Mid Pocket Pairs - Comments?

[bnorthro]

Here's a few hands from my last session. I sometimes feel kinda lost playing the mid pocket pairs and I thought these were kind of interesting.

SB was a pretty bad player. I wasn't at this table long, but he was probably playing like 2/3 of his hand, never raising, and chasing a lot.

UTG+1 is Loose/Passive/Passive. 82%VPIP and pretty poor, zero raising.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (8 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, CO calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO folds, SB calls, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.

<font color="blue"> This was a pretty passive table and I thought I'd bet out, too often I feel I just check/fold these hands. If I got any resistence, I'd probably fold, and I was going to fold if an overcard came later in the hand. </font>

Turn: (4 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls, UTG+1 folds.

<font color="blue"> A real safe card. I figure now I can maybe represent a 3 since I was BB. </font>

River: (6 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 6 BB

<font color="blue"> I'd hate getting check/raised here with a 7, and I figure only a hand that's beating me is going to call a bet </font>

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

<font color="blue"> No real reads yet, I'd had about 1 orbit and I was still getting set up. </font>

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, BB calls, Hero calls.

<font color="blue"> This preflop call is a little loose, I know. </font>

Flop: (6.50 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, BB folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP2 calls.

<font color="blue"> I thought that a hand like 10Js would play the way I was, and if the Raiser had overcards he'd drop em on the Turn unimproved. This isn't a standard play of mine, but I've been playing lots of 6max, so I thought I'd mix up my fullring play some. </font>

Turn: (5.25 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: 6.25 BB <font color="blue"> Perfect turn card, standard lead after check/raise. </font>

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (7 handed) converter

<font color="blue"> SB in this hand is the same SB donk from the first hand. The Button was kind SLAGGY, about 30%VPIP and 13%PFR. </font>
Preflop: Hero is BB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP1 calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, CO calls, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, SB calls, Hero calls, MP1 calls, CO calls.

Flop: (10 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, MP1 checks, CO checks, Button checks.
<font color="blue">Interesting, everyone checked through. I was planning on folding this, but now I may take a shot, depending on the turn. </font>

Turn: (5 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP1 folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB calls.

<font color="blue"> I felt this was a good card for me, so I bet out, intending to fold to a raise </font>

River: (7 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks.

<font color="blue"> Didn't want to get raised or called by a 5 that feared a set of 9's, so I checked.</font>

Final Pot: 7 BB <font color="blue"> </font>

These plays worked out well for me, and they aren't something I usually do. I felt I may have gained some value bets on the rivers against the SB Donk, but I think against most players they'll call with a hand that beats me. Input? Royal screwups? Play em the same? I'm trying to improve my small/mid pocket pair play and I think 6max play definitely helps, but I'd like some feedback.

Thanks.

[Azhrarn]

1. A draw heavy flop, multiple overcards to your pocket pair, and you're against several loose opponents. Check/fold is not weak here. It's the best line.

2. This is a dangerous board. A lot of the raising hands that you're ahead of aren't folding before the river (AK, AQ, KQ), so it's often going to be expensive. On the other hand, you'll probably fold 66-99. On the whole, not worth it against an unknown.

3. This I like. On the flop, you should consider going for a checkraise. It didn't matter, of course, since the button didn't bet, but that's probably what I would do. It's a good flop for you, and the button's range of hands is pretty wide.