I seem to find myself cold calling medium/low pocket pairs from late position. If I hit my set its great and if I don't then I get rid of them. Is this a leak? I posted an example.

Paradise Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is Button with [7d], [7s].
2 folds, BB calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: (10.50 SB) [9s], [Kh], [5h] (5 players)
BB checks, MP1 checks, MP3 bets, CO calls, Hero folds, BB calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (7.25 BB) [Ts] (4 players)
BB checks, MP1 checks, MP3 bets, CO calls, BB calls, MP1 calls.

River: (11.25 BB) [3c] (4 players)
BB checks, MP1 checks, MP3 bets, CO calls, BB folds, MP1 calls.

Final Pot: 14.25 BB

If I'm not mistaken you should be dropping those all the way up to 99. Only cold call with AK and in certain situations AQ along with the big pocket pairs.

If you're first in, however, raise with 99 on up. Just call with 88 down to 22 unless you're in late position then you raise with 88 and 77.

Why would you cold call with AK? You should be three-betting that.

For sure its a three bet

Just fold the 77 preflop and move on to the next hand.

Is this the standard line? Don't cold call any PP lower than 99? Even if there are 2-3+ callers in front? If so, good question OP, as I need to plug that leak.

this is fine, don't wory about the cold call, you're getting some bad advice. If there is no coldcaller between me and the PFR I'm three betting his ass here

The answer is "it depends". In a loose noob-style game - where you can count on five or more people seeing the flop and at least two or three calling a raise if you hit a set on the turn - then call-and-hope should be OK. You've probably got the implied odds you need to make the call +EV.

OTOH, in a tight game, late position with a pair should probably be a raising situation. If you can isolate preflop you're in pretty good shape - most of the time you'll be no worse than a coinflip (assuming the initial raiser raises with more than just big pocket pairs), and the dead money in the pot should make it worthwhile to go to a showdown headsup. And position + aggression should allow you to scoop some number of pots without a showdown.

Another option is a loose game with a lot of skilled players, which you sometimes see at higher limits; I avoid those games because my reads aren't good enough to win at that kind of table, so I'm not sure what the best way to proceed would be.

This is fine.

I'd definately see this as fold PF. Your flop set odds are about 1 in 8, and against a suitable field, almost any overcard is usually going to leave you drawing to 2 outs. So honestly unless 7 other people are going to be in the pot, I'd fold 22-77 and probably 88 and 99. If you're going to stay in the hand, 3 bet it. No sense in letting blinds or early limpers get the right price on their hands. Then regardless of flop, bet once just to try and take it (works well if they have something like TT, flop AKx .. you could take right there). If they call and you're set-less .. next hand.

what.



the.



fuck?!

folding 77 to one raise preflop in late position. BWHWAHAHAA.

The only thing about the hand I would have done alittle different and this is just me and how I play mid PP so disregard it if you don't like it. I usually will call that flop bet in search of my set on the turn as long as it's just one bet to me. This is strictly situational, it has to be the right game/board/position but I do it.

I don't know if it is a total leak because it's only 1 SB and if I do happen to hit my set it is so hidden I usually get paid off handsomely. I will try and dig up a hand or two that I have illustrating this. Again this is simply my take on mid PP. You don't have to like it but it's how I approach them.

No, your call is fine. Implied odds give you at least 4-1 IMO to call. You're at 5 to 2 against those have already acted. Add 1 for the BB, .5 from the SB and you're at 6.5. If your big blind calls (he probably will at this limit) and your original limper calls (he almost certainly will), you're up to 8.5 Presto. SB's presence makes up for either of the other two folding.