pairs in early positions...

[tlow]

So i suck at playing pocket pairs in early positions. I guess it would help to take the time to figure out pot odds /images/graemlins/smile.gif (which I don't seem to do with pocket pairs for some reason) Anyways, I hardly ever call(raise) the flop from an early position if I don't hit my set. So, should i figure out pots and see if its worthwhile to call the flop and hopefully hit the set on the turn? I feel totally lost.. here is an example of a hand.

Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG folds, Hero calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB bets, Hero folds, MP1 folds, Button calls, SB folds.

Turn: (3.50 BB) 8/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB bets, Button calls.

River: (5.50 BB) Q/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB bets, Button calls.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 7.50 BB, between Button and BB.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by BB (7.50 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
BB shows 7h Ad (two pair, aces and sevens).
Button shows Ah Ts (one pair, aces).
Outcome: BB wins 7.50 BB. </font>

[SnakeRat]

Good fold, u have 2 outs which is about 23:1 against.

The pot needs to be much bigger to call here.

[cold_cash]

You shouldn't find yourself in the position of having correct odds to call what you know will be a 2 outer on the flop very often. If you are in that situation often, stop limping with low pairs in early position.

Basically, only on the rarest of occasions will you have to figure out if you would be correct to call a flop bet while holding a hand like 22 or 44, because the vast majority of the time it isn't.

In the hand you used as an example, you're behind, and have a 22:1 chance of improving while getting only 5:1 from the pot. You need bunches of more bets in the pot before calling is correct.