Double pairs

[blumpkin22]

In pot limit Omaha hi/low, are double pairs worth playing in an unraised pot in late position? What if the pot is raised and there are several cold callers? I'm talking about hands like KKQQ/KKJJ/QQJJ/QQTT/JJTT/TT99.

[TGoldman]

These hands are becoming some of my favorite hands to play, especially when calling a raise in position. If my math is right, you have about a 20% chance of flopping a set. This can be a huge money maker, since the pot will be large enough that a bet/raise will commit a substantial amount of chips on the flop, when you should have a nice equity edge. Otherwise, it's an easy fold when you miss.

[Cooker]

I too am a fan of the hands you have listed, i.e. the fairly big connected double pairs or even the one gaps. I would not play something like 9944 outside of the blinds, much less be calling raises. The reason I like the close double pairs is that if you flop a set with a straight draw, you have some blockers, and if you flop a straight draw, there is a very good chance no one else is drawing to the same straight.

[Buzz]

Blumpkin - You're leaving suitedness out of your consideration - and I don't think you can omit suitedness when rating the value of starting hands.

Just in terms of the pairs, your double pair hand will connect with the flop for a set, full house, or quads, about one flop out of four.

How often they make straights on the flop is about the same (very slightly more often) as unpaired hands in THE connect with the flop to make straights.

I think how to play these hands, regardless of suitedness, depends on your opponents. But you're not seeing the full picture without a consideration of suitedness. Not at all.

Buzz

[DyessMan89]

It of cource depends on the the pairs themselves. If your talking about double pair hands that are TT and over (like i believe you are), then yes, if the situation is right I will limp with them. A profitable situation for them would be late position in a multiway pot for one bet. The problem with pairs lower than TT is that when they hit, there is often times a low possible or already out. Since you have slim to no chance of getting the low, your odds are greatly reduced if this is the case.

[blumpkin22]

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Blumpkin - You're leaving suitedness out of your consideration - and I don't think you can omit suitedness when rating the value of starting hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

While suitedness is always a plus, I do not value the suitedness of non-ace hands too much. The main value of these hands comes from flopping a set, and then from their straight potential. But being suited is nice for backdoor draws and having a possible freeroll against someone.