Playing Big Pocket Pairs

With poker being a game of patience it’s always exciting when you look at the two whole cards dealt to you to find that you have a high pocket pair such as Queens, Kings, or Aces. These are known as the best starting hands and top cards in the game of poker. They hold huge favorites over smaller pocket pairs and also have the best drawing hands for a straight, set or full house.

When you are playing at top online poker websites or local poker rooms and are dealt these pairs be prepared to use your chips right away. There are a few things you should keep in mind however when playing big pocket pairs.

How to successfully play pre-flop

One of the biggest mistakes you will either make personally or see other players do is slow playing big pocket pairs. While slow playing your pair may seem enticing it can also cause you to lose to another player who is sitting there with a great drawing hand. If possible you should never risk your monster pair to a drawing hand especially by being taken down on the river. There is nothing worse than turning your hand over thinking you are about to take the pot down and see that you had the other player until the river and that the only reason you lost was because you chose to slow play.

The best thing to do when playing preflop with a big pocket pair is to fire out a big raise or if someone else bets to reraise them before seeing the flop. Many players will choose not to do this thinking that everyone else will fold and they will only receive the blinds. However, you should not be concerned about only winning the blinds because it’s better to win a small pot versus slow playing and being beat later winning nothing at all.

Hope for the best and that you will receive at least one caller. With more luck you may possibly even get a raise in which you should move all in especially if you were dealt aces. Always show confidence in what you are holding and make sure that shows on your face and how you are currently presenting yourself to the table. More than likely you are holding the best hand and will also earn a lot of chips if your opponent calls you. Never let big bets scare you away from your big pocket pair even if you are just holding queens or kings.

Post Flop Decisions

When you are holding a big pocket pair regardless of what the flop brings you are still more than likely in control of the board or have a close second. Your high betting should have cleared out a few of the players or those who had low pocket pairs or drawing hands. This often leads to being heads up with another player or possibly with two players aside from you.

For example if you are playing heads up and you have a large pocket pair such as kings and you have a better position than your opponent. The flop brings two cards that are suited and a queen. The other player chooses to bet aggressively. What would be the best move for you to do here?

Raise their bet immediately without hesitation would be your best option. The odds that the other player hit top pair such as Queens with an ace kicker or he’s possibly on a flush draw and trying to make you fold with a big continuation bet. If he did hit his pair this means you are in good shape and if on a flush draw you may be in even better shape as long as he doesn’t make his flush.

If he does have the top pair he will more than likely assume you also have a Queen but he has the ace kicker which would crush your smaller kicker if his assumptions are right. He will more than likely call the raise or possibly call all in. Regardless of which option he makes the odds are in your favor to win the hand.

If he is making a continuation bet with his flush draw, but more often than not, you can cause him to fold with a decent size raise. If he does not fold and the turn brings a suit that would not give him the possible flush make sure to move all in. You do not want to give him the chance to get his flush on the river which would of course crush your big pocket pair. Unless he’s a very loose player or has no clue what he is doing then there is no way he can call you with no pair and only one card to go in order to make his hand. If he folds then you are walking away with a large pot by playing your big pocket pair correctly.

Slow Playing Big Pocket Pairs

It’s often recommended to not slow play big pocket pairs due to them being crushed with good drawing hands that often hit a straight, two pair or a flush. However, in specific situations it can be useful to grab yourself a few extra chips that you may not have gotten otherwise. Below are a few situations that slow playing may be appropriate.

Under the Gun Preflop

Everyone falls victim to the unfortunate check-raise at one point or another during poker play. While you hate to have this done to you it’s always enjoyable to inflict the same onto other players. If you have been dealt with a big pocket pair and currently under the gun you may want to limp in. The odds of someone raising before it gets to the flop is relatively good. If they place a decent size bet you can reraise or possibly even move all in depending on how many chips you have in front of you. This will often confuse your opponents and their thinking will be thrown out the window. You are helping the pot grow and more than likely most other players will fold. Normally you don’t see a check raise without them having a great hand and most players know this. You can utilize this move to the best of your ability. The only way the other players will call you especially the one who first placed the bet is if they have a good starter hand or high pocket pair themselves.

How to slow play when playing against aggressive players

If you have been dealt a big pocket pair and currently playing against one or more aggressive players you can utilize this by slow playing your monster hand. Most aggressive players will place a bet preflop with other aggressive players trying to out bet them causing them to fold. This is great for you since you really have a good hand and will more than likely take it down allow them to do the betting for you.

Most aggressive players are only trying to steal the blinds so by letting them build the pot for you without you having to work towards it makes the perfect situation for slow playing. If for some reason they do have a decent hand you can definitely count on a bet. By limping in this will show a sign of weakness which means they think they have an advantage over you which allows you to place them right where you want them.

Play big pocket pairs are great starter hands and if you play them right you can build your stack tremendously.

Posted by Joel on Apr 29 2010. Filed under Poker Strategy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry