Playing low or middle pocket pairs in No Limit

I'm just curious how some of you play medium and low pocket pairs in No Limit.

I'm mainly a tournament player so when the blinds are low I like to limp in and try to catch a set, if I miss the set I just let the hand go.  I'll even call a raise with these hands if it's not too much of my stack just because of the strength of hitting the set, and the disguessed value of it.

If it's getting later in a tournament if I'm the first one to open a pot I'll raise with pocket pairs in hopes to steal the blinds.

Just curious what other thought about this, or how they play their pocket pairs because the medium to low pocket pairs are the hardest hands to play.

I always try to see the flop even with low pocket pairs, but if someone raises too much I will run away. Exactly what I consider to much is somewhat up to how the table has been played in previous rouns.

[Live Online Poker Game]

Good points!

I used to play following the starting hand theory (it will be available soon on the site) and I always take into consideration where I sit at the table (position at the table)...

Sometimes I play for fun and at that times I play less tight... more fun - less winning

Usually it depends on what stage of the tournament it is in. Anything below pocket 7s, I'll usually just try and limp in and hit a set or I'll let it go.  But with good position, I feel it is never a bad idea to toss a raise in there with 8s, 9s etc. The reason for this is that a raise usually represents a big Ace or King. Thats what most people will think at least. So even if you don't hit and and A, K or Q hits on the flop, a bet by you is still representing that you hit your card. Only bad thing is if someone else hits a hand and plays back at me, then usually I'll let it go.

Low pair in a tournament huh?

I think that as long as no one has raised pre-flop then you should always give them a bit of a raise!

1. It gets rid of the limpers.
2. It puts you in a better position to bluff when you actually see the flop. i.e. if you see that the flop is full of low cards, i.e. 8, 10, 2 then you can raise and people will fold very often.
3. In a tournament you always need to be dominant to get the most value out of a pot.

So as long as no one is putting pressure on you, then you should use the advantage of the pair to put pressure on them.

Bart

I agree with Bart3k. However, I wont raise with anything less than 99 in early position. I will sometimes just muck a low wired pair just to avoid trouble if I dont feel it though.

Now, how would you play that same hand in a cash game???

In a cash game I would be much much more tempted to just limp in. Wait for someone to lay into you with their stack when you hit trips. Thing is that if someone has Ax and hit's an ace then they know their odds are pretty good. So you raising into them with a pair of 99's can be problematic.

B