newbie playing pocket pairs round 1 or 2

[spciii]

Any thoughts on playing pocket pairs (JJ-22) in the rds 1 and 2, Party Poker 20/2 SNG? Considering that I'm even money to see an overcard on the flop w/ JJ (and obviously a dog with any lower pocket pair), I like to call the BB from any position, hoping for my trips on the flop. If I get them, I will normally try to trap by checking the flop, unless an obvious flush or straight is out there.
I'm aware I risk a) a raise preflop and b) being outdrawn as I slowplay the set.
An elementary question considering the 20 lb brains that inhabit this thread, but wondering if this is stupid or a good way to trap some bad players?
Thx in advance

[etgryphon]

Limp with all pocket pairs no matter what position. You can call a raise with 66+ or else I just throw them away. Definately throw away to a reraise. On the flop, "no set, no bet" with JJ-99 on an ragged under flop you can make a stab but dont go to the felt unless you have a good read. If there are obvious Straight and Flush draws make it 1/2 - 3/4 pot bet to make it incorrect to call.

Comments from others?

-Gryph

[1C5]

Good question, I would like to know what others say as I have been folding lower PP in rounds 1 and 2, maybe I should be limping in with them though? I am not sure...

[El Maximo]

Good question. I limp with any pockets from any position. Im a little unsure on how to proceed if reraised or if there is a raise in front of me. I tend to fold to raise and call 3x raise if I already limped in.

[ColdestCall]

It depends.

I will fold 66 and under in EP unless the table is very passive and I dont think a big raise behind me is likely. If there are some very aggressive raisers at the table acting behind me, I may very well throw away 77-10,10 as well. If I do call, I will call a raise so long as I am getting at least 5 to 1 on the additional money I am putting in, and it is not more than 10% of my stack that I am investing pre-flop.

In middle position I'd play them about the same, meaning I'll be limping more often simply because there are less people to act behind me. I will occasionally call an EP min raise that has been cold called, because that scenario often leads to a multi-way pot where I have excellent implied odds. Again I wont get more than 10% of my stack involved, which means I'm folding to most re-raises (and cursing myself for having gotten involved in the first place).

Late position I'll limp any pair and occasionally raise any pair just to mix it up a bit, and maybe take down the blinds.

When I play these, I'm really looking to hit a set or an overpair on the flop, although I will lay down an overpair if someone can convince me it's no good (usually by shoving large amount of chips into the pot, but not always).

If I do hit trips, I usually bet out, about the size of the pot, because you are going to have to find someone with a hand to have a reasonable shot of breaking them, although if there are no obvious draws on board I'll check/call, or give a free card. This is also a little dependent on who else is in the pot with me....

[slickterp]

personally, i will limp w/ any PP and generally fold less than 99, maybe 88 depending on the situation to a raise. i figure since you don't expect to hit a set but once in 8 tries, if you limp and fold to a rise, chances are you would have folded the flop anyway.

[ColdestCall]

I used to play them more like this, but I found that I ended up wasting too many chips from EP on tables where there were frequently preflop raises. I found that even when I hit trips in a limped pot I didn't get paid enough to compensate me for the chips I was throwing away. Also, if there are a few limpers, say at the 10/20 level, and then someone makes it 60 to go, and the BB calls and the other limpers call, I think you have to call the 40 there. You are getting 6 to 1 on the call, and your odds of winning a big pot if you hit trips go up dramatically in a raised pot.

BTW, it may well be right to play the pp's as you suggest - I'm currently experimenting/thinking about it a lot to try and maximize their value...

[etgryphon]

Remember guys...The OP is just talking about the first two rounds. We not looking for general PP play, just for the first two rounds. In SnG I don't think you should pass up the chance to make a set if you can. These hands always pay big dividends in the early stages where people can't laydown their TPTK or two pair. In later rounds when the blinds start to mean something then I change my PP play up depending on position.

-Gryph