How to Play TT or JJ?

[journey075]

these hands seem to be everybody's least favorite, yet the more experienced players say 'that was the same for me, until i realized how to play them'



so, any insight would be appreciated ...

[a500lbgorilla]

Limp/call in ep. Raise in middle-late. Play g00t post flop.

I also often re-raise to isolate. When you reraise a standard raise, it's an easy 10-12 BB becuase they'll always put you on AA and fold most any flops.

-'rilla

[DimitriT]

For TT I will limp from early and raise 3xBB from late.
For JJ I will raise 7-8xBB from all positions - I try to represent KK or AA here. I want the KQ hands to fold. The KA hands will call so I need to be aware of those hands post-flop.

Post flop, TT & JJ I will bet the pot or more on a weak board and look for weakness on a strong board.

[journey075]

weird, i raise 99 and up in EP. ill have to rethink that.

so if you limp in EP and you get say 4 callers behind without a raise...youre playing entirely for set value? do you think thats the only value of these hands in EP (except for the reraise 'i have aces' tell).

[DimitriT]

weird, i raise 99 and up in EP. ill have to rethink that.

so if you limp in EP and you get say 4 callers behind without a raise...youre playing entirely for set value? do you think thats the only value of these hands in EP (except for the reraise 'i have aces' tell).

99 has some pair value - a raggy board means you bet out.. but
you can't count on raggy boards to make a PFR profitable. I'm not
sure I would reraise with 99. With JJ I raise outright to represent KK/AA.

[a500lbgorilla]

weird, i raise 99 and up in EP. ill have to rethink that.

so if you limp in EP and you get say 4 callers behind without a raise...youre playing entirely for set value? do you think thats the only value of these hands in EP (except for the reraise 'i have aces' tell).

Bet out on raggy flops.

-'rilla

[Element187]

from playing limit, TT is a strong enough hand for a raise in EP preflop, and i carry over that same strategy over to NL.

if over cards come, i do the standard continuation bet, and if reraised, i'll sit for 10 or 15 seconds and ask "set ?" then fold.. but the majority of the time, you get folds around.

[journey075]

over 8k hands in PT (i dont really play online that much) TT is my biggest loser and i always bet out in EP. i think im going to tone down my aggression on that hand bigtime.

[a500lbgorilla]

TT is a good hand in position.

-'rilla

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[journey075]

TT is a good hand in position.

-'rilla

gotcha, thanks rilla.

[Rondavu]

Get heads up any way you can. I don't care if that means raising 5xBB from the small blind.

[dsaxton]

Get heads up any way you can. I don't care if that means raising 5xBB from the small blind.

I don't even raise from the small blind with queens a lot of the time. It's too awkward and potentially expensive playing a pocket pair out of position with overcards on the board in a raised pot. I just limp in and hope to have an overpair or set on the flop.

[a500lbgorilla]

You use your position to determine if you hand is best or if you can bet a better hand off.

In other words, play poker.

-'rilla

[IJGrieve]

PL: I always bet the pot preflop with TT or JJ, hoping to get down to one opponent. Chances are if I do this that I'll be winning when the flop comes. Exception is if there's been a raise from a player with low PFR, in which case I flat call.

After the flop:
If I'm first to act I bet fairly big again unless the flop is really bad (has both an A and a K). Most of the time they'll fold because I represented a big pair before the flop. (If I'm against a real calling station I'll bet much smaller after the flop and hope I don't get reraised).

If I'm last to act and there's one or more overcards out I get the money in unless the other guy bet the pot, in which case I fold without a set just like any other PP.

If I'm reraised at any point post-flop I look to fold unless I have a set or a big draw (e.g. 9TQ for jacks).

See also my other post about pairs in this forum for one specific situation which may be relevant.