Pocket Pairs vs Overs

[toby]

What explains the difference in winning percentage between a low pocket pair like 44 vs AK (54.2 - 45.4) and a higher pair like QQ vs AK (57 - 42.7).

Middle connectors are actually a slight favorite over the low pocket pairs; I assume this is because all the potential straights they could make increase their value. So, though it wouldn't seem immediately obvious to me, if you put someone on a low pocket pair 22-55, you would be better off calling with 67o(50-47.8) than AKo(54-46). 22-55 vs JT is almost exactly even. What's the explanation?

Also, are these small differences even enough to make a difference in your strategy for ring games, or in tournaments?

[david050173]

[ QUOTE ]
What explains the difference in winning percentage between a low pocket pair like 44 vs AK (54.2 - 45.4) and a higher pair like QQ vs AK (57 - 42.7).

Middle connectors are actually a slight favorite over the low pocket pairs; I assume this is because all the potential straights they could make increase their value. So, though it wouldn't seem immediately obvious to me, if you put someone on a low pocket pair 22-55, you would be better off calling with 67o(50-47.8) than AKo(54-46). 22-55 vs JT is almost exactly even. What's the explanation?

Also, are these small differences even enough to make a difference in your strategy for ring games, or in tournaments?

[/ QUOTE ]

QQ will lose some of the times when the third queen makes the AK a striaght (board of QJT).

Against a pair of 55s, it doesn't matter if you have a pair of 66s or a pair of AAs. Both win. Throw in the added straights ( and the fact that if they make trips it helps your straight draw) and against a low pocket pair, over connectors are better than AK.

In reality through you still want to put the money in with AK instead of 67 because if he has pocket 7s or 8s instead of 5s with 67 you are pretty much dead while with AK you are still ok. Your reads have to be really good to make for the couple of percentage differences.

[toby]

I understand your reasoning in the 2nd part, however for the first part QQ is more likely to win than 44 (QQ is 57:43 vs AK, and 44 is 54:45 vs AK according to twodimes.net) so in this case the straight example doesn't make sense.

Could the difference be because on a flop of 8899x, AK beats 44 but loses to QQ?

[slickpoppa]

[ QUOTE ]
I understand your reasoning in the 2nd part, however for the first part QQ is more likely to win than 44 (QQ is 57:43 vs AK, and 44 is 54:45 vs AK according to twodimes.net) so in this case the straight example doesn't make sense.

Could the difference be because on a flop of 8899x, AK beats 44 but loses to QQ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Trying to give a verbal answer to a question like this is pointless. While your reasoning sounds good, all that matter is the math. You can make a lot of intuitively sensible arguments for things that are completely incorrect mathematically.

[toby]

Can you explain it in mathematical terms then?

[BradleyT]

I don't know why everyone is giving you a hard time.

However you are correct in that 44 will get counterfeited by 2 high pair on the board more often than a hand like QQ does therefore QQ will win more often against AK than 44 will. Also QQ uses two of the cards AK needs to make a straight (decreasing AK's chance of making a straight) and when a Q does appear on the board AK has to dodge a full house for it's straight to hold up - (decreasing the chance of a made straight holding up)