Playing Small Pocket Pairs
We all get dealt a small pocket pair from time to time in Texas Holdem, and we can all relate to the experience of the initial excitement of being dealt an already made hand migrating into the slightly cautious and confused thought process of trying to figure out how to play the cards. It’s all fun and games at first, but then you realise that you are not completely sure of how to play your 44 in middle position. Hopefully this article should clear up any problems with those tricky pocket pairs ranging from 22 up to 66.
The use of those small pocket pairs.
The biggest problem with small pocket pairs is that they look all well and good right up until you see the flop. Before the flop you can be sitting there all smug knowing that you have one of the best hands out of all your opponents preflop, but when all those overcards come down you are left feeling a little lost, and all that smugness goes right out the window. Therefore, the first step to playing small pocket pairs well is to get out of the notion that they are some formidable hand, when the reality is that they are very fragile.
The true value of a small pocket pair is its unique ability to hit a set on the flop (or on the turn or river if you can make it that far). Sets are one of the most profitable hands in poker due to the fact that they are well hidden, and can clean out any player that gets too fruity with two pair or top pair on the flop. So essentially, if you can hit a set when your opponent gets a decent piece of the flop, you’re in for a big payout.
How to play small pocket pairs.
When we get a small pocket pair, we want to try and see the flop as cheaply as possible. We do not want to be paying too much to see the flop because 7 times out of 8 we are not going to hit our set. As a very general rule, you do not want to call more than a 5BB (or 6BB at a push) raise to see the flop. So this means that you will normally be fine to call a raise, but if someone else has reraised before you, you won’t have good enough odds to call and play on. So basically, if you’re facing one standard raise before the flop, you’re good to call with your pocket pair.
The amount you should call to see a flop with a small pocket pair will vary depending on stack sizes, the type of player you are up against, the number of players acting after you as well as a number of other factors. Therefore you should try and use your judgement to work out whether it is worth calling to see a flop in each situation. If the raise seems like it’s a bit too steep, you are best off throwing your cards in the muck and waiting for a better spot. Over time you will gradually be able to work out when it is best to call and when it is best to fold, it comes with experience.
How to play after the flop.
If we miss hitting our set on the flop, you should be prepared to let the hand go 95% of the time unless you know better. There are likely to be overcards to our pair, and we will be in a situation where we have very little information on our opponents, which can be very costly if we decide to play on. So if we miss the flop just shake it off and wait for next time, as it’s better to cut our losses early rather than risk losing a lot more in these situations. If you can see the turn for free then great, but if you’re facing any decent sized bet, just let it go.
However, if we do hit our set we are in for a good time. The best situation we could be in after hitting our set is to be up against an opponent that has caught a decent piece of the flop like top pair. If this is the case, you want to come out betting and raising to try and get as much money into the pot as possible. Keep building the pot and don’t miss out on an opportunity to get your money in there. Of course you don’t want to go crazy and scare everyone off, but play it strongly and take advantage of the situation.
If we hit our set and the flop does not look like it helped any of our opponents, it may be a good idea to slow down a little and give them an opportunity to catch up on the turn. The majority of the time you want to bet and raise with your set to avoid getting outdrawn and to get the most from your opponents, but if you are confident that your hand is safe and that your opponents are quite far behind, it may be a good idea to give them a free card to give them a chance to catch up. But as I say, betting is usually better after you hit your set, so use your best judgement.
Overview.
So that’s pretty much a quick 101 on playing small pocket pairs for you. I’m sure that many amateur players find themselves in some very sticky situations because they simply overvalue their pocket pairs, so hopefully this article has given you a good game plan for the next time you are dealt a hand like 44 in middle position. To be honest, small pocket pairs are pretty easy to play, but that’s only if you know what you are doing! Stick to the advice above, and you will soon turn those pesky small pocket pairs into winners.