limit players.... how do you play pocket pairs?

[Charlie Frank]

I think you'll get murdered using that strategy in 2/4.

CF

[drewjax]

"no set, dont bet"

[PShabi]

so if you raise in middle position with 55, had two others in the hand, and the flop was 10-8-4 you wouldn't bet out?

[Defendant]

The only time ill raise small pairs is if its folded to me in LP. I am very willing to call early though in hope of flopping a set.

After the flop its pretty much the old rule: no set no bet.

Defendant

[PShabi]

I guess I'll just have to disagree. I like to reraise in LP. Let's say, you have someone in early position making it 2 bets to go with AK. Everyone folds to you and you're in 9th position. Make it 3 bets. You buy the button, the blinds get out (hopefully) and you're heads up.

Now when the flop is 10-8-4 and he checks I bet out again and either take the hand right there or get him chasing with overcards. If he calls the flop, then checks the turn, I have a decision to make. Do I bet out or check and give him one more draw?

Well, this is where my instincts kick in and the reads I've made on their play in the past is helpful.

Not saying I don't have some tough decisions to make, but I trust myself in those spots.

FINAL IMPORTANT NOTE:

With this strategy, you will win a lot of pots without a showdown. People who called to draw on the flop, will not want to call a bigger bet on the turn. You win a lot of hands right there.

When you've got the set and you show that you reraised with 55, people are calling your raises with j10 and crap like that. And you know what, sometimes I'm holding KK or AA as well. Great for image

[2Tone]

Can't see doing that, especially at a full table. If I have the set, I'll pound away, but this strikes me as overly aggressive otherwise. Let's say my reraise is called, the flop come 10/8/4 rainbow, I bet out and am smooth called. He's called a lot of bets, so I've going to give him credit for QQ or higher, Ace10 at the least. On the turn, is another bet going to win me the pot right there? Possible, but doubtful. So I have to check, he bets, and I'm cost myself a lot more BBs than if I had just let a marginal hand go earlier.

Could well be different at mid-limits ….

[PShabi]

I see your point, but I feel like the money I make when I hit a set and when the situation I last outlined is successful makes up for the times when the circumstances are like you said (huh?).

Also, if you play low-limit he, you know a lot of people will call on the flop with just overcards, trying to again hit a pair. Then, they fold on the turn when the Ace or King(for instance) doesn't hit.

Like I said, instincts here are important.

Anyway,

I'm going to keep a log of what happens when I play my pocket pairs this way and I'll record the outcome and compare it to what would have happened when I just called and hoped to hit a set, or worse yet, FOLDED TO A RAISE WITH PAIR BEFORE THE FLOP.

That way I'll either have some hard evidence to present you, or I'll tighten up my game and approach things differently. That's how I improve.

Peace

[BlibbityBlabbity]

This is a good question....by raising out of position with a hand almost certain to see overcards on the flop, you have put yourself in a tough spot when you don't hit your set. Would you bet out? and when two call behind you do you bet out on the turn when the 2c hits? IMO, this is the exact situation that leads you into "betting for" top pair hands.