Among all the starting hands in Hold’em, pocket pairs are likely the most interesting set to consider. It is due to the fact it is a very powerful category when used properly but is also capable of causing a serious dent in your profits when used improperly.
In poker, two cards of the same rank such as 3-3 will be dealt a pocket pair. Naturally, the worth of such hands is extremely different, yet they are a part of the same general category of which I shall speak to-day.
In this article we will attempt to break down the strategy of playing pocket pairs in poker. We will discuss some of the most profitable lines with these hands and also some of the largest mistakes to avoid at any cost. In case you are completely unfamiliar with poker, it may be worth defining in a few words what we mean by the term pocket pair.
Categories of Pocket Pairs and Values
Most poker books and other training resources include three main subcategories of pocket pairs, namely:
- Premium pocket pairs from Jack to Ace
- Medium pockets: Seven to Ten
- Small pocket pairs: Six below
There may be a few smaller variations of approaches that include that a person will classify Ten as a premium pair or Seven as a small one, but this broad grouping is quite fair.
Why Size Matters
We will have more to say about each category before we get into it, but grasp this basic fact: The price of a pocket pair varies radically depending on its grade. Each pair equally has the probability of flopping a set (around 11.8 percent), but the playability after the flop is enormous.
Premium Pocket Pairs (AA – JJ)
Those money-making hands of yours. The main objective of yours is easy: put as much money in the pot as you can before you are likely to be behind. Slow-playing these hands before the flop is a common error to many players. If you are ahead, you can win more by building the pot early, and defining ranges of opponents, for example:
- AA-KK: Nearly always lift or re-lift. In AA you want as much action as you can. In KK, you should be aware of Ace-high flops and play aggressively before the flop.
- QQ-JJ: Increase on the majority of positions but be more wary of 3-betting when there are tight players who may not continue with other than AA/KK/AK.
Play cautiously, but do not necessarily lay up. Most players will call with poorer pairs, and sometimes you just could not hit your opponent by the Ace. Do not forget that the best one-pair hands are premium. They do not require improvement, but they are susceptible to multiple over cards boards or completed draws.
Typical Flaws on Premium Pairs:
- Slow playing excessively: Value missing versus willing callers.
- Over-folding with frightening boards: The assumption that all the over cards struck your opponent.
- Treatment of QQ/JJ as of AA/KK: They are vulnerable to over cards, and they are to be sometimes played with some caution.
Medium Pocket Pairs (TT -77)
These are the most misinterpreted pocket pairs. They are not strong enough to set-mine with, yet are not weak enough to play safely in the face of serious opposition. Your objective is win little pots uncontested or flop, for example.
- Move out of middle-late position to attempt to win the blinds or win heads-up in position.
- Increase the call in position with the aim of reconsidering after the flop.
- 3-betting should only be done carefully with certain reads. You either flip or are overpowered.
In the case of medium pairs, you are no longer set mining, but you are not playing stacks with one pair. The rule of thumb: When you would not bet a pot on the flop with only your pair, do not bet more than 10-15 percent of your stack before the flop.
Positional Awareness:
- Position is extremely valuable to medium pairs. In position, you can:
- Watch the reaction of your opponent to the flop.
- Control pot size more easily
- Get the extract on hitting your set.
- When you miss, get away cheaply.
Small Pocket Pairs (66 – 22)
These are exclusively set-mining hands. It is insignificant that they have a one-pair value when compared to any resistance. You aim to See cheaply and pile opponents on as you break the set, for example:
- Call, don’t raise, most positions. You would like to have more than one player in the pot that would enhance implied odds.
- Raising when the blinds are high or when you believe you can win the blinds or when the pot is favorable to you is only done when you think you can win the blinds.
- Fold too large unless you are receiving great implied odds (deep stacks, loose opponents).
Small pairs are binary hands. You strike your set and take on a big pot, or you miss and lose a small one. It is very little middle ground. When you have to do 10 pre-flops, you would like to have at least 150-200 effective stacks to make the call worthwhile.
Common Small Pair Mistakes:
- Making calls that have inadequate stack depth.
- The hand can be played after being missed (this is a huge leak)
- Slow-playing sets on dry boards (bet to build the pot immediately)
Also Read: Heard of Bomb Pots? Discover Poker’s Most Exciting Rule!
Conclusion
Pocket pairs are not made equal and considering them as equal is a strategic mistake. Premium pairs construct pots, medium pairs skate, and small pairs dig sets. Knowing when to alternate between these mindsets depending on the conditions of your pair, position and table is what distinguishes profitable players to the rest of the players.
Learn this hierarchy and you will not only start to see fewer frustrating losses with the medium pairs in your hand, but also the maximization of wins with your best holdings. Keep in mind that you can make the distinction between good and great in poker with regard to the manner in which you handle your middle-strength hands.
