Poker Tips: Playing Pairs
I had an amazing experience playing poker just a couple of weeks ago. I was starting with a pair of two and everything went smoothly until the flop. The flop was a combination of different suited J-7-A, so my pair of two is not strong at all. I was lucky enough to see the turn with only $20 additional bet – in this case, calculating my poker bankroll and the stakes that I’m up against, $20 is reasonable. The turn showed another 2, so I now have three of a kind.
With no possible Flush and a small possibility of a Straight, the hand is looking pretty strong. What I did was I raise the bet to $40 and I had three players calling my bet. The river showed a surprising A; since I’m betting last, I can quickly see that no raise was made for the extra Ace. This assures me that my Full House is the strongest hand on the table. I quickly raised the bet by $100 and no showdown was even necessary.
When you are starting a round with low pairs, always manage your risks properly. The pair can be easily beaten by higher pair, so you are not in a strong position just yet. However, the pair can easily turn into a three of a kind – if you are lucky enough, since the odds are quite slim – so you still have a chance of winning. As soon as you sense a stronger hand from your opponents’ tells, pull out and fold right away.