2 pocket pairs folds? good or bad
 

Here are two folds that I made last night with small to mid PP late in the tourney, that I really think I should have called on. Wanted your opinions.

This is an area of my game that I struggle with - small to mid pairs out of position or facing a raise. My default play is to fold, but now thinking that may be too weak tight.

First hand -- 88 on the button, facing an UTG raise. folds to me, I fold too.


FullTiltPoker Game #302643386: $14,000 Guarantee (1843039), Table 58 - 250/500 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:19:29 ET - 2005/11/22
Seat 1: JeffJ_ (20,060)
Seat 2: Abyyss (4,950)
Seat 3: JediMyndTrik (2,939)
Seat 4: HERO (10,225)
Seat 5: BUTTON (10,060)
Seat 6: professor666 (4,835)
Seat 8: FirthBrookhaven (9,856)
Seat 9: SuicideKinq (8,935)
JeffJ_ antes 50
Abyyss antes 50
JediMyndTrik antes 50
HERO antes 50
TJ Ungar antes 50
professor666 antes 50
FirthBrookhaven antes 50
SuicideKinq antes 50
professor666 posts the small blind of 250
FirthBrookhaven posts the big blind of 500
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [8s 8c]
SuicideKinq raises to 1,200
JeffJ_ folds
Abyyss folds
JediMyndTrik folds
HERO folds
BUTTON calls 1,200
professor666 folds
FirthBrookhaven calls 700


Second hand

Later in the tourney. In the money, but barely. Final 55 or so, I am in like 47th spot.


FullTiltPoker Game #302674891: $14,000 Guarantee (1843039), Table 7 - 400/800 Ante 100 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:39:54 ET - 2005/11/22
Seat 1: FirthBrookhaven (37,975)
Seat 2: Triweasel (22,899)
Seat 3: Yo_Dude (4,256)
Seat 4: Achillies1984 (6,565)
Seat 5: RYRERO (14,588)
Seat 6: HERO(8,875)
Seat 7: DARTHZYDRUNAS (11,287)
Seat 8: MrRedskin25 (14,562)
Seat 9: ILS (20,599)
FirthBrookhaven antes 100
Triweasel antes 100
Yo_Dude antes 100
Achillies1984 antes 100
RYRERO antes 100
HERO antes 100
DARTHZYDRUNAS antes 100
MrRedskin25 antes 100
ILS antes 100
Achillies1984 posts the small blind of 400
RYRERO posts the big blind of 800
FirthBrookhaven: nh
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Trips013 [3c 3s]

I folded UTG. Should I have pushed all in? Is calling looking for a set out of the question with my M at 4?

Re: 2 pocket pairs folds? good or bad
 

I definitely at least call the 88, maybe reraise depending on your read on this guy.

I don't mind mucking the 33.

Re: 2 pocket pairs folds? good or bad
 

Hand 1: Tricky for sure. 50% call 50% fold there for me.

Hand 2: I got chips so a fold isn't bad. If I push I will be glad if I will be facing a coinflip. I muck this.

Re: 2 pocket pairs folds? good or bad
 

Both folds are fine. Arguments could be made for a call or push 88 depending upon your read of UTG and the blinds. But against an unknown in that spot I muck too. 33 is definitely a fold IMO; particularly just into the money where the chips usually fly....

Re: 2 pocket pairs folds? good or bad
 

Thanks all. I kind of felt that the 33 was correct, but the 88 was a bit suspect. Calling just feels so weak there...

Of course, on both of these I would have flopped sets. On the 88 hand, I would have had an over set to 444, and another guy had AA. I Would have quaded up to 5 place in the tourney! [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

I know, I know, results don't matter, good decisions do... [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]