Advice with medium pocket pairs on PP $25

dac · #1 09-06-2004, 03:55 PM

Here are two hands from PP $25 NL 6 max tables. Please comment.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 max, 6 handed) converter

saw flop|saw showdown

Button ($19.03)
SB ($24.80)
Hero ($29.35)
UTG (Villan) ($25)
MP ($15)
CO ($24)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. UTG (Villan) posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG (Villan) (poster) checks, MP folds, CO folds, Button calls $0.50, SB completes, Hero checks.

Would you raise with JJ in the BB and proberly take the pot down right there or check them and hope for a nice flop that will catch some one?

Flop: ($2) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, Villan bets $0.5, Button folds, SB folds, Hero raises to $4, Villan folds.

Was this raise too big? I wanted to really test his strength on that flop, but now when I think about it I think he might have called with just a 9.

Final Pot: $6.50
Main Pot: $3, won by Hero.
Pot 2: $3.50, returned to Hero.

The next hand came a few hands later at the same table.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 max, 6 handed) converter

saw flop|saw showdown

MP ($18.53)
CO ($27.70)
Hero ($30.70)
SB (Villan) ($20.75)
BB ($15)
UTG ($24)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG folds, MP folds, CO calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, SB (Villan) raises to $1, BB folds, CO calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50.

I am button, should I maybe raise 88 preflop here?

Flop: ($3.50) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
Villan bets $0.5, CO calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50.

Yes I get a bet, but very small. Should I raise here? My hand doesn't seem vulnareble so I slow play.

Turn: ($5) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (3 players)
Villan bets $0.5, CO folds, Hero raises to $2, Villan calls $1.50.

Now I feel it is time to get some more money in to the pot, so I try to make my raise look like a steal.

River: ($9) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Villan checks, Hero bets $5, Villan folds.

Did I bet too much here? Do you think I should have underbet the pot even more?

Final Pot: $14
Main Pot: $9, won by Hero.
Pot 2: $5, returned to Hero.

Please fry me, I look forward to your comments.

AZK · #2 09-06-2004, 07:00 PM

Hand 1:
JJ is a very dangerous hand in NL. I wouldn't have checked it and let everyone see a flop, there aren't many flops that you will like. However, this has been heavily debated on this site in the past, I think I am weak-tight when it comes to JJ, as in I'd like to take the hand down preflop and win a small pot rather than lose a big one. I tend to play JJ very fast though because I don't think I have the experience required to make it a winning hand playing it any other way, many other more experienced posters will probably disagree...

Hand 2:

You can't really do anything but hope that villian has a hand he will back with his stack or hit some freak two pair or what not when you flop a set. You get paid by people who will back TPTK with their stack, even though technically with such short stacks it's justified. The board isn't very threatening so you can afford to slowplay but I think this was just one of those situations where the board missed him and that's why he folded....nothing you can do.

JohnG · #3 09-06-2004, 08:05 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'd like to take the hand down preflop and win a small pot rather than lose a big one.

[/ QUOTE ]

With JJ, you'd actually do better than this just by seeing the flop and folding if you miss the set.

With regards raising the JJ in this situation, it can go either way depending on dynamics, character of other players, and how you normally play from the BB with regards what range they can put you on when you raise. Checking can't be that bad in general on these stacks. I'd bet out on the flop though, and keep on betting until raised. You will get called by a lot of worse hands.

On the 2nd hand, anyone that open limps in the cut-off, I am raising.

dac · #4 09-07-2004, 05:25 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't have checked it and let everyone see a flop, there aren't many flops that you will like.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't raise with a lot of hands in the BB when there a limpers, proberly only AA-KK and AK, is that wrong? I don't raise because most of the times a 3xBB (to $2) raise don't seem to get anyone out of the pot. When holding JJ the flops I won't like, I'll like even less if the other playes have called a raise before the flop. But I must say that I normaly raise JJ preflop (when I'm in position) and then play ultra agressive (pot bet or more) on the flop if the board isn't too scary.

Do you think I should raise more hands in the BB or maybe raise with a bigger amount?

dac · #5 09-07-2004, 05:34 AM

[ QUOTE ]
On the 2nd hand, anyone that open limps in the cut-off, I am raising.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would you do this here? I hold a set, and the board is non scary, his bet looks like a cheap (min bet) steal attempt, I figured he would fold to a raise on the flop, and I would rather have him around for another card, plus a raise might drive out the limper.

Am I stuck in limit world in this thinking?

JohnG · #6 09-07-2004, 10:39 PM

I was talking preflop.

thatpfunk · #7 09-07-2004, 11:01 PM

Hand 1: Raise preflop. The 6-max game is full of LAG maniacs, a $2 preflop raise does not guarantee eveyone will fold. If you want to get heads up maybe a $3 if u think you can get a caller. On the flop I would make a pot sized raise $2- 2.50.

Hand 2: Played well, I believe. I don't raise often with <99 in these games because I am multitabling and it makes things easier, but occasionally will raise (with position and texture) 44-88 just to change it up. If you are still getting used to the tables,a limp and then set it or forget it" mindset is perfect for pp<TT. The rest of the hand was played very well. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Welcome to the game where people give away money [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Daann · #8 09-08-2004, 06:35 AM

In hand 1, I'd probably raise in that situation but I don't mind limping. On the flop though, I don't like the check raise... Its over representing your hand as you are highly unlikely to get called by a 9 here, especially considering you were the BB and so could easily have a 2. I'd just bet out.