Trouble with pocket pairs

[Fitz]

I have a rough time playing small pocket pairs in tournament situations. In a ring game, it is either flop the set or fold most of the time. In tourneys, I just can't bring myself to risk my stack with 77. I dont' have a problem pushing in with AK in a similar situation even though 77 is a favorite over AK. Any advice apprecitated.

Thanks,

Fitz

[Tosh]

You're being a bit vague, post some examples of where you didn't know what you should do.

[Chief911]

I think early on, small/medium pocket pairs are similar to ring games. I'll pay the blind to see the flop, to hit a set. If the pot is raised before it gets to me, I fold auto. Postflop, if I hit my set, there are a variety of things you can do. If you miss your flop, its almost an auto fold. Obviously there are more trickier things you can do post flop with a low/med pocket pair, but it gets hairy.

Nick

[mrbaseball]

Low pocket pairs are great when no one calls /images/graemlins/smile.gif But I don't like them either.

Early I will limp with them cheaply and later I will open raise with them. If there are already limpers or especially raisers already in and you think your raise will get called I usually just pitch them. Shortstacked though I will always push with them. They just suck to play after the flop because you almost always have the fear of 2 or 3 overcards flopping.