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Server Time: 12/2/2008 7:17:49 PM PACIFIC |
 Small pairs heads-up and short-handed, noiseboy, 30. Apr 2003 16:50 | ||
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| We've had some discussion recently about playing small pairs at a full ring game, and yes, they are VERY marginal hands unless you are getting great odds, or unless everyone folds to you and you want to take on the blinds. Basically, they either want LOTS of players or very FEW players. However, I'd like to turn the discussion to the play of the medium and small pairs to short-handed play where they can be a good holding. When there are fewer players, there is less chance that an overcard will be fatal to your pair, and oftentimes the flop doesn't hit anybody at all, so heads-up I usually will play virtually any pair aggressively until someone raises me, or two overcards fall. Of course, you have to be more careful if that overcard is an A, as people will play any A heads up, as well they should. Often I will call down a tricky player, who I know to bluff quite often, even in the face of a raise and overcards, depending on the situation. Anyway, these smaller pairs usually want to be heads up, so if nobody is in yet, I pretty much always raise before the flop to go after the blinds, then even if I get a caller, I have position on them and can often pick up the pot on the flop. I am by no means an expert at short-handed or heads-up play yet, but I think overall I've had very good experiences with all pairs at these tables, and would like to hear how other people play them. Thoughts? | ||
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| Re: Small pairs heads-up and short-handed, 4 POKER, 30. Apr 2003 18:56 | ||
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| on 30. Apr 2003 16:50 noiseboy wrote: > We've had some discussion recently about playing small pairs at a full ring > game, and yes, they are VERY marginal hands unless you are getting great odds, > or unless everyone folds to you and you want to take on the blinds. Basically, > they either want LOTS of players or very FEW players. > > However, I'd like to turn the discussion to the play of the medium and small > pairs to short-handed play where they can be a good holding. When there are > fewer players, there is less chance that an overcard will be fatal to your pair, > and oftentimes the flop doesn't hit anybody at all, so heads-up I usually will > play virtually any pair aggressively until someone raises me, or two overcards > fall. Of course, you have to be more careful if that overcard is an A, as > people will play any A heads up, as well they should. Often I will call down a > tricky player, who I know to bluff quite often, even in the face of a raise and > overcards, depending on the situation. > > Anyway, these smaller pairs usually want to be heads up, so if nobody is in > yet, I pretty much always raise before the flop to go after the blinds, then > even if I get a caller, I have position on them and can often pick up the pot on > the flop. > > I am by no means an expert at short-handed or heads-up play yet, but I think > overall I've had very good experiences with all pairs at these tables, and would > like to hear how other people play them. > > Thoughts? As long as the game is very short-handed, no more than 5 players... I agree with everything you just said. 4 POKER | ||
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| Re: Small pairs heads-up and short-handed, noiseboy, 1. May 2003 08:27 | ||
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| Good point, the above strategy would certainly not be applicable with more than five players. It might start to break down a bit, even with just five. I know with 1-3 players I'm usually happy with any pair or any Ace (suited or not), more than three I might start feeling a little iffy with a pair of 22s or an A without a kicker. I guess small pairs have become my "pet" hand, because I used to avoid short-handed games, now I seek them out so I can play my small pairs! I also seek out the super loose games so I can play them, but everyone likes those games. I'll have to be careful that they don't become a leak. | ||
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| Re: Small pairs heads-up and short-handed, stdioh, 1. May 2003 08:34 | ||
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| In heads up play it is correct to raise most hands that include an ace (though it is incorrect to do anything consistently) and thus most players will raise their aces preflop. Thus betting a scare card ace is usually good against a marginally experienced player who knows enough to raise his aces, now you've still just got your pocket pair, but it looks to your opponent like you've got an ace. This will prevent him from trying to bully you with the scary ace and from drawing to his no-pair or to his pair that has yours beat. | ||
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| Re: Small pairs heads-up and short-handed, spk, 1. May 2003 14:02 | ||
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| When you have a small pair and your heads up against another player, what matters is what he is holding for example you have 6 - 6 and your against A - 9 off you just a slight favorite. Your oppenent has 5 chances of hitting one of 6 remaining cards to make a higher pair. In my early playing day's I often struggled with how to play low pairs in no limit, now I will not call anybody all in with a low pair, however I will go all in if from late 6-7-8 position | ||
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| Re: Small pairs heads-up and short-handed, stdioh, 1. May 2003 15:23 | ||
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| Small pairs in a shorthanded no-limit game are just fine, when you're playing the end of a tournament. They are the kind of thing that you push all-in with when you are in survival mode. In a cash nolimit game, you get the hell rid of them or you limp, depending on position. Yes, they play well heads up, but only when you are all-in preflop. As soon as your opponent has a chance to hit his cards, you don't know where you stand with them. | ||
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