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Small pairs in 6-max cash games (micro stakes)

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  1. Rev.K Rev.K is offline

    Calgary
    Canada

    Posts: 865
    Joined: Nov 06

    Aug 19th, 2009 (8/19/2009 1:17pm)

    What's your strategy on how to play these? I'm playing deepstack cash games at $0.05/$0.10 and regular 6-max at $0.10/$0.25 on Full Tilt to try and earn my bonus and I seem to be losing a lot of money with these.

    I'm talking pairs 7-7 thru 2-2.

    My usual strategy especially UTG or UTG+1 is to limp, hopefully see a cheap flop, make a set and get paid. But at a few tables lately my limp has been raised. I call on players I feel are loose and usually fold to TAGs.

    Is there anything wrong with this strategy? Should I be getting more aggressive with these pairs?

    I've found for the most part that these tables are quite passive, but occasionally there will be aggressive or crazy loose players. There's definitely a difference between the $20 deepstack and the $25 regular 6-max, with the latter having more skilled players, but not by a lot, nothing I can't contend with.

    Anyway, I'm blathering now. Advice?
  2. Dr.Guillotine Dr.Guillotine is offline

    Detroit, MI
    United States

    Posts: 212
    Joined: Jul 09

    Aug 19th, 2009 (8/19/2009 5:47pm) in reply to Rev.K

    try mixing up your play. Raise those 77 and 22 every so often with your standard raise as a big hand. You disguise the strength a lot especially when the flop comes Ax2 and you have that set.

    Some players at the .10/.25 and .25/.50 tables can lay hands down. In this respect you get a little fold equity for your c-bets. Raising will also help to drive out some players so you don't have to worry as much about set vs. set. Lastly this move can help defend your hand against a player who otherwise might raise and drive you out, while it also gives you hand initiative.

    Ex. UTG+1 and you do a 3x raise with 77 might get you more respect and the guy holding AJo in the hijack may not reraise you. Sadly this isn't a perfect world you may get 3-bet which you will most likely have to lay down to if there aren't good enough odds.
    *Note: Playing low PP out of position can be -ev if you play the hand past set value in highly marginal spots. Ask yourself if you're getting 15 to 1 odds for flopping the set. If you commit $1 preflop can you generally expect to get $15+ dollars postflop? If the answer is yes then drawing to the set can be highly profitable.

    Keep track of players you see doing this too. I've goofed around at the .10/.25 6 max and .05/.10 levels and it seems like you have to watch out every now and then for a play like that. The players doing this may be above average as most of the micro stakes players limp nearly every hand except 99+/AJo+ and may even limp better hands.
  3. Rev.K Rev.K is offline

    Calgary
    Canada

    Posts: 865
    Joined: Nov 06

    Aug 20th, 2009 (8/20/2009 11:19am) in reply to Dr.Guillotine

    Cool. Thanks for the advice.

    I find that the table dynamics are very important. For example, I was having great success over a few sessions of deepstacked $0.05/$0.10 because the play was fairly passive and I was pulling down a ton of pots by c-betting the flop. Even when I would get flatted on the flop, firing on the turn when a blank came almost always won me the pot too.

    The last few sessions haven't gone that way though. The table was far more aggressive and I just couldn't limp with the small pairs and get a cheap flop. So I guess I should watch for that.
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