[jhall23]

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Ok but how do I protect my big pairs from say a set then...? or maybe I don't..?

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With stacks of 100 BB or more you can't protect your big pairs from a set via a pre-flop opening raise unless you open up with a HUGE raise. Since a set will flop about 12% of the time in order to do so you would need to put clost to 12% or more of the smaller stack (between you and opponent) in pre-flop to be "Protecting". Since you want to open with more than just AA-QQ you don't want to be always making huge raises as it would be costly. You want your raise amounts consitent so your hand can't be easily read, but typically you will be opening with a better selection of hands then your opponents who play too loose. Your post flop play is what will determine how much you win/loose with your big pairs. The idea of protecting your big pairs can come in if you get in a raising war pre-flop. If you telegraph your AA for example with a pre-flop 3bet, you want to make sure that your opponent is not getting implied odds to flop a set on you, which you determine by the smallest stack size.

In regards to the actual amount, there is no perfect pre-flop raise amount with deepish stacks. Whatever you choose to do the main thing you want to avoid is giving away your holdings based on your raise amount. Alot of advice here is to adopt something like 3-4x the bb + 1 bb per limper. This is a fine easy way to keep your raise amounts conistent.

Edit: In response to your initial ?. If your pre-flop raises are winning pots flat out too much, you simply should start raising more hands and stealing pots. If you opponents start to adjust to this you tighten back up.