Pocket Pair 88 or worst

Best to all!

Less than a week of Solverde # 3 decided to write here about pocket pairs 88 or worst.

There is so much information to give that I do not know where to start. I will try to keep it simple.

I leave aside the SNG, I leave out the cash games and I only going to focus on MTT (multi table tournaments).

I know how to play them perfectly but I paid a price too expensive because I learn that by making common mistakes but I think now I'm at the point. The low pair will make you win big at poker because you are @ a stage agaisnt AK vs yours 33 and the flop hits A38 rainbow and hardly the player who has the top pair / top kicker will leave without spending a few chips or all the chips if he doesnt smell trouble.

What I do if I caught a PP of 88 or less early in the tournament? The answer here depends on various factors. why is it so complex?

Many people just limp when they have one of these pairs, I think this may be the best option for certain table or even for mid stages with position but certainly not in all. Why?

First, let's imagine that we have 4 limps. Here we have 2 cases:
a) Making a raise in position to increase the pot so it hit the flop we have a EV+ and a larger pot;
b) Make a limp and keep it simple, kind of hit the flop ( set ) or doesn´t hit the flop and get out simple;

I think, in my humble opinion that we must be aggressive and when we should raise when we have position and limp when we do not have position ( if someone there decided to raise then we simple call and hope to hit the flop. This is Pot control all the way because you dont want to put alot of chips in the pot you know the odds the set hit the flop... ). However, even when we position if someone decided to make 3bet the best answer is to fold - easy. With a raise on our part we will eliminate hands like QJ or JT because they dont have the position the call (obviously you never can´t tell ... there donks that make easy call with these hands. Francisco´s rule nº1 respect the raiser if he have position on you and if he is not the bully of the table). Reducing the number of players we also reduce the range of their hands and we can always make a Cbet if the flop is a pair + one high card trying to win the pot right there.

When we have a PP 88 or worst you only want one thing - to get a set. Here many people makes a simple mistake they fell "satisfied" when a board go under his pair or they have one higher card on the flop. Error! Easy fold always.

Another problem that often occurs in stages mid-stages/final is to see people calling a all-in when they have a PP like the one we are talking about.

What is the best thing that could happen?
BEING IN A RACE AGAINST 2 HIGH CARDS
This is limit our game to a single factor: luck!
We are ahead if we go to 2 higher cards but do you like the odds? we can lose our whole or partial stack with this move.
Most of the time because we're dead against a higher PP.

The reverse does not apply ... If I go all-in with a PP of these?
The only advantage it has is that we are putting pressure, but my friends, if there´s a call you are fucked because you can go agaisnt 2 higher cards or a higher PP you already know the drill :)

The best solution in my view is, if you have stack, make a raise it probably going to be respected if not you can see the flop almost for free, but if someone re-raises you - yeah, you are right you can easy fold and wait for a better oportunity.

The all-in will only be acceptable if you are already short but if we are short we will probably receive a call from one that is not short with any 2 overcards. But here the situation is different, we are getting killed by the blinds and we need to make a move.

Another thing very important that we should give the importance it deserves is the stacks of our adversaries. Perhaps a raise may not be the best situation if there is one or more shorts to our right. Why?
These players can make a call or a raise easily with any two and we will not want to risk our stack agaisnt a QJs.
Finally another point which we must consider are the style of play of our players right. If they are tight, loose, aggressive or passive and analyze as many times this can help our decision to bet / fold.

Obviously there are more situations to speak, many hidden things in the game, however this should be the basis of how to play the PP under the 8th

Francisco "The Truth" Costa