When to Play 22-77
Written by Haunted Poker for exclusive
use.
Small pocket pairs (22-77) are usually played for one
reason: hitting a set on the flop. In No-Limit Hold'em,
it makes sense to play any pocket pair from any position
if you're playing at the right sort of table. In Limit
Hold 'em, you usually want to reserve these hands for
middle and late position, but they can still become a
very powerful hand. Let's review the best ways to play
small pocket pairs both before and after the flop.
Beginning with Limit Hold 'em, you should always
consider the current pot odds before making a decision
about a marginal hand like a small pocket pair. In
reality, the odds are 7 to 1 against you making trips on
the flop. So, in order to play the odds, you'll need to
have 6 others in the pot with you.
With a hand like 2-2 or 3-3, you don't really have many
other outs, so just consider them a drawing hand. With a
pair of deuces, every flop you see will contain an
overcard, so if your hand doesn't improve it rarely will
survive a showdown, especially with more than one
opponent. Larger pairs like 6-6 or 7-7 have a greater
chance of standing up to 3 rags on the flop. If you
don't have 7 players seeing the flop with your small
pocket pair, you can still play it, but it will be
unprofitable in the long run to go against the odds.
On the other hand, with No-Limit Hold 'em, you might
consider playing every pocket pair you're dealt if you
can do it cheaply. It can make sense to play pocket
deuces from early position if:
1. Your table is full of passive opponents who rarely
raise preflop
2. At least half of your table usually calls to see the
flop
3. You can release the hand if it doesn't hit on the
flop
With No-Limit, you can think more in terms of implied
odds (how much you expect to make from your opponents if
you hit your hand). Since there are no limits on
betting, you can double your stack if you hit your set
and play it right. That is definitely great odds for
calling the inexpensice big blind Even better, you can
sometimes get more than one opponent in on the hand with
a draw or other medium-strong hands like two pair.
Think about it: lots of people like to slowplay a big
pocket pair like A-A. You couldn't be up against a
better situation when you limp in with your pocket
deuces. When your opponent sees a flop of 10-2-5, he's
going to think that his Rockets are good. Wouldn't you?
This is a great spot to come out better or even just
check. Pocket Aces are going to bet or raise you,
allowing you to come over the top of him. Just dodge
another Ace on the turn and river and you've just made a
great investment by limping in with your baby pocket
pair.
You also have to have discipline to play any pocket
pair. You HAVE to be able to release this hand when it
doesn't connect on the flop. You're going to miss much
more often than you hit, so have you need to have the
strength to much your hand when it misses. Otherwise,
your just drawing very thin and throwing more money
away.
Also, be prepared for when your pocket pair does connect
on the flop. If you watch much poker on TV, you might
think that it's an automatic check as soon as you make
your hand on the flop. This is not true, especially in
the wild online poker games. There are just too many bad
players out there who will see the flop with any two
cards. Don't give them the opportunity. Analyze the flop
properly before you decide to slowplay. If you played
those pocket deuces and see a flop of 2-K-J with two
hearts, you should definitely bet out. Why? There are
too many draws out there and you don't want to give a
free card. One more card could complete a straight, a
flush, a full house, or a higher set than yours. There
is nothing worse than hitting a set only to get drawn
out on by J-7 suited. This is even more important when
you have many opponents in the pot with you.
You need to know how much to bet when you hit your set
on the flop. If you're first to act and there are 4 or 5
opponents behind you, you should usually bet out. A
pot-sized bet is good choice in this situation. It might
drive your opponents out, but you can't risk giving a
free card in this situation. The texture of the flop is
also important in knowing how much to bet. If you see
two connected or suited cards of the board, you should
bet more to make your opponents go against the odds to
draw. If you're playing Limit, you should almost always
bet out against multiple opponents. You should consider
slowplaying only with a rainbow unconnected board.
It can be profitable to play small pocket pairs from any
position if you do it in the right situation and play it
strong. Rarely slowplay if a draw is possible, and just
hope that your opponent is holding pocket Aces or Kings.
You'll get all the action you can handle!
Back to Poker Strategy
-Party
Poker gives our players an extra $25 on any deposit. |
|