Playing Small Pairs in Texas Holdem Poker

Small pairs can be tricky to play in Texas Holdem. While they may be the best hand before the flop, high cards can give your opponents pairs and ruin your hand. You should also factor in the chances of hitting trips, which can often win a big pot from an opponent holding an unimproved high pair. This article looks at the pitfalls and benefits in playing small pairs.

When dealt a small pair the number of opponents who act after you before the flop can be a critical factor in how you play. With 8 or 9 opponents still to act you can not be sure whether there will be a raise, re-raise or even an all-in behind you - suggesting you should act cautiously. If most of your opponents have folded (of limped) to you when last to act, you can be more confident in taking a flop without a large raise forcing you off of your hand.


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Calling a raise before the flop with a small pair will depend on how many chips you and your opponents have in play. You will often need to hit trips to win the pot - and this will only happen approximately one in eight times. To make your initial call 'mathematically correct' you need to have 10 to 12 times the bet you are calling, the extra chips are required since you will not get your opponent's entire stack every time.

If you miss the flop and have multiple opponents still in the hand it is usually wise to fold your small pair when someone bets. This is especially the case when there are high cards on the flop - cards which are likely to have hit the kind of hands your opponents are calling with.

If you took the lead in the betting before the flop and see your opponent check then a 'continuation bet' is often profitable. By representing strength you may also see opponents check to you again after the turn. This allows you to either take a free river card or fire another bet depending on the tendencies of your opponents.

To summarize, the best way to play small pairs is when it is cheap to see a flop from late position. Your objective is to hit a 3 of a kind and win a big pot from an opponent with aces (for example). Where you miss then folding to opponent strength is usually best, though you may be able to win the pot with a continuation bet under the right circumstances.

courtesy of http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Mark_R._Holland


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