how do you guys/girls like to play pocket pairs 2-2 through 6-6? I like to raise but am always reluctant to abandon which is a major leak in my game that costs me money. any advice on how to play?

Limp from EP MP. Raise in late position and bet the flop.

What do you mean you're always reluctant to abandon them?

in rethinking this post it should be known that i kinda like to raise regardless of position with these hands which i really don't know if thats good or bad guess it could be both. as far as abandoning them i mean that if i am first to act i like to bet to see where i am in the hand but hate to fold to a reraise. and if i am last to act i hate the fact that i already invested a raise preflop, didn't hit and now have to lay it down.

in rethinking this post it should be known that i kinda like to raise regardless of position with these hands which i really don't know if thats good or bad guess it could be both. as far as abandoning them i mean that if i am first to act i like to bet to see where i am in the hand but hate to fold to a reraise. and if i am last to act i hate the fact that i already invested a raise preflop, didn't hit and now have to lay it down.

I think the typical strategy is set or forget those small pocket pairs in most situations. If you dont set your small pair, the rare situations when you want to continue further will depend on a combination of reads on players involved, amount of players involved, and the stack sizes of the players.

Not sure whether to raise or not pre-flop with those. I usually limp and will call small raises. I'll fold to a large raise of course.

I still like raising in LP as it gives your bets on the flop respect even when overcards come and you have position. Early position i'm just hoping to get lucky and hit a set.

you have to fold to a reraise with a mid pair let alone a low pair. (Assuming cash games here)

and if i am last to act i hate the fact that i already invested a raise preflop, didn't hit and now have to lay it down.

I'm assuming you mean if the flop comes and some one bets from early position. Just one of those things you have to do.

Limp hit a set win all the money, or lose all your money when you are in a set over set situation. I will call up to about 10% of my stack preflop and hope to set up and win a huge one, if i miss i fold. Don't get cute with small pp, they are usually trash unless you hit a set.

Yeah, I had the pain of a 25 dollar blow when I raised my 88 and had a call.

J-8-4 flop. I bet the pot, it got min raised.
At this point, I'm thinking...okay a lot of people love slowplaying AA and KK, those are possible. A-J is certainly possible. A set of 4's is possible. Last a set of Jacks is possible. I moved in thinking that JJ is not a hand that anyone is going to slowplay, being vulnerable of course.

And that's what it was
It was like my first 25 dollar table after weeks of 10 dollar tables. Owie.

well you played it right!

The proper 22-55 strategy:

Preflop: Limp
Hit the flop: Bet
Miss the flop: Fold

It's not that difficult folks.

depends what level you are playing and if your opponents are on the meta game yet

True, it depends on the level but, unless someone says they're playing a pretty high level with pretty good players, I'm gonna assume that this is a low limit fishy game.

I have no idea what a meta game is :?

hey man it might be a low limit game but i still want to try to understand the best possible ways to play these hands.

Yeah, with 22-55 (possibly even 66), you limp preflop. Usually, the flop will be nothing but overcards. You're hoping to hit 2 outs. If you hit the flop, bet out/raise. At low limits, most aren't going to put you on a set. Minimize losses, maximize wins. Usually you're going to miss the flop, so it doesn't make much sense to bet preflop with a low PP.

ok but with the preflop raise can't i then be in a position to still bet and represent strong on the flop?

You can, but there's likely at least one calling station that will call you down with bottom pair and you'd have to show your underpair. Unless you hit a miracle straight, you're relying on hitting two outs and that's not enough to justify a preflop raise.

thanks what you're saying is making sense. much appreciated.

anytime

check your pms pls

it says i have no new messages

ok, sent it again...maybe you'll get it this time

i got it and replied hope you got my reply.

Even if you are at low limits, I think it is highly dependent on the game whether or not you will have a calling station that calls down with bottom pair. My experience is that it is too much of a generalization to say just because you're at low limits, there will be a calling station for every hand. I play .25/.5 NL and find that many tables I can take most pots down post flop when I raise preflop. The amount of times I take the pot down makes me more money than the amount of times I get a call and have to slow down.