General Topic: Small Pocket Pairs from Late Position

[NickPoker]

I have noticed a few threads today where many players advocate playing small pairs (22-77)aggresively from late postion.

Here are my thoughts, I would like to hear what everyone else thinks because I think these type of hands can be potentially difficult to play.

Typical average game:
I limp more than I raise. I do this because it allows me to play the pot as cheaply as possible preflop, and get out of the way post flop without committing any significant money when I don't improve. Additonally I don't want to chase potential players out of the pot, otherwise I think it is waste to just take down the blinds when I have a small pair. I also don't want to get reraised off of my hand. I can call a raise, but it is not optimal IMO to call a reraise.

I think most of you agree that some of the bigger pots you will take down are with sets, so give yourself the opportunity to hit one.

Passive Game:
I will raise more often to take down the pot on the flop with a CB when I miss.

Aggresive games: I will raise a lot less because it will be more difficult to take down the pot when you miss without firing multiple barrels. I really do not want to play medium to big pots with unimproved small pairs.

Overall I think a more passive approach with small pairs is more effective because you will have far less difficult decisions.

[steel108]

Alot of it depends on how deep you are and how deep your marks are at the table.

[4_2_it]

My thoughts. 6 Max, folded to hero in CO or Button. Open raise all pp along with a wide range of hands.

After limpers then the answer is it depends. 22 doesn't like multi-way raised pots (even in position) against 3 callign stations.

[MatthewRyan]

I always raise PP from any position

[yundmi]

SHANIA

[nowags]

Looks like you have a pretty good strategy.

[mudbuddha]

you play too passive.

looks like ur playin ur cards and not ur position enough

u know there is a multiplier effect on ur bet sizes thats why you swap small mistakes pf for large ones post flop.

[KLJ]

some high stakes players do this

[NickPoker]

Respectfuly disagree. There are plenty of hands I raise from Late position, I just don't raise small pairs a high % of the time. I could go into specifics, but I don't want to go off on a tangent.

I do think 4 and 2 made a valid point earlier in the thread that if it is the opening bet (no limpers in front) it makes more sense to raise.

[JKratzer]

don't limp.

in general aggressive>>>passive.