How To Play Medium Pocket
Pairs - Sevens, Eights and Nines
Medium pocket pairs can be
challenging hands to play in Texas Holdem Poker.
You should usually raise preflop when you have a
pocket pair if you are first to open the pot. If
holding a medium pocket pair and facing a raise,
unless in late position - we will look to call
at most, reserving the right to fold sevens
preflop from earlier positions, but playing them
from middle or later position. When playing out
of the blinds, we will generally play our medium
pocket pairs very aggressively early in the hand
when facing a raise, or we will take a flop and
work from there, depending on the flop’s
texture.
Preflop Thoughts on Pocket
Sevens
I mentioned we would sometimes
throw away sevens from early position. The most
likely scenario for pocket sevens is that we
face two over cards on the board at the flop and
will be out of position. Given the combination
of the two, we will throw away pocket sevens
more often than not when facing a raise from
early position that comes immediately from our
right. When playing from later position, we can
comfortably play pocket sevens with the benefit
of position on our side. Remember, when on the
button, it is our story and we may tell it any
way we choose!
Preflop Thoughts on Pocket
Eights
When playing pocket eights
from early position, we will raise if we are
first to open the pot. We will generally call if
we are in middle position and someone has raised
in front of us. And like sevens, when in late
position, we have added information and can play
aggressively.
Preflop Thoughts on Pocket
Nines
Pocket Nines can be played
similarly to pocket tens, in that nines are the
upper end of “middle pair territory.” The
likelihood of an over card occurring by the flop
with nines is over 75%, and the likelihood of an
over coming by the river is over 90%. While an
over card or over cards are still likely to
occur, the hand is too strong to throw away
preflop in most instances, yet too weak to
continue against many opponents and over cards
on the board. For that reason, we will look to
tone down our aggression on the flop on a
case-by-case basis when holding pocket nines
Consider the Probable Flops
and Post-flop Actions with Middle Pocket Pairs
With each of the middle pocket
pairs, the most likely flop delivers us at least
one over card. One or more over card will fall
92% of the time with sevens, 86% of the time
with eights, and nearly 80% of the time when
holding pocket nines. Our “planned flop action”
is based around seeing one or more over cards on
the flop. That being said, we will commit to
stabbing at the pot only from later position
when holding sevens through nines, and we will
adjust on a case-by-case basis from earlier
positions, taking into consideration the table
make-up, our table image, the board, as well as
whom we are specifically playing against before
acting.
That being said, we will take
the following actions based on the following
scenarios:
Scenario 1: Early Position -
Pocket Sevens
The Under-the-gun player
raises to $8 and action moves to us. There are
still several players left to act, two of which
are aggressive and in later position. We fold.
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Scenario 2: Early Position -
Pocket Eights
We are under-the-gun and raise
to $7. The aggressive and loose button pops it
to $16, which the big blind calls. We decide to
call and take a flop, as we do not mind
terminating action here, but want to be careful
to keep the pot as small as possible until we
see the cards.
The pot contains nearly $50
and our stacks are $184. The flop comes
eight-five-ace.
Thoughts on the Flop: This
is a dream flop for us, as the button is
aggressive and will likely bet if we check. He
might scare off if we bet, however. Our job is
to play it slowly until we get a glimpse of pot
commitment from either he or the blind. We will
pull the trigger the moment we sense commitment.
The blind checks, as do we.
The button fires out a pot size bet of $50. The
small blind calls. I guess we got what we were
looking for, as two players have put money into
the pot. Each player has $134 left. Our plan was
to pop it when either player was stack
committed. Waiting until the turn feels so much
more comfortable, however, it may seem a bit “trappy”
if we stop and go in this manner. Besides, we
have a tight-aggressive image on our side and
could theoretically make this move with as
little as an ace-big. In addition, if the button
calls the all-in with two cards to go, the big
blind may well also come along for the ride. We
stick to the original plan and move all-in. The
button and the big blind both come along for the
ride.
The turn is a King and the
river brings a three. The button player held
Ace-King suited, and the big blind had bottom
set on the flop (pocket fives). We take down a
monster pot.
Scenario 3: Early Position
Pocket Nines
Sitting under the gun plus
two, action folds to us holding pocket nines. We
open the pot with a raise to $8 and attract a
caller from the button. The pot contains nearly
$20, and the flop comes Ace-Six-Four. Our plan
was to continuation bet in “most cases.” We push
out a pot sized continuation bet and take down
the pot, as the button was likely also holding a
medium sized pair or a suited King.
Scenario 4: Pocket Sevens on
the Button
Two players from middle
position limp into the pot. We raise to $12
preflop from the button with our sevens. The
first of the two middle position players call.
The pot contains nearly $30 and the flop comes
King-Four-Ten. The middle position player leads
out with a $20 bet. Having the advantage of
position on this player, we decide to raise,
representing the King. We raise to $60. Middle
position takes his time and folds.
When playing a middle pocket
pair from the button we have the advantage of
position, which alls us far more creativity in
playing any two cards. When playing a middle
pair from early position, however - we have to
proceed with caution as the likelihood of over
cards to our pair is great, and our position is
typically weak. By respecting position and
playing our middle pairs in a tight and
aggressive fashion, we stand the best chance of
profiting long-term by way of these medium sized
pocket pairs.
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