Donking up these small/mid pairs

[givememyleg]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($42.75)
Button ($4.90)
SB ($29.15)
BB ($22.20)
UTG ($18.95)
givememyleg ($28.35)
MP1 ($18.35)
MP2 ($24)

Preflop: givememyleg is UTG+1 with 9, 9.
1 fold, givememyleg raises to $1, MP1 calls $1, 3 folds, SB calls $0.90, 1 fold.

Flop: ($3.25) 2, Q, 4 (3 players)
SB checks, givememyleg bets $2.5, MP1 calls $2.50, SB calls $2.50.

Turn: ($10.75) 8 (3 players)
SB checks, givememyleg checks, MP1 checks.

River: ($10.75) A (3 players)
SB checks, givememyleg "thinks wtf I'm a donk and checks", MP1 bets $1.5, SB calls $1.50, givememyleg "thinks man I suck and folds."

Final Pot: $13.75

You guys raise pf with 88-99 UTG or just call? I've been trying to adjust my pp action preflop because my past 10k hands I have been losing with most of them. Could I have played better postflop? Worth betting the flop? The pot is so big on the turn and I don't want to play for stacks.... And there is no way I have the best hand on the river so it doesn't even matter I have 10:1 on my call.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

SB ($38.45)
BB ($10)
UTG ($23)
UTG+1 ($14.20)
MP1 ($34.45)
MP2 ($9.85)
MP3 ($15.05)
givememyleg ($23.85)
Button ($14.50)

Preflop: givememyleg is CO with 4, 4.
2 folds, MP1 calls $0.25, 2 folds, givememyleg raises to $1, 1 fold, SB calls $0.90, BB calls $0.75, MP1 calls $0.75.

Flop: ($4) 7, 2, 6 (4 players)
SB checks, BB bets $1, MP1 folds, givememyleg folds, SB folds.

Final Pot: $5

Normally I would just limp behind here but I am trying to open up my game in position, and like I said earlier trying to change my pp action preflop. BB is a donk that just bought in for $10. Does it look weak to raise pf and fold like this? The flop isn't really scary, but no reads on the donk short stack. This seems to be a pretty easy fold since he is short stacked, but what if he was full? Still a fold after I raise from CO?

[andy-akb]

Hand 1 I play almost identically except maybe a bigger bet because it isnt a HU pot, folding to the small bets while getting "good" odds saves a lot of money in these spots.

Hand 2 Preflop Id make it 5BBs, on the flop given his stack size I would fold, against a full stack I would make it $4 or $5.

I raise all of my pocket pairs from all positions, the only times I will limp is if it is like 77 or lower and there are 3 or more limpers in already. This seems to be working pretty well for me so far.

[Greedo017]

these are both fine

[badandy519]

1) I fire the 2nd barrel about half the time, and check fold the others.

As for 88--99 UTG, I think open raising should be your standard play. Like it's been said in other threads, if you are going to limp/ call a raise, you have the same $$ invested and can represent a better hand on the flop when you miss and you disguise your sets when you do hit. Raising mid/ small pocket pairs also allows you to raise QQ+ in EP without giving away any info on your hand.

2) I like 4x BB + 1 for every limper so I make it $1.25 to go, but that's just me. I also raise that weak ass bet from the BB to $5 about 80% of the time. If that doesn't take it down, I'm done with the hand.