Pocket nines

[xxxxx]

It is usually advised to raise PF with pocket nines but don't you need to flop a set or fold? How many pots do you drag with unimproved nines?

Even if the flop is three rags, you are vulnerable to overcards falling on the turn and river. Terrible implied odds. If no overcards fall, there's a strong straight chance. Perhaps the best flop for you (other than a set) is a rag + pair of rags but you are still vulnerable to overcards.

Is the short answer, just shut up and do what Ed says?

[jrz1972]

I was just thinking about this exact topic yesterday. Weird to find it at the top of the page the very next morning.

This has been a problem hand for me as well (only marginally profitable). Part of it is undoubtedly the fact that my post-flop play is not as good as Ed Miller's or many of the regular posters here, but I'm also never really that confident in handling this one pre-flop.

What I've recently been trying is raising in early position to thin the field in the hopes of winning unimproved, but limping in late position if there are already a bunch of limpers in the hope of making a set.

I'll be interested to hear how others handle this.

[mistrpug]

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don't you need to flop a set or fold?

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Absolutely not. Nines will often hold up even when overcards fall.

And you should not be raising 99 before the flop as a general rule, though there are times it is correct to do so.

[mistrpug]

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It is usually advised to raise PF with pocket nines but don't you need to flop a set or fold?
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Is the short answer, just shut up and do what Ed says?

[/ QUOTE ]

Assuming your talking about Ed Miller, Ed doesn't say to do anything close to that.

[risen]

You need to use your aggressiveness with the preflop raise to both thin the field and represent AK through AJ postflop. 99 is a great hand to win with unimproved, to steal pots with unimproved, and to get away from when you find resistance. They can't see your hand, fire away.

[mistrpug]

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You need to use your aggressiveness with the preflop raise to both thin the field...

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That's not always the case. There are plenty of time when limping is correct.

[sfer]

I raise 99 a lot, and nearly every time if I'm opening the pot.

[Jimbo720]

Raising 99 will hold up pretty well if can thin the field a bit with preflop and flop aggression. It's a good hand for tighter, passive tables. Against the looser, calling station type tables, sometimes play this hand a little more like a medium pair than a TT JJ type hand if you don't have desirable position.

[brassnuts]

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I raise 99 a lot, and nearly every time if I'm opening the pot.

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Word. It should also be added that 9s statistically flop sets more than any other pocket pair.

[mistrpug]

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It should also be added that 9s statistically flop sets more than any other pocket pair.

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Is this just some joke that's over my head or are you actually being serious. That can't mathematically correct in the context you're giving it.