Pocket Pairs

[Rooky9]

I am the first to admit that my cash game has more holes than the Newcastle back four. One area I am particularly unsure of is how to play the pocket pair in a cahs game.

Below is a hand that I have just played. This hand goes well, but I'm not sure how to play them when the flop doesnt happen to smack me in the chops! Can I get more from him at the end? What is the best way to play this hand if say two overcards come?



Full Tilt Poker Game #1372730757: Table Thom - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 7:49:36 ET - 2006/12/08
Seat 1: drdrillem ($200)
Seat 2: OliverB ($195.70)
Seat 3: louisziskin ($41)
Seat 4: hooligancws ($154.80)
Seat 5: IGot2for15 ($820.05)
Seat 6: DengBangGang ($303.45)
Seat 7: TheAuditor9 ($112.90)
Seat 8: CPR542 ($292.90)
Seat 9: kimoki 22 ($208.05)
TheAuditor9 posts the small blind of $1
CPR542 posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to TheAuditor9 [ ]
kimoki 22 folds
drdrillem folds
OliverB folds
louisziskin folds
hooligancws folds
IGot2for15 raises to $7
DengBangGang folds
TheAuditor9 calls $6
CPR542 folds
*** FLOP *** [ ]
TheAuditor9 bets $8
IGot2for15 calls $8
*** TURN *** [ ] []
TheAuditor9 checks
IGot2for15 bets $22
TheAuditor9 calls $22
*** RIVER *** [ ] []
TheAuditor9 bets $36
IGot2for15 folds
Uncalled bet of $36 returned to TheAuditor9
TheAuditor9 mucks
TheAuditor9 wins the pot ($73)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $76 | Rake $3
Board: [ ]
Seat 1: drdrillem didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: OliverB didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: louisziskin didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: hooligancws didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: IGot2for15 folded on the River
Seat 6: DengBangGang (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: TheAuditor9 (small blind) collected ($73), mucked
Seat 8: CPR542 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 9: kimoki 22 didn't bet (folded)

[boldie]

I reckon you played it fine. I take him for a busted FD so he wasnever going to pay you off.

edit* I probably would have check raised the turn though...just to squeeze him a bit.

[totalise]

you wanna get more money in the pot when theres draws out there... 2 reasons mainly:

b) get money from them when they are still willing to put money in the pot with those very draws
c) stop scare cards coming if they have second best made hands

If they have a draw, then your maximum gain on the hand is likely to be whatever money goes in on the turn, and if they hit it, you will often put some $ in there on the river, whereas they are rarely going to put money in on the river if they miss. They certainly wont if you lead the river.

If you are going to check/call the turn, you have to check the river if its a blank, for reasons above, but generally you wanna try and shovel money in the pot on drawy boards when you likely have the best hand.. your profit comes from people drawing when they dont have the right odds, and people are certainly willing to draw incorrectly if you give them a chance to do so, so go out your way to let them

You should normally ask yourself "what worse hands are going to call when i put money in the pot".. and if the list is pretty long, then you should get money in there.

As to how you should play it if you get an ugly turn? depends how ugly it is. Betting the turn is normally a good way to play in these spots, and folding if they come over the top. Most peoples imagination in poker is pretty low, and unless you have reason to suspect otherwise, they generally have what they are representing, thats why they are easy to beat, and if they raise the turn when it isn't a seven, they are telling you your hand is no good. Heed their advice. Sometimes they show you a bluff, but its ok to lose small pots in spots like this, they nomally end up making a much more significant mistake later on, and yu hope to be the one capitalising.

[snoopy1239]

I'd check fold most of the time because even if you're not up against an overpair (Which could lose you a big chunk of your stack), you're not going to win much. Plus, he can still catch up if he has over-cards.

A bet on the flop isn't bad, but I would be wary if you find any further action and be hesitant in investing any more into the pot.

For me, cash games are about the double-ups, not about the small wins that could have been big losses.

[johnmul99]

you are playing the big stack at the table, as snoopy says its about the double ups. i would have led out on the turn say $16 look for a raise and then push.

[Rooky9]

Cheers for the replies.

I had an absolutely cracking day...until ten minutes ago. Is this just variance that I have to learn to cope with? I no he's always calling the second one and he has 10 outs but will that situation ever come around again for a hold up?!

