Play of Middle Pocket Pairs - Preflop

[lilzeus]

This topic has been surely debated and I expect it is hotly debated as well.

Some opinions centering around 6 handed play and various positions around the table with an UTG limper thrown in just to spice it up.

I will start with my own: with hands like 66-88 I will limp behind an UTG limper most of the time. Getting into middle position I still limp but throw in a raise a greater amount of the time. Late position, almost always raise. 99 is more borderline for me. Early position, I will still limp most of the time but I raise on more occasions. Middle position with 99 I raise an increasing % of the time compared to the others but only slightly.

[Big_Jim]

I will raise any pair in position against the vast majority of UTG limpers, with full, or bigger, stacks.

[Gugel]

Raising with pocket pairs is popular, but not necessarily the best strategy. I like to limp with my pocket pairs, hoping someone hits a TPTK or two-pair while I hit my set to pay me off nicely. Then again, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I raise, sometimes I limp.

[berserk]

I raise any pp after limpers or first in from any position, unless they are especially short (like <25bb)

[lilzeus]

Playing small and medium pocket pairs in no-limit holdem
By Greg Mueller

Ring Game Play
"In ring games, I like to build a really small pot when I have these hands in early and middle position. Sometimes I'll make a min raise; other times I'll just limp in. I want to keep the pot small when I have a small or medium pair because I lay them down if I'm faced with a large re-raise.

If I min-raise or limp in and an opponent makes a small raise, I can call, but if I open with a big raise and my opponent comes over the top, I'm not usually getting the right odds to call. By keeping the pot small, I have a better chance of seeing a flop and I may pull other players into the hand. Then if I do flop a set, someone's going to pay me off. To me, the biggest moneymakers in No-Limit ring games are small sets, like 2s and 3s, because they're so disguised.

A lot of players get overly aggressive with the middle pairs: 8s, 9s, and 10s. They raise before the flop with them, but if the blinds fold, they're only going to win a small pot. I'd much rather try to win a big pot by flopping a set. If the flop comes J-8-2 and I have pocket 8s while my opponent has a hand like K-J, I'm going to win a big pot a lot of the time.

If I'm in late position and have a small or medium pair, I'll raise in hope of taking the blinds if nobody else has entered the pot. If one of the blinds calls, I'll try to win the pot with a bet on the flop, but if both blinds call my raise, I'll be more cautious. Against multiple opponents I'm trying to flop a set. If I don't and there are several overcards on the board, I'll check if it gets checked to me and I'll probably fold if one of my opponents bets. If I'm in late position and someone in early position raises pre-flop, I'll generally just call and hope to flop a set."

[Jamougha]

Pot.

[Jamougha]

Btw I have sat a fair amount with greg and he doesn't really play like that iirc. Even if he did I wouldn't take his advice too seriously.

[eggegg]

Yeah is it just me or is that advice totally ridiculous?

[cianosheehan]

[ QUOTE ]
Sometimes I'll make a min raise;

[/ QUOTE ]

I stopped reading after this

[FreakDaddy]

This is great advice, I hope everyone follows it... really

(snickers)

Who is Greg M?