, I was risking 3 or 4 to win $50 or $60, and if I didn't like the flop, I just drop it. I broke him 4 or 5 times over 4 weeks doing this.


Don't be that guy....

[klezmerblues]

Thanks for the great advice all of you. I do think I've got my fair share of misfortune playing some of the pocket pairs, like KK. The last three live tournaments I've been in I was eliminated with KK. The last one I finished third: I was in BB and the SB went all-in with AQs preflop, and I called. Ouch! Everytime I see KK in the hole it's like an aversive stimuli to me.

[rjp]

Most PP must be improved to win a hand. Keep position in mind. For the most part, I won't ever play 55 in early position. However, in late position I may raise with them depending on the action ahead of me. I also rarely call a bet after the flop if I don't have an overpair. I'll even throw KK away if an A hits on the flop and there's a decent amount of action. Not a good position to be in... especially in the low limit games I play in.