06-22-04, LearnTexasHoldem:

Small Pocket Pairs

Question: Your website is a great source of information. Thank you.

I have just recently started playing Texas Holdem and the playing of small pocket pairs intrigues me a little.

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Re the above subject. I was playing on line the other night and held 22 with a similar flop of 2 6 T rainbow. I did not win this hand as one of the other players who had called pre flop held 66. He also called post flop. I think that I bet the river he raised and I said uh uh.

I know the answer to a lot of these questions start with an 'it depends' but how was it that the hand referred to above was seemingly played post flop as if it were a for sure winner.

Forgive my inexperience, but after the flop I would have been wary of someone with a possible starting hand of 55, TT, 52s, T5s and even T2s that was being slow played and could eventually beat me with a draw on the turn or river.

Is it the nature of the betting scenario that creates the confidence to play small pairs or is it an odds/ probability scenario?

I would appreciate you giving more insight on how to play small pocket pairs.

I usually play limit holdem tournament style.

Thank you in advance for your answer.

Barrie Franklin.

Sonora, Mexico

Answer: In no limit and pot limit holdem, if you flop a set then it's full steam ahead. You aren't worried about much. In limit holdem you often lose your sets because someone outdraws you. In no limit though the action is usually heads up or three handed and the draws don't hit as often. If you lose a set and haven't lost much money then you aren't playing right. So to answer you question regarding why small pocket pairs are good in no limit is that when you hit a set and someone else has a big pair they can't get away from (like AA or KK) then you end up taking all their chips.

You mentioned that you normally play limit holdem tourneys. You would play your small pocket pairs differently in this then in a no limit game or a regular cash game since the chance of you hitting your set is slim. In a limit holdem tourney I would most likely not play the small pocket pairs unless there were already lots of people in. If it's at the end of the tourney then you'll open up your game a lot more and bet with less but a hand like 22 in a limit tourney is pretty weak regardless. In no limit you don't need to show the winner so small pocket pairs become more valuable.

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