Quote Originally Posted by zenbitz
I do think that all pairs should probably be a big raise (4x+), even UTG. You blow the blinds out maybe, but you reduce the chance of getting re-raised, and create a bigger pot if you hit your set.
Provided you are against players who will only reraise big hands (that they will often go broke with in an unraised pot), then you dont mind being reraised AS LONG as stacks are deep enough that you still have implied odds to call with 44 or 67s or whatever you raised.

If you raise 4x with 44 EP and someone with AA reraises to 12x then you only have to call 8 more to (hopefully) take 100BB 1 every 9 times (or so).

So you lose 8 x 8BB and win 1 x 104BB for 40BB profit. EV = +4BB per hand or so. If you then add the times you take the blinds with or without a cbet its quite a nice play and 4BB seems like a nice raise size. The problem comes when you start getting reraised/ floated with weaker hands but I dont particularly think that happens less just because your raises are bigger.