Representing Big Hands with Pocket Pairs

To take your no-limit Texas Hold em game to a whole new level then you are going to have to start playing certain hands far more aggressively. Pocket pairs are one such type of hand but most novices and even intermediate players play these hands passively in a low variance way.

People limp in and call raises trying to make sets with them but when they are played this way then they become very difficult to play past the flop. Let us say that you called a raise with 5-5 and the flop comes 10-9-6 and your opponent makes a c-bet….how can you possibly continue?

The answer is that you can’t with three over cards but the fact of the matter is that even if you had flopped a set then your opponent would probably not have stacked off against you anyway.

Playing with Pocket Pairs

Let us look at another example to see how a stronger player might play the hand. It is raised and our hero cold calls from the big blind. If he hits his set then it is a bonus but he has a plan B in mind.

The flop comes J-7-2 rainbow and now he checks. His opponent bets two thirds of the pot but now our hero hits him with a check-raise just as surely as if he had made the set and was trap checking.

This is a power play that is solidly grounded on two factors: Firstly our hero could have had the best hand with 5-5 and secondly a pre-flop call could have been with a wide range of hands.

Taking the Initiative in the Hand

Even if the original raiser refuses to believe our hero’s range on the flop then he will struggle to do anything about it with no hand. But this is taking the lead in the hand and trying to prise the initiative away from the pre-flop aggressor.

Actually on this flop it is difficult to see what our hero is representing as his range is so narrow. Hands like A-J, K-J, 7-7 and 2-2 are such a narrow range.

Another Example

But let us look at another flop and the board is 9d-8d-7s then this board could have hit any number of hands and our hero could be representing such a wide range here from made sets and straights to flush and straight draws and two pair type hands.

But the bottom line is that our hero has not just played the pocket fives passively but actively took an aggressive line with them.

On your good days you get called and bet the turn and your opponent folds to that bet. Or you spike a nice big fat lovely five on the turn and end up stacking your opponent who has an over pair.

But you can see the difference between the low variance weak mentality of the novice who merely looks to fit or fold on the flop and the strong regular player who calls the pre-flop raise but also has a plan of taking the pot away from an overzealous opponent. Players who like to steal the blinds are great targets for this kind of move.

If you would like to read more, here is a related topic on how you should play pocket aces in holdem.