Is this Full Tilt Poker Game #1374092452: Table Water Coconut - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:31:36 ET - 2006/12/08
Seat 1: gusssssh ($196)
Seat 2: Narena ($200), is sitting out
Seat 3: funfan21 ($200)
Seat 4: one2go ($68)
Seat 5: CptBlueEyes ($82.90)
Seat 6: TwentyTwoTwos ($61.45)
Seat 7: TheAuditor9 ($70)
Seat 8: kimlowenthal ($101)
Seat 9: flops31 ($116.70)
gusssssh posts the small blind of $1
funfan21 has 5 seconds left to act
funfan21 posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to TheAuditor9 [ ]
one2go calls $2
CptBlueEyes folds
Narena has returned
TwentyTwoTwos folds
TheAuditor9 calls $2
kimlowenthal calls $2
flops31 folds
gusssssh raises to $10
funfan21 has 15 seconds left to act
CptBlueEyes is sitting out
funfan21 calls $8
one2go folds
TheAuditor9 raises to $70, and is all in
kimlowenthal folds
gusssssh folds
funfan21 calls $60
TheAuditor9 shows [ ]
funfan21 shows [ ]
*** FLOP *** [ ]
*** TURN *** [ ] []
*** RIVER *** [ ] []
TheAuditor9 shows a pair of Kings
funfan21 shows three of a kind, Jacks
funfan21 wins the pot ($151) with three of a kind, Jacks
TheAuditor9 is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $154 | Rake $3
Board: [ ]
Seat 1: gusssssh (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: Narena is sitting out
Seat 3: funfan21 (big blind) showed [ ] and won ($151) with three of a kind, Jacks
Seat 4: one2go folded before the Flop
Seat 5: CptBlueEyes didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: TwentyTwoTwos didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: TheAuditor9 showed [ ] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 8: kimlowenthal folded before the Flop
Seat 9: flops31 (button) didn't bet (folded)


Full Tilt Poker Game #1374167089: Table Stonewater - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:47:34 ET - 2006/12/08
Seat 1: Gromph ($200)
Seat 2: treborff ($187)
Seat 3: FUNIG ($44.15), is sitting out
Seat 4: Two80Lady ($192.60)
Seat 5: jabronimatt ($339.60)
Seat 6: novel20 ($295.05)
Seat 7: TheAuditor9 ($193.50)
Seat 8: MachoMachine ($89.45)
Seat 9: nanate-e ($165.85)
nanate-e posts the small blind of $1
Gromph has 5 seconds left to act
Gromph posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to TheAuditor9 [ ]
treborff folds
Two80Lady calls $2
jabronimatt folds
novel20 folds
TheAuditor9 calls $2
MachoMachine folds
nanate-e calls $1
Gromph raises to $10
Two80Lady folds
TheAuditor9 calls $8
nanate-e folds
*** FLOP *** [ ]
Gromph bets $20
TheAuditor9 calls $20
*** TURN *** [ ] []
Gromph bets $50
TheAuditor9 raises to $163.50, and is all in
Gromph calls $113.50
TheAuditor9 shows [ ]
Gromph shows [Ah As]
*** RIVER *** [ ] []
TheAuditor9 shows a straight, Ace high
Gromph shows four of a kind, Aces
Gromph wins the pot ($388) with four of a kind, Aces
TheAuditor9 is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $391 | Rake $3
Board: [ ]
Seat 1: Gromph (big blind) showed [Ah As] and won ($388) with four of a kind, Aces
Seat 2: treborff didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: FUNIG is sitting out
Seat 4: Two80Lady folded before the Flop
Seat 5: jabronimatt didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: novel20 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: TheAuditor9 showed [ ] and lost with a straight, Ace high
Seat 8: MachoMachine (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: nanate-e (small blind) folded before the Flop

[doubleup]

IMO mastering the play of pairs in the blinds vs late position raises is crucial to winning at the medium to high levels.

Calling and folding if you don't hit a set is going to be a losing play long term.  You will be folding the best hand a fair amount of the time and when you do hit you rarely win a lot because often the late position raiser hasn't got very much of a hand.  Check calling is also very exploitable by players that sense your weakness.  Reraising from time to time is worthwhile as it gives you the control of the hand, but it can go pear shaped

At the moment I think that these hands are my biggest leak and I'll have to have a good look at how I'm playing them and see what opportunities I've been missing.

[totalise]

Calling and folding if you don't hit a set is going to be a losing play long term.  You will be folding the best hand a fair amount of the time and when you do hit you rarely win a lot because often the late position raiser hasn't got very much of a hand.  Check calling is also very exploitable by players that sense your weakness.  Reraising from time to time is worthwhile as it gives you the control of the hand, but it can go pear shaped Smiley

if you just do all of these things some of the time, you are gonna be ok. As long as you dont do one of them most of the time, thats when exploitability comes into it.

[Rooky9]

IMO mastering the play of pairs in the blinds vs late position raises is crucial to winning at the medium to high levels.

Calling and folding if you don't hit a set is going to be a losing play long term.  You will be folding the best hand a fair amount of the time and when you do hit you rarely win a lot because often the late position raiser hasn't got very much of a hand.  Check calling is also very exploitable by players that sense your weakness.  Reraising from time to time is worthwhile as it gives you the control of the hand, but it can go pear shaped

At the moment I think that these hands are my biggest leak and I'll have to have a good look at how I'm playing them and see what opportunities I've been missing.

Good post.


I managed to grind back just over half the previous 'bad beat' post losses so all in all i am pleased. Perhaps there is room for a cash game in my play.