2 pair --- dangerous ???
Hi All, recently I have noticed that I have lost alot of pots holding 2 pair. I feel like I over value 2 pair. Does anyone have any thoughts about this? Is 2 pair with high cards say King Jack for example very vulnerable? Or is this just poker varience?
thanks for any thoughts or opinions?
labeach
thanks for any thoughts or opinions?
labeach
Comments
You need to look at a few things when playing 2pr.
Are you opponents the draw happy type?
What type of 2 pair do you have (Top 2, bottom 2)?
How far apart are the paired cards? The better to be a bit further apart than KJ as it could possibly give you opponent a straight draw (or made straight)
Are you betting enough w 2pr to chase out the draws? (see 1st question)
What if you flop top 2 pair with face cards?
labeach
With a flush draw I generally pot it.
In my mind, unless the 2pr uses both cards in my hand I have only 1 pair with a full house draw.
Steve, two pairs are always a fun hand to play, and you have to mix up the play. As per your example KJ, so much depends on what has happen. Were you near first position and raised with KJ and got called by someone in late position and or someone in the blinds. Or was it vice versa?
Let’s say you raised in early position 3 x’s the BB with KJ. One guy before the button calls and the BB defends. Now you are in a horrible position, but hey you can out play the guy after the flop.
Flop is K J 10 rainbow. BB checks, now you have a decision to make. You have invested 3 x’s the blinds and have 2 callers and have no idea of where you are at in the hand. You have to decide what kind of hand would the guy have before the button had to call the 3 x’s the blind hand. The BB could have been defending and that is why he checked. So what do you do? If you check, you can allow those on straight draws to catch; betting makes sense, but how much? If you bet the pot, and the cutoff calls or re-re-raise then what do you do? Some times you have to take a chance and see what happens.
Ok lets go with the 50% pot or less. Most will still call draws.
Pot bet, 5% of people or less will still call their draw and those who have you beat will call, pocket 10’s Jack’s, King’s, AA will think they are good and QQ will think they are beat but have picked up the opened ended.
Beware of the flat call, chances are they hit the set, and think they can’t be beat and are hoping for you to fire another bullet on the turn.
If you go all – in on the flop you eliminate all draws and only get called by the hand that hit the set or the blind that was playing Q 9 and was defending his blind.
People think you are slow playing if you check here, but in my mind you are not. The draws probably check hoping the free card and that it helps them. Not losing chips is the goal here, and living with what is in the pot. So let’s say you check.
Now the cut off guy bets you have to think through everything you thought about when the action was on you.
For argument sake, let say he checks, and you see the turn and it is a blank, you still are right where you are when you flopped 2 pair and didn’t know what to bet.
If you go for the 50% bet here, 95% of draws will fold and the flat call has you beat. If he re-raises then you have some decisions to make. Is he representing the set or the missed the draw and trying to get you off your hand with his AA.
The river brings up these same issues if it is a blank if it completes a straight draw you are most likely beat. Try another hand, if he shows a bluff you oh well you never really did anything wrong.
It all depends on who you are at the table.
Prophet :2h :2s