The boom in professional poker during the early part of the 21st century triggered massive global interest in the iconic casino game.
Poker exploded in the United Kingdom, with the exploits of players such as Julian Gardner on television show Late Night Poker becoming legendary.
The Manchester-born poker player famously finished second in the main event at the 2002 World Series of Poker and he enjoyed plenty of success in subsequent years.
His efforts inspired many players from Manchester to play online poker at Betway Casino, further boosting the popularity of the game in the UK.
Gardner’s ability to mix up his game is a trait other poker players would be well-advised to follow. He is particularly adept at extracting value from small pocket pairs.
Understanding Small Pocket Pairs
Small pocket pairs refer to hands such as 2♠ 2♥ through to 6♣ 6♦. Understanding how to play them is crucial to success in poker tournaments.
- Stack Sizes: The strength of small pocket pairs is directly tied to your chip stack. With a deep stack, you have room to see flops and extract value when you hit a set. However, when low on chips, tread carefully.
- Positional Awareness: When you play from later positions, you can gauge your opponent’s moves before risking chips. Small pocket pairs are most effective when you play after most opponents.
- Tournament Stages: You must be careful with small pocket pairs early on, but they can be a massive advantage in the final stages.
Early Tournament Stage
In the early stage of a tournament, players have deep stacks and are not inclined to fold. Do not overestimate the strength of a small pocket pair while everyone is deep stacked.
- When to Open-Raise: If you are in a late position and the action folds to you, an open-raise with a small pocket pair can be the smart move. However, if there is already a raise – especially a re-raise – your best move is to fold.
- Set Mining: Set mining refers to when players call a raise, hoping to flop a set, and it can be a brilliant strategy when you are up against a single raiser, and you and your opponents have deep stacks. However, if your stack is less than 20 times the size of the initial raise, it will likely not be profitable.
- Do Not Overpay: A common mistake poker players make is overplaying small pocket pairs after missing the flop. Fold against aggression when the board is not helping your hand.
Middle Stages
The blinds increase as tournaments progress, and the stack sizes shrink relative to the pot. This makes it harder to play small pocket pairs effectively.
- Steal and Re-steal Opportunities: The best use of small pocket pairs in the middle of tournaments is for stealing blinds and antes, especially from late positions. You can pick up uncontested pots from this position.
- Don’t Call All-ins: It can be tempting to call all-in with a small pocket pair, but they rarely perform well against overcards. Unless you are short-stacked, your best move is to fold in these spots.
Late Stages
Small pocket pairs become considerably more valuable in the latter stages of poker tournaments, especially when the table is down to the final three or four players.
- Going All-in with Small Pairs: Small pocket pairs are perfect for going all-in when your stack is dwindling. Opponents will find it difficult to call without premium hands.
- Short-Handed Play: The likelihood of someone holding a stronger hand is lower with fewer players. Small pairs become relatively stronger, especially if you can see the flop cheaply.
- Heads-Up Strategy: Small pocket pairs are strong in head-up play, and you can use them aggressively to apply pressure.
While it okay to be aggressive with small pocket pairs at the business end of a tournament, always be mindful of the opponent you are going up against before committing your chips.
