Re: Folding pocket pairs
 

look at this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFefk2sdZ8

Re: Folding pocket pairs
 

It's based on a couple factors,

1) You have a pair
2) Your opponent doesn't hit a pair 2/3 of the time.
3) Your opponents range from UTG 4 handed is at it's worse 2 Face Cards unsuited, AX suited or perhaps Face/8s. Giving credit for the 9-8 range is rough, because it's either A/9-8s, A/9-8, K-T/9-8s, K-T/9-8 and most people tend to avoid cards with 9-8 unsuited.

Villain's re-raise is fine, but after the call, he should have put an Ace in your range and folded instead of bluffing the Ace, set, draw or whatever he was thinking, because Ace high with a draw or another PP is the least you could call that with.

On an A-Q board, it's a bad idea to re-raise with PP, on a J-2 board, re-raising with a PP is standard to take advantage of CBets from Ak, AQ, KQ etc.

OP, Cbetting and even double barreling on an A-Q board or a J-2 board can be a good idea, most people will have to drop their PP, draws or middle/low pairs to that much aggression, and most people will let you know when they have an A-Q immediately. I've even seen/made people drop A-Q with weak kickers to that much aggression.

It's really about reading the board, the opponent and the position. Theoretically, you may as well have any 2 cards when you try to do this, but at show down you'll always have a hand, even if it isn't the best hand, and if you pick up a set at some point, GG Villain.

Semi-Bluffing A high and PP across one or more streets are common LAGG lines. You either have more than your opponent does more often than not, if your opponent does have more than you do, he may have to lay it down, and if your opponent has a big hand, he's going to show it to you.

Re: Folding pocket pairs
 

I can't believe it but I did this just yesterday. I raised with AA on the turn only to get 3bet by the guy that donk bet in front of me. I think that my vision was blurred, because I didn't see his straight. I called down and lost 2 more BB because of my AA blinders. Right after the hand I had to laugh a little to myself because I remembered this post (which I read yesterday before I played). [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Re: Folding pocket pairs
 

I think the player you were up against was just a bad one. Obviously, the flat call pre-flop was bad. He thought he had the best hand on the flop. And you can see why. But when you re-raised and an ace came on fourth street, he should definitely slow down. He had to either put you on a third nine or on two high cards (with an ace being one of them). Either way, he was beat.

When the ace came, he just couldn't believe his bad luck. However, he thought that if he checked it, he would leave himself open to a bluff, which he didn't want to fold to. For some reason, he convinced himself that there was a fair chance you didn't have an ace (and you definitely didn't have the 9!) Even if you did have the ace, he was convinced you would fold it most of the time to an all-in. You could have ace-low and have to fold in fear of a higher kicker. You could have ace-high and fold in fear of the paired board. In fact, you would likely fold anything lower than trips (and why would you raise with a nine?). He just couldn't let that money go, when he was so sure it was his pre-flop.

Re: Folding pocket pairs
 

[ QUOTE ]
I think the player you were up against was just a bad one. Obviously, the flat call pre-flop was bad. He thought he had the best hand on the flop. And you can see why. But when you re-raised and an ace came on fourth street, he should definitely slow down. He had to either put you on a third nine or on two high cards (with an ace being one of them). Either way, he was beat.

When the ace came, he just couldn't believe his bad luck. However, he thought that if he checked it, he would leave himself open to a bluff, which he didn't want to fold to. For some reason, he convinced himself that there was a fair chance you didn't have an ace (and you definitely didn't have the 9!) Even if you did have the ace, he was convinced you would fold it most of the time to an all-in. You could have ace-low and have to fold in fear of a higher kicker. You could have ace-high and fold in fear of the paired board. In fact, you would likely fold anything lower than trips (and why would you raise with a nine?). He just couldn't let that money go, when he was so sure it was his pre-flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

Great analysis. The Villain talked himself into believing
you had an Ace with crap kicker.

I think I've done this kind of thing a few times...

"he couldn't POSSIBLY have called me all the way down
with an inside straight draw!! My 2 pair HAS TO BE GOOD!!!"