How to play 99 from early position...

[TEBPilot]

Any thoughts on how to play 99 and other med pairs out of early position? Let's assume it's early in the tournament, level 1-3. Any input is appreciated..

[SossMan]

there was just a couple threads about this a couple days ago...search there.

good luck.

[M.B.E.]

Keep in mind that if there are eight players left to act after you (i.e. you are UTG nine-handed), there is something like a 20% chance that someone behind you has a bigger pocket pair. If your table is passive you can limp with 99, hoping for a lot of action. If it gets raised after you limp, you can either fold or call, depending on whether you have implied odds to flop a set.

If the table is aggressive then you can consider folding 99 UTG, but normally I would come in for a raise. Then if a highly aggressive player reraises, I would reraise allin and hope he folds. But if the reraise comes from a solid player, I would usually then fold.

If I raise 99 preflop and get one or two callers, then on most flops I am going to bet and fold to a raise. There are lots of exceptions to this however.

[tripdad]

i raise 3x blinds with any pocket pair UTG early in the tourney. if i get callers, i bet out on the flop (amount depends on how many callers) and fold to a raise.

A) this doesn't cost much to do.
B) your "set" if made, is disguised nicely.
C) UTG raises are generally highly respected, therefore you win the blinds quite often, which is ok by me.
D) when i raise 3x blinds later w/AA, my opponents do not know whether i have AA, 22, or 10-3s. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

i am in the solid minority on this forumn, i'm sure. most limp w/88 and below trying to get a "stack buster" or set.

cheers!

[SossMan]

[ QUOTE ]
i raise 3x blinds with any pocket pair UTG early in the tourney. if i get callers, i bet out on the flop (amount depends on how many callers) and fold to a raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you would have to be on an very tight table for this to be profitable.

[davidross]

Decide what your goal is on this hand, and your overall strategy for the tournament. You will not win a big pot unless you flop a set with 99 at this stage, but if you are bringing everything in for a raise, then I think you should do it with 99 too. If you limp first in with other hands then limp here too. Winning 90 chips in blinds at this point isn't worth bluffing any flop to me. I'd play it pretty straight up post flop. You can't win the tournament in the first hour, but you can sure lose it.