There's been much written on the subject of playing small pairs in Texas Hold'em. Small pairs consist of 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6. With so many words devoted to the topic, it's obvious that there are opposing theories regarding the best way to play them.

Here are my suggestions.

Unlike higher pairs, small pairs should not be played in all situations. Several factors determine whether you should enter a pot with a small pair: position, chip count, number of players, and cost to play.

In a typical ten-handed game, playing a small pair from early position simply won't show you a profit at the end of the year.

Your chip count and your opponent's stack size are also important considerations when deciding to call. If a player raises to 600 and only has 500 left, it's just not worth trying to catch trips on the flop, since you'll only be able to win an additional 500.

If, however, both you and your opponent have 30,000 in front of you, it makes more sense to see a flop for 600. If you're lucky enough to catch a set on the flop, you'll win a monster pot.

The number of players needs to be a considered, too, especially in a structured, limit game. Small pairs fare fine against one opponent, but generally don't do well in three or four-handed pots. However, if there are five or more players, you'd be getting excellent value. Go ahead and try to hit your set.

Small pairs want to see the flop as cheaply as possible. If someone just calls the big blind in front of you, then you can limp along for the minimum bet, hoping to capitalize after the flop. However, if the blinds are, say, 100-200, and an opponent raises the pot to 1,500, that's just too large a bet for you to stick around.

Once you've actually gotten to a flop, how you proceed depends on the number of opponents in the pot. If there are several players remaining, you should only continue if you flop three of a kind.

Against one or two opponents, though, you've got my green light to take one more shot at winning the pot. When choosing to do that, flop texture is of the utmost importance.

Suppose you're in a three-way pot and the flop comes Qh-10d-9h. This is a horrible flop for your lowly pair of fives; if anyone bets, fold. Even if they don't bet, you shouldn't try a bluff here, since it's far too likely that one of your opponents has something to go with that flop, like J-10 or Q-K.

A better texture would look something like Q-Q-3 or K-7-2.

With these flops, you can go ahead and bet your small pairs. Your opponents will probably fold unless they have a queen or king. If you consider yourself an aggressive player, you might try raising with these hands on occasion.

The best time to raise is when you're looking to steal the blinds. This strategy only works if no one has entered the pot before you. Also, being in late position increases the chances of the play being successful. If you raise from early position, there are too many hands to act behind you that might call.

When you raise with a small pair in position, you must play it strong after the flop. If an opponent in the blind calls your raise, then you must bet on virtually any flop -- even a flop as ugly as A-K-Q! Because you raised pre-flop, he'll think that you improved your hand. If he has a hand like Q-9, you'll probably win the pot with an aggressive bet.

Here's my rule of thumb: When playing small pairs, play them cheaply if you can, and only continue after the flop if you hit your trips.


(If you enjoyed this piece, you can get similar stuff in your local newspaper. Send them a letter or an e-mail letting them know that you want Daniel Negreanu's Poker Column in your paper.)

Good read, thanks.

I don't even read my local newspaper. I read my news on the internet.

I would seriously pay a monthly fee to have something like this delivered to my in box every day and or once a week. I paid $5 a week for the South Beach Diet for 6 months. This would be a no brainer.


Oh... and great article as usual Daniel.

Thanks DN.

These articles are extremely valuable, keep them up!

Bling--Bling 75 here

I Agree w/ Daniel

LMAO really?!?

Thanks Daniel. I actually learned this watching that show on fsn you were on with howard lederer. He explained about the same thing you said about playing the pairs. Its definately saved me in games, instead of "I have a pair, I'm all in"

Nacho think it wise to play small pair veerrryy carefully, but it is situational, no? Sometimes a small pair good enough, sometime no. Heh, heh- sometime no pair good enough. Nacho can trick you, like when he talk to referee while partner hit opponent with chair. Nacho is very tricky.

I read your piece in the Newark Star Ledger every Friday and I really enjoy it, I hope you can continue writing for a long time.

I enjoyed this piece as well, I constantly used to misplay small pairs and its good to keep myself reminded on the proper way to play them.

Thanks alot for the advice Daniel , but honestly I already play small pairs like you suggested before this thread so this didn't really help me.

Daniel,

Do you suggest playing small pairs differently at different stakes? I definitely agree with the advice you gave for games 10/20 and higher, but i believe a slightly different strategy should be used at lower stakes (ideally 1/2 and 2/5). The live games I play at school are very loose 1/2s and when i go to the casino i usually play 2/5 which plays just as loose as the home games for the most part. At both of these games I find that raises of 5-10xbb are "normal" and usually induce at least a couple calls. My thinking is that if i pick up a "small pair" which i define as 2s-Js under the gun or early position, i'll raise to $11 (1/2) or $25 (2/5) and will likely get 3 or 4 callers. The odds against hitting your set are approximately 7/1 so with 3 or 4 callers you're half way to your odds preflop. Also in these games the stacks tend to be fairly deep (3-500xbb about the norm) so when the villian spikes his ace with a good kicker and i hit my set i'm golden.

