teddykgb813
03-22-2008, 04:16 PM
This is my first foray into writing an article. I hope I don't embarrass myself too badly, here. If I am understanding the subject correctly, the question is how to play middle pocket pairs UTG on the first hand of a sit-and-go tournament. By middle pocket pairs, I'm going to assume we're talking about 5-5, 6-6, 7-7. 8-8, or 9-9. I would play all these hands pretty much the same, and I'll break them down by pre-flop, post-flop, then fourth and fifth streets.
The first thing I'd do with all of these hands is limp pre-flop. I have no clue how aggressive the other players at the table are, As many of you know, there are lots of maniacal players in these single-table tournaments. They'll go all-in with any two cards, which makes it difficult to decide what to do. I'll call the big blind and let my competition make my decision for me. If someone pushes all his chips in, which is not all that uncommon, I'll wait to see if there are any callers. If there are, I throw the hand away without thinking twice. I'm not going to try to beat two hands with a middle pair on an all-in bet. If there are no other callers, I'll usually make the call with 7's or higher, and muck 6's or 5's. Like I said, they'll push with any two cards. so at worst I'm in a race situation, and sometimes I'm better off than that. If there are no all-in bets, but someone raises say 3-5 times the big blind, I'll again wait to see if there are any callers. If one or two more players come in, I'll usually just call the raise and see the flop. If there's a raise and then a re-raise, I'll muck. If the raise is to me and everyone else drops out, I'll usually re-raise, about 3 times his bet. At this point, I'm representing a very strong hand, and I might get him to fold right here, thinking I was trapping with A-A or K-K. If he calls, I've got a decent hand to compete with. If he re-raises, I'll usually muck, depending on the pot odds. If I limp and there are no other raises, then it's on to the flop.
Post-flop, I'm looking optimally to hit a set. If this happens, I consider myself to be in good shape, but I pay very close attention to the board. If there are two suited cards or straight possibilities on the board, I will bet right out, about the size of the pot. This is to make it expensive for people to chase their draws. If the board doesn't look especially dangerous, I'll check, hoping to raise later, about 3-5 times the bet. If I don't hit the set, but my pair is an overpair to the board, I'll also bet right out on the flop, trying to chase out the people playing two big cards. If he plays back at me, I'll usually put the rest of my money in. If he can beat me, more power to him. I want to project an aggressive table image, so people won't be quick to make plays at me. If it means busting out of a few tourneys in one hand, that's a price I'm willing to pay. If there are any overcards to my pair on the board, and I don't have a set, I'll usually check, and if someone makes a reasonable sized bet, I'll usually call to see one more card. This brings me to the turn.
If I flopped my set and don't improve, or if I hit my set on the turn, I'll bet out, especially if I check-raised the flop. This is to make it expensive to draw out on me. If I boat up, I'll check, hoping to trap. If an overcard to my pair hits and I don't have a set, I'll usually check-call the rest of the hand, if the bets are reasonable, or muck if they are not. If the board is still showing cards lower than my pair, I'll again bet out, trying to chase drawers. I'd pretty much play the same on the river, except I'd try to get all my money in if I had a full house.
That's my strategy. If you see me at the tables, now you'll know exactly what I'm thinking. Or will you? ;)
The first thing I'd do with all of these hands is limp pre-flop. I have no clue how aggressive the other players at the table are, As many of you know, there are lots of maniacal players in these single-table tournaments. They'll go all-in with any two cards, which makes it difficult to decide what to do. I'll call the big blind and let my competition make my decision for me. If someone pushes all his chips in, which is not all that uncommon, I'll wait to see if there are any callers. If there are, I throw the hand away without thinking twice. I'm not going to try to beat two hands with a middle pair on an all-in bet. If there are no other callers, I'll usually make the call with 7's or higher, and muck 6's or 5's. Like I said, they'll push with any two cards. so at worst I'm in a race situation, and sometimes I'm better off than that. If there are no all-in bets, but someone raises say 3-5 times the big blind, I'll again wait to see if there are any callers. If one or two more players come in, I'll usually just call the raise and see the flop. If there's a raise and then a re-raise, I'll muck. If the raise is to me and everyone else drops out, I'll usually re-raise, about 3 times his bet. At this point, I'm representing a very strong hand, and I might get him to fold right here, thinking I was trapping with A-A or K-K. If he calls, I've got a decent hand to compete with. If he re-raises, I'll usually muck, depending on the pot odds. If I limp and there are no other raises, then it's on to the flop.
Post-flop, I'm looking optimally to hit a set. If this happens, I consider myself to be in good shape, but I pay very close attention to the board. If there are two suited cards or straight possibilities on the board, I will bet right out, about the size of the pot. This is to make it expensive for people to chase their draws. If the board doesn't look especially dangerous, I'll check, hoping to raise later, about 3-5 times the bet. If I don't hit the set, but my pair is an overpair to the board, I'll also bet right out on the flop, trying to chase out the people playing two big cards. If he plays back at me, I'll usually put the rest of my money in. If he can beat me, more power to him. I want to project an aggressive table image, so people won't be quick to make plays at me. If it means busting out of a few tourneys in one hand, that's a price I'm willing to pay. If there are any overcards to my pair on the board, and I don't have a set, I'll usually check, and if someone makes a reasonable sized bet, I'll usually call to see one more card. This brings me to the turn.
If I flopped my set and don't improve, or if I hit my set on the turn, I'll bet out, especially if I check-raised the flop. This is to make it expensive to draw out on me. If I boat up, I'll check, hoping to trap. If an overcard to my pair hits and I don't have a set, I'll usually check-call the rest of the hand, if the bets are reasonable, or muck if they are not. If the board is still showing cards lower than my pair, I'll again bet out, trying to chase drawers. I'd pretty much play the same on the river, except I'd try to get all my money in if I had a full house.
That's my strategy. If you see me at the tables, now you'll know exactly what I'm thinking. Or will you? ;)