Ok, so you're playing Texas holdem and you're not doing to badly, you have a look at your next hand and find you've got a small to medium pair. Great! Or is it? Just how strong are your pocket pairs?
Let's take for example a starting hand of a pocket pair of eights. Most people's reaction to getting these pocket cards would range from happy to extremely excited. But if you look at it logically with a detached emotional eye, this really isn't such a good hand after all.
Statistically, out of all the winning hands in Texas holdem poker, a pair or better wins roughly about 55% of the time. A high card wins about 45% of the time. A pair of eights without improving by getting a set on the flop, turn or river will only beat a high card or a lower pair. The lower down the pair scale you go, the worse it gets.
The disadvantages of holding pocket eights are that the only card that can improve your hand is another eight while you opponents may have two over cards, which could end up pairing the board for them and make them be ahead of your eights. Furthermore they could have a flush or straight draw possibility and with your pair this means you cannot unless you get extremely lucky.
So what is the best way to play pocket pairs?
Playing Pocket Pairs - The Strategies
There are two different strategies you can use with a medium to low pocket pair. The first is to raise the pot and try and force most of your opponents out of the hand. The less competition you have going into the flop the better and if you manage to get rid of all the opponents but one the better chance you have of winning the hand and taking down the pot.
Normally this only works in late position. If you raise in early position and get re-raised or get two or three callers, you could be in a lot of trouble and your middle pair is unlikely to come out on top.
The second strategy is probably the best way to play middle to small pocket pairs. What you do is to try and limp in and hope to hit a set (3 of a kind) on the flop.
Hitting three eights is a very strong hand and it offers the possibility of slow playing if the circumstances are right, i.e. if the pot has been raised by someone else. The great thing about this hand is that it's disguised, you opponents are unlikely to put you on triples and there is even a possibility of a pair on the board, which will give you an almost unbeatable full house.
So the moral of the story is to tread carefully with your small and medium pocket pairs. Remember the lower the pair the less chance it has of holding up and winning you the hand and remember always be prepared to fold your pair if needed.
James Irvin is a online poker professional who has developed a FREE Poker Report which details how you can cash-in and make a killing at Sit and Go poker tournaments.
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