If I pick up one of these hands in late position I play it about the same. My goal is to build a big pot that weak players can't get away from with a hand like top pair/good kicker when i make a set. Only in the rare event that there is a lone limper or just the blinds left will i raise slightly more to try to take it down right there, and if somebody does get stubborn i have the chance to improve as well as position and the option to continuation bet.


Sorry if this was long winded, my question is basically if my reasoning is sound regarding my small pair play. I feel that it is the best strategy in these loose small stakes games in which a small investment (5-10bb) will yeild a huge return when i hit, and when i miss i have invested relatively little.

Thanks!

Phil

Oh, your such a good player. You know it all don't you. J/K.... someone had to f$@k with ya.

There's one other situation which may pertain more to medium pairs than small ones.
Daniel, can you comment on this?

If only one player limps in (early to middle position) and you are in the cutoff or button then you should make a small raise most of the time to encourage the blinds to fold and get the hand heads up in position.

(BTW, Sklansky mentioned this in one of his dvds, and said that not to raise is a huge error, perhaps with medium pairs only, I can't recall. Also, he may have mentioned folding is okay, just that calling is so much worse than raising.)

Maybe this is on the aggressive side. Yes, I know, Sklansky is not perfect, lol.

hahahaha someone did have to **** with him lol , good call

There's always one guy.

Hey there Daniel, First time posting in your blogs. Very nice read. I agree 100% small pocket pr should be played very carefully. Some people see a pr and wohhoo and get crazzzy.. Well hope you do well in the upcoming WPT events.
God bless you and you family Daniel. Congrats on the move and remember happy wife happy life


Take care

Brent Pontius

Great advice. Thanks for keeping us educated.

nice article...thanks!

Nice one D. As long as you keep posting I will keep reading. Thanks again.

If you're paying, I'll send you a link to a DN article weekly.

Or, you can go to the below link weekly and see DN's articles and other news about him:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=U...iel+Negreanu%22

well this is the my first post and i find ur article good reading for the many ppl out there that are not as in tune on what and what not to do in theese situations. I found it interesting and knowledgeable reading, Thanks

The very good lesson of poker, I did the different things with small pairs that at some time give me losses .. thank you daniel

to much postive re enforce ment makes a dull boy this is a proven fact so Daniel what happen with Gus? Maybe tell us what the difference was? I know 4ofK is rare and reading lets you call more so put me up on this one can you ever? (is that a mistake or the expectation will cover that) I would love to here what if anything could come after flop a set thing, which is near common knowleg;

Thanks for the advice, Daniel...very helpful. I think the problem that I run into more often than not is running up against 5-5 when I catch 4-4. I can't usually read it until it's too late.

Great article!!

Those were fantastic tips. Thanks!

It's great to see you posting here Phil Hellmuth or by any chance is this Mike Matusow maybe? lol

Great articles , would also like to see advice on medium pairs 66-1010. Would you treat these the same as small pairs?

This isnt much different than he is saying. If you get 3 or 4 callers then you are 4 or 5 handed and he says go for it at 5 handed, and obv its not a bright line, it depends on how loose the table is post flop. Halfway to your odds does you no good if you dont get any action post flop.

Also the odds against hitting your set are 8.3:1 not 7:1. The odds against hitting your set or better are 7.5:1, and of course the problem with the "or better" hands is that they involve a pair on the flop which are much harder to get paid off with, so they actually reduce your equity vs just hitting the set (unless you happen to be up against a hand that hits trips when you hit your boat). Pairs on the board may also inhibit drawing hands from giving you as much action, and those are the hands that pay you off the most when you do hit your set.

honestly this is an instant fold.

There are so many hands that can beat you on the flop.

Go on...

Well you've probably seen the banners on FCP, Daniel's new book "Power Hold'em Strategy" has finally arrived. Look for it in stores or get your copy online today.
-------------------
Sharon Stone
Connecticut Drug Addiction

Me to. I woundt play small pairs or middlepairs in anyflopp.

Sorry to bump an old thread...


I completly agree with Daniel except for :


"A better texture would look something like Q-Q-3 or K-7-2."

"

What if i raise with a small pair and the other guy call with Q or K ?

How often will you get a pocket pair, and then how often will you hit trips when you do? It would seem like if you're raising everytime in the low stakes games you'd be losing money in the long run.

Seriously? Why waste the space with that post if they already play like that? "Hey thanks for the info, but I already knew it, and do it, so here's my chance to toot my own horn." LMFAO!

Good job f#%king with the guy... You should do it some more. : )

What are you talking about?!

ROTFLMMFAO!!! Nice!

Daniel mentions that 6's are part of the small pair group in his opening post, and you have to include J's in with middle pairs.

"What if i raise with a small pair and the other guy call with Q or K ?"
-Then you got the information you needed. Put the brakes on.

Thanks Daniel. Good luck this year in WSOP!

kidpoker2.....your name makes me lolz

insert ass kissing thankful comment here

Great article very informative

Obviously, Phil Ivey plays small pairs much better than you Daniel. Just witness the 1st episode of HSP Season 6 - Everytime he held a small pair he flopped a set and had an opponent bluff into him. This is the optimal strategy on playing small pairs - please see if you can find out how he does this

Nice!