Small pairs shorthanded

[Koss]

It's an older hand, but assume a pretty loose limper and atleast one blind will come along 70% of the time if I were to raise.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 max, 4 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx (http://www.zerodivide.cx/converter)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG calls, Hero????

Call and try to play it for set value, even though it's 4 handed? Try an isolation raise? Fold?

[TheMainEvent]

How can you isolate after 2 players have put 2 bets in already? I don't see any choice besides calling getting an effective 7-1.

[Koss]

Whoops. I meant to stop the hand at my first decision, not after I had called and the BB had raised. My bad!

[Aaron W.]

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It's an older hand, but assume a pretty loose limper and atleast one blind will come along 70% of the time if I were to raise.

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I would raise anyway. Raising will get the flop checked to you more often and will increase the folds you get from villains postflop.

Since you limped, you've got to see the flop.

[Nikademus]

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assume a pretty loose limper and atleast one blind will come along 70% of the time if I were to raise.

Try an isolation raise?


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You answered your own question. Raising is not likely to isolate, so if you were to raise, would it instead be for value? I think I'd call here.

I agree with the limp and call preflop. I think the more interesting question is what to do if it is folded to you on the button. I always heard never open-limp shorthanded. HEPFAP (pp 197-98) says you should at least consider open-limping here from the button if raising is unlikely to cause both blinds to fold. I've been playing with that some lately, but have no real opinions on it yet.

Just call. You have position.

Had UTG folded, I would then raise.

what does calling do for you here?
I say
raise>fold>>>call

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Just call. You have position.


[/ QUOTE ]
???? this makes no sense to me. What is your logic?

[DCWildcat]

Folding is by far the worst option here. I like raising for Aaron's reasons, limping is #2.

if you call do you plan on folding to a bet? By calling I don't see how you can play this hand postflop well. And if you are just going to fold, i don't know if your implied odds are that good. How often are they simply going to fold when you hit your set or call 1 SB?

I guess I see the merits of a call, I think its arguable if it is +EV

I dont do anything fancy with 33. If I flop a set then great, if I dont , then I fold depending on the flop.

[Koss]

What I'm really getting at here is whether or not tiny pairs are worth playing for set value when the pot will be at best 4 handed? The element of raising might create some element of deception, and occasionally get the pot heads up. You even have position in the hand, but that doesn't mean other pairs wont call you down.