A few medium pocket pair hands for your review.

Fantam · #1 06-25-2005, 10:06 AM

I think its possibly difficult to play a pocket pair too badly when you flop a set, because you always have draws to a full-house, if the board is scary.

I find it a lot trickier knowing how to play a pocket pair well, when you dont make your set but think that you still might have the best hand.

These are a few examples, which I would appreciate your comments upon. No particular reads, but no apparent maniacs, and the tables seemed neither overly passive or agressive.

Hand #1.
Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 1 fold, MP3 calls, 1 fold, Button calls, SB 3-bets, 1 fold, UTG calls, Hero calls, MP3 calls, Button caps, SB calls, UTG calls, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (21 SB) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (5 players)
SB checks, UTG bets, Hero raises, MP3 folds, Button 3-bets, SB folds, UTG caps, Hero folds, Button calls.

Turn: (15.50 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG checks, Button bets, UTG raises, Button calls.

River: (19.50 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Button calls.

Final Pot: 20.50 BB

I raised the flop, because I thought UTG might have been on a flush draw, but I folded when it was 2 bets back to me as I thought it was too likely that someone had the K.

Hand #2.
Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (8 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG calls, Hero calls, MP1 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (6 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets, Hero folds, MP1 folds, CO calls, SB calls, BB folds.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, CO bets, SB calls, UTG folds.

River: (6.50 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
SB checks, CO bets, SB folds.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB

I folded this hand on the flop after UTG bet, because the board had an Ace,flush and straight draws, and I still had a lot of players to act after me. However, I subsequently wondered whether this might have been too passive and if raising may have increased my chances of playing this hand HU against UTG.

Hand #3.
Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (6 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP with 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
1 fold, Hero calls, CO calls, 2 folds, BB checks.

Flop: (3.50 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, CO folds, BB calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls.

River: (5.75 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls.

Final Pot: 7.75 BB

I wondered whether I should have raised PF with this hand. I felt more comfortable with this hand because I only had 2 opponents on the flop and fewer draws that could beat me. I raised on the flop to try to fold CO. After that I had position on BB, but subsequently wondered whether my river bet was correct, because I couldnt see him calling with many worse hands than my own.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Dave G. · #2 06-25-2005, 10:40 AM

Hand 1
I would just call the flop. You have enough odds to try and catch a 9, but button call/capped the flop, so you have to suspect a big hand (probably AA). Folding isn't going to knock too many people out, the pot is friggin huge.

It's true a K is less likely, but against 4 players there's still a moderate chance. And of course there's AA - TT to worry about too. When it's two back to you, folding is obvious, your 9s aren't good.

Hand 2
Standard. Small pot, good chance you're beaten against 5 other players, not much chance of improving. You don't want to play HU against an ace, because he crushes you.

Hand 3
I raise PF from MP, but I don't think it's a big deal either way. Flop raise is good. Turn bet is good. I check the river through though, the ace is the one card you didn't want to see.

turaho · #3 06-25-2005, 11:25 AM

I'm not crazy about the flop raise in hand 1, but when it comes back capped to you, you have the odds (including your implied odds) to call and pray for a 9 on the turn.

The fold in hand 2 is standard. Too many ways to lose, no redraws, and the pot is small.

In hand 3: I wouldn't open-limp anything in MP. If your hand isn't strong enough for a raise, it's not worth playing. 88 is good for me. Nice value bet on the river.

@bsolute_luck · #4 06-25-2005, 07:17 PM

hand #1 is fine IMO. i have a hard time believing Button has AA or KK to cold call preflop and then cap. just sounds like a retard to me.

Flop is goot because 22 is unlikely- but possible and a K doubful because he would have c/r. you want to fold as many overcards as possible and give yourself every chance to win this huge pot. i think i'd have to call getting ~13:1 and both your 9s are good. fold the turn.