How to Play Middle Pairs in Poker - BlitzPoker

 Many players also admit that middle pocket pairs are the most tricky hand to play. Most people make two common mistakes with middle pocket pairs. Many poker players make incorrect decisions before the flop, and some make incorrect decisions when there is an overcard to the pair on the board.

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In order to make the winning play, you need to put your opponents on a hand accurately. If you’re having trouble reading your opponents, then your position and the number of opponents in the pot must significantly influence your decision making. "Middle pocket pairs" when you play card games online are pocket pairs between 8s and Jacks.

When to discard middle pairs before the flop

Middle pocket pairs must be folded before the flop when it is obvious that you are up against a higher pocket pair. Some players are afraid of making a mistake and giving their opponent credit for a hand like KK, later discovering that they folded their 9-9 to an unsuited AQ.

Sometimes, all players, including the best of the best misread a situation occasionally and accidentally throw away the better hand. A few times, accidentally throwing away the best hand shows that you are a sensible, disciplined player prepared to act like another player.

To summarize, if there’s a lot of pre-flop reraising with three or more opponents, the reraiser is a tight player with high pre-flop standards.

When to raise middle pairs before the flop

Many players, when play card games online, make the mistake of raising automatically with middle pocket pairs. Raising with J-J or 10-10 before making a flop must be reserved for situations where you are able to thin the field. These pocket pairs play well against one or two opponents. As soon as there are more than three opponents, middle pocket pairs are not likely to hold up without any improvement.

Hence, if you’re in an early position and no one even called, then you must go ahead and raise. If you’re more than one caller in the pot, you should raise and try to get it heads up or three-handed. If you think that you placed a position where a reraise will almost get its heads up, go ahead and reraise. If you’re reraising and there are more than two opponents, be careful after the flop.

When to Call While Playing Middle Pairs

When you play Omaha online type of big games, making a call before the flop can catch opponents unaware giving them away the hand they are holding. By doing this, you’re limiting your exposure to the hand and masking the hand's potential strength.  

The opposite side is that it allows the opponents with a cheaper or weaker hand than yours and gives them the opportunity to overtake by hitting on the flop.

By calling before the flop, it gives you the opportunity to reassess the situation. If the cards delivered on the flop are dangerous and include one or two overcards then your middle pocket pair can get away from the hand cheaply.


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