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Re: raising w/ 99 or 88
Originally Posted by ttanaka
You make a good point, maybe I will add raises to 99 and 88. I have found those hands difficult to play.
I usually try to limp in with those hands and hope for flopping unders or the set, as you mention. However, if I don't, it's easy to get away from the hand..
If I raise pre-flop, it would probably have to be a substantial raise to get a 1 on 1 matchup (In no limit, I can raise 8X the BB and still get multiple callers.)
So, the problem for me is two-fold - if I do decide to raise, the raise would need to be substantial enough to decrease the playing field. However, I am not willing to invest that much with these two particular hands.
Yeah, maybe it's more of a situtational thing. I sat down at a table last night and got TT twice in a row my first time around. Both times I raised it to $3 pre-flop from an early/mid position. Both times I got muliple callers. Both times the flop sucked and I cut my losses. Although, it quickly taught me just what kind of table I was working with and I walked away with over $50 on a $25 buy-in.
Originally Posted by ttanaka
The other problem is if I do get called on a decent preflop raise, my opponent could have a higher pocket pair.
Doubtful. AA, KK and QQ will reraise you. JJ might as well. That just leaves TT and 99 that would call your raise.
Originally Posted by ttanaka
Maybe I'll try small raises, see how that works out.
Yeah, maybe it's a situation thing. Late position, no one has opened and 0-2 players between you and the blinds might be more likely to get a single caller. Much can be written and researched on playing pocket pairs as their own distinct beast. Hence, I disagree with the CMU folks on 33 and 22 being rags (although I've seen players raise them early to mid position which is a really bad idea.) Situationally and on the cheap they are playable hands, since you're forcing your opponent to make their hand.
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