Strategies for Small Pocket Pairs
In Texas Hold ‘Em poker, each player gets two starter cards, and sometimes even a pair. But not all pairs are equal, and small pairs, from 2-2 through 6-6 can be tough to play because there are so many higher ranking cards. It most cases, once the flop comes out, your small pair will be beat unless a third matching card comes out to complete a set.
A pocket pair completes to a set about once in eight times. If you holding a high pair, like a couple of faces, it might just win as the biggest pair. Small pairs usually lose any power after the flop. In early position, you can fold small pairs knowing it is most often the correct action to take.
From late position, you can limp in with your small pocket pair and hope to hit that one in eight lucky hand. However, if a raise comes out ahead of your small pocket pair, then fold the cards. You are probably already up against a big hand and won’t be able to beat it. Trusting your chips to luck is a risky poker move.
Before you call with your small pocket pair from any position, first consider whether or not you will be willing to call a raise that comes out behind you. If not, then fold the small pocket pair and wait for a better poker opportunity.
