Can you play Kxs like a small pair?

[wildwood]

You might 3bet Kx suited in some special situations. For example, you have K9 suited on the button, the blinds are tight, and the CO openraised and you think the CO is on a steal. fwiw

[Kevin K.]

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You might 3bet Kx suited in some special situations. For example, you have K9 suited on the button, the blinds are tight, and the CO openraised and you think the CO is on a steal. fwiw

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't mean that there could NEVER be a situation where you would 3-bet Kxs.

The previous poster was talking about trying to push people out of the pot pf with Kxs. I was replying to that.

[ceskylev]

Gah.

I'm assuming Small Stakes Limit HE. I don't know OP's experience level, but if he's asking this question, I'm guessing he's sitting with me at 2/4 or lower. If the OP wants NL or mid/high stakes advice, I'm the wrong guy to give it.


[ QUOTE ]
I agree with pepsquad, but I would say it differently. Both small pairs and suited Kx are medium hands. Since you don't play 50% of your hands (I hope), you normally fold them unless this is one of those rare situations in which you want to play a weak hand.

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Your post seems to equate K8s-K2s and small pairs (let's say 66-22). Please don't do that.

KXs and small pairs aren't both "medium" hands. K8s and below is easily-dominated junk which you should play from the blinds and maybe the button if you have a lot of limpers and play well post-flop. KXs will often make a second-best hand that's tough to get away from.

OTOH, the implied odds in a good SS game are such that you can call from MP on (with limpers) or even raise (*if you're first in*) from LP. If your table is really good and loose, you can even limp these little pairs from EP. If you miss your set, these hands are cheap and easy to dump.

If you're playing KXs and small pairs with similar frequency in a limit SSHE game, you're making a big, big, big mistake.

[vexvelour]

I think there is a time and a place for everything, including K-xs. There are definetly situations where my gut instinct is to call, raise, whatever with it. Chances are, with my 3-bet before the flop, even if I don't catch much on the flop, one of 3 things will usually happen:
a) it gets checked to me and I can see a free card
b) it gets checked to me and I fire out a bet and ppl fold
c) someone bets/raises me, and if I don't have anything, I get out.

the way I see it..2 of those options are in my favor. I play K-xs more to play the table than the cards. If it works, I don't make a ton, but at least I'm collecting chips instead of handing them off. If it doesn't work, all things considered I haven't lost a ton, and I've probably made a few people at the table think twice right then and in the future.

(I also usually play short-handed, so perhaps this has something to do with our differing opinions?)

[AaronBrown]

Actually, I think we agree. I said Kx and small pairs are medium hands in the sense of developing into the best hand about the same percentage of the time. But they play very differently. Small pairs have only two cards that help them, but either one gives you a good hand without looking dangerous. So you either improve quickly or fold. Suited Kx has lots of cards that help it, but you need more than one of them to make a hand. So you need to pay a lot to see the board, and if you get something, people are likely to suspect it.

Each hand has a minor place in your play, but they are different places. You can't play one like the other.

[ceskylev]

I misread you then. Sorry.