middle pocket pairs

[wrto4556 0]

Middle pocket pairs are hands like 99-77 and sometimes 66.Playing them correctly (maximizing your +EV) is difficult.99 is a solid hand that has alot of equity preflop and should be raised from any position, imo. Raising from early position has a small amount of +EV, so if you don't feel comfortable, it will not be detrimental to your win rate. However, if you play it wrong after you raise, it has less +EV than limping (im not sure on this, but I think it's true). That goes for alot of hands, and is why postflop skills are so important.88-66 are funny. I limp with these in EP. 88 and 77 I *may* raise in late position, but the conditions have to be just right. For instance, if one person (MP1) limps in and im on the button with 88 or 77, I raise everytime. a) to knock out the blinds. B) I have position and should take control of the hand c) I probably have the best hand and am raising for value. Another case would be if almost everyone limps in. I have alot of equity with my mid pair and should raise. This is still being debated, but I think it holds true. You just have to stay from being pot commited. You are building the pot because you have an equity, but your equity can take durastic swings after the flop. It can go WAY up, or it can go WAY down.It's really about position and texture of the board. Be more inclined to bet your unimproved 8 8 on a flop of 9 2 6 than on a A T 2 .Also, when do you let them go after the flop, and when do you continue. I still havn't completely figured this out. It's really a feel. The texture of the board and the action preflop/flop should give you a good idea when you're ahead or behind. If you think you are ahead, play your hand aggressively, if you think you are behind, fold as soon as you can.If I missed something, someone add on. Or if I said something that is wrong, please correct me.Discuss.

[wrto4556 0]

PS. If you get raised on the 9 6 2 board with your 88, you can safely fold. What could they be raising with? Not a draw, unless it's 87...and you should pay attentin to those players. You probably have the best hand, but if someone raises, watch out.

[gobears 0]

PS. If you get raised on the 9 6 2  board with your 88, you can safely fold. What could they be raising with? Not a draw, unless it's 87...and you should pay attentin to those players. You probably have the best hand, but if someone raises, watch out.

Well, I'm re-reading Jennifer Harman's section in SS2; she lists a few situations where she would check-raise or straight raise with middle pair from different positions.I could see an aggressive player doing this and doing well if the table is tight after the flop.

[wrto4556 0]

Noone wants to talk about this?That's cool.

[KDawgCometh 2]

I love mid PPs. I think I play them fiarly well. I've forced myself to play them much more for raises and raising flops with them, so I can improve my play of them. They are a very tricky lot and it always helps when you are in position on someone with them. I will openraise with PPs from the CO or Hijack with even 44 or 55 as I feel I can play it well enough Postflop as to not get too screwed with them. there's a lot of fun things you can do with them too. one I like doing is LRRing with them in EP. say you get two callers in there and the Hijack, CO, or Button raises, I will LRR with them if the blinds fold so as to gain fold equity and to get the limpers in the middle to call 2cold, and I've disguised my hand real well too. I'll even do this if the BB has raised or the SB raised and the BB folded so that I can gain position and get some dead money in the pot. more often than not people are raising with overcards so with teh dead money in the middle you now have a nice equity edge

[akishore 0]

i want to reply to this, but i don't have my thoughts organized yet. just putting a placeholder so that i can also remind myself to reply.aseem

[ddoggphx 0]

I love mpp. I also like low pairs. Easy to get off of on the flop, but if you flop a set you will get paid off more often than not, and if there are overcards you can drag a monster. I do well with pocket pairs in general. You just have to be careful with them, in position and in an unraised pot. Middle pp I will play to a raise even in ll games, because you'll have odds to call if you don't hit, and loose players will bet underpairs more often than you would think, in my experience.