help with pocket pairs

[Jacob_Gilliam]

Actually, depending on your opponent, raising might be a good idea, maybe better than calling, but i cant see folding here. So i agree with the previous poster (unless your opponent is super agressive, you dont want to go all in with this just yet).

[-Skeme-]

I don't like the raise in Hand 1. I'd just limp and play the nines for set value. They're harder to play out of position when overcards fall.

[PinkSteel]

Hand 1, I agree, I play 9s from SB for set value only. Unless you see another 9, you win only a small pot, not a big one.

I think Hand 2 play is OK. A good argument could be made for folding to the flop bet, as the board is tricky and some of your outs may not be clean, but I probably wind up calling too. (I am a donkey, however.) Checking the turn and keeping your investment modest is good. On the river, Villain's raise indicates a straight; if he turned a higher boat, then he either disguised it well at the turn or sucked it out on the river. Like an earlier poster said, I think you win this much of the time; you're certainly getting pot odds to call.

[canis582]

Hand 2: Shouldnt he have pushed the river? His hand is almost always good.

[PinkSteel]

I think it's read-dependent, since there are two other opponents still in the pot when the bet comes to OP, so it depends on how much you think each opponent would call. I probably would have raised more but I don't have a compelling argument for doing so.

[swolfe]

hand 1: i don't generally raise that from SB at a full table. i might consider it since there was only one limper, but you have to play it more aggressively. bet the full pot on the flop, and follow up with a 1/2 pot bet on the turn. check the river if he calls the turn.

hand 2: i'd have raised the flop as a free card play, but whatever...they gave you a free card anyway. i'd have pushed the river. the straight is the most likely draw. the only thing you're really worried about is 67, which kind of seems possible given the flop bet and turn check. you have to push here though because you're giving up EV to all of the other more likely hands that you're beating.