Small Pair, Small Blind

Having a tough time deciding what to do in the following situation. 10/20 5-handed game. 3-5 players currently in.


Button open raises. Button would raise with any pair, any two high cards, some small suited connectors...large variety of hands.


You have 22-66. What do you do? Please tell me a bit about your plans for flop and turn, in general terms.


Mojay

I would reraise. You need to send this guy a message that he can't be running over your blinds. Reraising will definitely lower his raising hand selection against your blinds which will take some pressure off of you. I would bet the flop. If he raises on the flop I will call him all the way down because their is a good chance that he is on a bluff. If he raises on the turn, after I bet the turn, that would concern me quite a bit and that may be the time to let go off the pair (depending on many other factors). It sounds to me like he is pushing you around.


Enrique

What did the small blind do. My post assumed that the blind folded.

Sorry about that. I would definitely reraise to lower the field to heads up.


Enrique

I always reraise here from the SB with small pocket pairs. You cant call, because its very important to get the BB out, and to play these hands well you need to have the initiative IMO. From the flop on you want your opponents to fold at every possible event, unless you hit your set.

This can only be done IMO if you´ve shown aggression preflop. Then a bet on a Kxy, Axy, blablabla flops often buys you the pot. BTW...I would nearly always bet the flop, no matter what falls. Then, depending on opponents reaction and texture of the board your main decision should be IMO if you go to showdown. If your opponent is very aggressive, and you decided you very well may have the best of it, then a check-call approach is fine IMO. If your opponent is aggressive but capable of folding, then you might want to push it hard on some flops. Like a JJx flop. If the flop comes.....blablabla....there are so many situations, but with small pocket pairs your main consideration on the flop, after you have bet, should IMO be if you go to showndown. How you gonna do that afterward is often pretty straightforward.


Regards

Hey Mojay. I would defintitely reraise preflop (i am assuming this is an online limit game). What happens from here on in depends on the texture of the flop. Gimme a KQJ suited flop and i'm gone. AJ7 flop is pretty marginal. I would like to see only one picture on the flop.


A lot depends on how well the button plays, and how well you know his/her play. If they are really good, and know you well then even fold preflop and go find another game. But most of the time call them down. There are some players who will not bet the flop without at least 2nd pair. Find these players and take a seat.

In other words he's a normally aggressive player on the button, firing with the vast majority of his hands? 3-bet 55, 66 and fold the others.


I can't suggest much postflop because it's largely a question of board texture and your opponent's temperament. With 9-12 bets in the pot you don't want to admit that you're afraid of the flop, but if he's inclined to give you credit for something and isn't particularly aggressive, don't go to war with him over a scary board and second pair.


For example, if he makes it 4-bets and an ace flops, or maybe an ace and another card above a nine, probably bet-fold or even check-fold unless he always likes to wait for the turn to reveal strength.


If the button doesn't reraise before the flop, fire at the flop no matter what. If he raises on the flop, call him down to the end (maybe not the river) if a draw is likely or you have at least second pair.

The data I used to get the above concerned low limit rake games. For 10-20 or a time-charge game, you can probably justify 3-betting 44 as well, but I'd still fold 33/22 because they're marginal at best and prone to induce errors after the flop.

If you're betting 44, what is the factor that would cause a 3-bet w/ 44 to go to a fold w/ 33?