No-limit HE:Detecting a slight better pocket pair

One of the most difficult decisions at no limit hold'em is to know whether our pocket pair (medium or big pairs) is slightly better than another one.


Just an example of a REAL hand played in a no-limit game with $5 - $10 blinds. I start with the end of the hand.


BB is a loose player and he doesn't know the hold'em strategy (he entered this game two, three times, not knowing for example that a big pair is worth a raising in preflop action) WE call him LP. He is dealt Q-Q


UTG is a decent player and he is dealt K-K. WE call him DP


Action:


DP in UTG position raises $40, got 2 callers, SB folds and LP in BB position smooth calls.


Flop comes 8-5-2 rainbow (I remember very well this flop as in this hand I folded A-8...).


TUrn is a blank. LP (BB) checks, DP bets $120 (pot on the flop is $165), 2 callers fold and BB(LP) calls.


River is another undercard than QUeens (blank in the texture of the flop). BB checks, DP bets $200 called by the LP who lose the pot.


The question: HOw to detect a slightly higher pair? . (Yep you may notice that the player holding Queens lost LESS than a normal player dealt pocket ladies (MOre raising in preflop and on the flop...).


Is it sufficient the knowledge of the opponents to detect a SLIGHTLY higher pair or are there involved other important factors that I'm missing?


Comments appreciated,


Marco

Ask T.J Cloutier, he did real well with KK vs AA in WSOP last year. Generally if you don't know your opponent exceptionally well, and have QQ when they have KK, or KK when they have AA, it is pretty hard to avoid losing some chips.


You could try the following tactic: Stick to only playing Aces from now on, and don't bet postflop without at least a set. Might get a tad boring though.

Marco,


If you raise with QQ preflop and get reraised, you might be in trouble. If you wanna be sure, reraise again and drop to a further reraise. Or see the flop "cheaply" and proceed from there. If no A or K flops, yet you still get a lot of heat, you are up against a higher pocket pair then yours.


In the situation you described, it is almost impossible to know where you are at, without reading your opponent like an open book. So you are going to lose some chips, as Mr. Peterson put it.


I have lost a lot of money with QQ or JJ, even KK on a ragged flop against a higher pocket pair, so I certainly do not play them flawlessly. In fact, they prove to be very difficult hands for me.


In Big bet holdem (NL or PL), QQ or JJ are essentially middle pairs, and you want to flop a set with them before you commit a lot of chips. In some situations they are worth a raise preflop, many times just limp and sometimes you have a clear fold. Even with QQ you will flop an overcard about half the time, so don`t get overly excited.


Stephan