Poker advice: what is the best way to play a low pocket pair pre-flop?

Question

I'm getting quite good at poker now, but there's still many things I'm doing wrong. Say I have a pair of 4's. What is the best way to play them pre-flop - because obviously all it takes is a 5 on the flop and someone to have a pocket five and my hand is useless. Also - if I have a great hand ON the flop, is it better to raise and hope no-one folds, or just check and run the risk of losing the advantage on the turn?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

Low pocket pairs need to be play cautiously with the idea of getting cheap into the pot in order to hit trips.

If there has been a raise and/or a re-raise then these low pocket pair need to be thrown away.

If heads up then low pairs need to be played aggressively.

If you call and the flop gives nothing then you have to fold the low pair to a raise because your going you're most likely to be beaten.

If you have a great hand on the flop then raise if for example you have a straight but the flop can easily give someone a flush. If you have the nuts on the flop then you should be checking in order to trap the oppenent into betting.

HTH

Answer 3

Basically, with the low pocket pairs, you are looking to flop a set.  Anything else is garbage even straight and flush draws.  Understand that you will flop a set for your pocket pairs only 11% of the time.

That being said, if you are the first to enter a pot, throw in a standard 3-4xBB raise.  If you take the pot down now and only get the blinds, thats ok.  Your pocket pairs are vulnerable to any over cards.  If you get played back at you may have to let it go.  If someone just calls and you flop a set your hand will be well disguised.

If you are not the first to enter the pot, try to get in as cheaply as possible.  If there has been no raise in front of you just call.  If there was a raise ahead of you strongly consider folding unless you are on the button (remember, you are only going to flop a set 11% of the time.)  If you are on the button and the raise is not a major chunk of your stack consider calling and trying to flop a set.

If you miss your set on the flop, make a continuation bet if you were the preflop raiser and be prepared to give up if you get played back at.  If you were not the preflop raiser, check if it is checked to you.  If there is a bet before you strongly consider folding if there are over cards to your pair.

If you flop a set and the flop is ragged (i.e. no str8 or flush draws) you can go for the check-raise.  If the flop is not ragged you have to punish anyone trying to draw out on you.  In this case you have to make at least a pot-sized bet.

This is how I play the small pocket pairs.