Playing of medium pockets pairs

Medium pockets pairs (sevens, eights, or nines)what to do with them when playing Texas Holdem? The straightaway gut response of most every Texas Hold’em Poker player when they are dealt any pocket pair is to cling and play. Subsequently, it is a pair. The trouble with pocket sevens, thru nines is that they are so threatened to overpairs.

Flopping with such a hand, any overcard on the flop becomes a menace to your hand. With medium pocket pairs, forethought is the effective word. In a late position and the first one to enter the pot you may want to demonstrate some strength to the blinds with a raise, but be ready to toss your hand in the muck if they re-raise.

Medium pairs are to be played conservatively unless you flop a set. That is essentially the bottom line with medium pocket pairs. You flop a set or you get out when facing the squeeze.

From the early position it is wise to limp in and to fold if a player raises. Plainly having to confront the fact going in with medium pocket pairs that you lack the betting power to get into a raise war with other players who are potentially holding better hands.

In a No Limit Texas Hold’em Tournament condition you may have to play your medium pocket pairs diversely than in a cash game situation. If your poker chip stack is low you may have to pressure the /issue and incur aggression with your medium pocket pairs. That is truely the only time you want to put pressure to force the action with these hands.

On certain occasions you will see players from an early position get hard-hitting and raise with medium pocket pairs hoping to bully the other players, figuring that in a worst case scenario, still having a pair and drawing for a set if called. Depending on who is raising (if it’s a “calling factory”) some players will even call a raise with their medium pocket pairs to see the flop. This is rarely profitable in the long run , since not flopping a set (and most times you won’t) the hand is going to be a loser.

In No Limit Texas Hold’em, medium pocket pairs are an all or nothing hand. Get in cheaply then you have a chance to hit a big hand by flopping a set. The hand should really be folded if you do not hit a set.