How do you play KTo KJo

[helpmeout]

I seem to be having trouble with these kind of hands.

When do you play them? Do you raise after 2 limpers or fold?

How may limpers and what position?

Thanks

[Michael Davis]

I'd raise two limpers with these hands from the cutoff or button and limp from the SB. I generally assume that people who open limp are incompetent and people who overlimp are doing so because there hand is weaker than normal or because they suck. So KT and KJ are good here.

Even if I thought there were high limping standards or that UTG might be limp-reraising, I would still limp here. This would account for probably 2% of hands.

-Michael

[Grisgra]

After two limpers I'll generally fold KTo and call with KJo. I don't have the balls to raise with KJo after two limpers.

[sqvirrel]

After two limpers I'll generally fold KTo and call with KJo. I don't have the balls to raise with KJo after two limpers.

Why not? You have position. Don't you think top pair would usually be good here? Call it a value raise. No one sez you have to bet the flop here if you don't like it.

[MrHorace]

KTo and KJo, as is QTo, are what are called dominated hands. Dominated hands are very tough to play and to win with. I read a lot about this in the literature, but didn't really understand it until, well I got dominated! The point is that say you pair the T w/your KTo on the flop. Well, that's not a bad hand, right?
But, anyone with JJ, QQ, KK, AA are all ahead of you. And if an overcard comes on the T, that is not a K, you are very vulnerable.
If you use PokerTracker, look at the hand stats, not hand histories, but stats of hole cards, how much won, and how often. I export this, and am very aware of this data when I play. Occassionally I will try 'new' hands just to gain experience, but I do it consciously knowing that I might be 'paying tuition'.
Oops, I forgot this was the SH HU forum. I'm sure the same concepts apply though.

[Beck]

Why should anybody limp with JJ-AA?
This is an honest question, as I'm new to SH. But in full ring I woul dnever just limp with those hands. Are SH any different?

[Michael Davis]

Since you should raise every hand you are the first to enter the pot in SH situations, you must raise your big pairs as well.

-Michael