READING A 2 PAIR

[rascallysquirrel]

I find that reading a 2 pair is one of the hardest hands... How could you know? I find that many times my top pair is getter beat by 2 pairs, and I would have never guessed they had the 2nd. Any adivse?

[Fnord]

Stop valuing top pair best kicker so highly, particularly when more than 1-2 other players see the flop.

Also, if you make top pair (but not an overpair), a flopped 2 pair only has at best a 3:1 edge on you.

Finally, I'm more likely to put a player that got a free ride in the blinds or plays lots of hands credit for 2 pair on a raggy board when representing a very strong hand.

[toekneechin]

what I find the hardest to read (and most profitable) is hitting a set with baby pockets. Anyone with top pair top kicker or 2 pairs easily gets lured.

[Fnord]

what I find the hardest to read (and most profitable) is hitting a set with baby pockets. Anyone with top pair top kicker or 2 pairs easily gets lured.

Or 3 of a kind...

Yeah, sets rule. I'm seriously thinking that most NL HE profit comes from AKo, Tens or better suited and pocket pairs. ...and I'm not even sure about AKo

Which kind of is why my game has been sucking (I'm only up around $70 over the past few days.) I've only been picking up sets with cards that don't need 'em. Of my last two sets on small/medium pairs I got no action with one and the other one I had to laydown! 3 way pot, board was single suited, turn was blank, river put up the 4 flush. Without a boat, I had to make the laydown and it turns out I had it read dead-right. KQo had the matching king.

[kane333]

FWIW, some old fogeys (in brick and mortar jobbies) that are very tight/passive (rocks) telegraph their two pairs with bets/raises on flops....there is one guy in particular i've played against on weekdays at normandie casino that is an open book with that bet/raise.

obviously, the same wager could be a set against a player like this, but you know if you can't beat two pair, you're screwed.

the same type of player calling on a bet on the flop is often top pair/solid kicker (or draws).

-K

[Ragingguitarist18]

what I find the hardest to read (and most profitable) is hitting a set with baby pockets. Anyone with top pair top kicker or 2 pairs easily gets lured.

I agree hitting a set with a pocket pair is the most difficult to read, and can easily trap a 2 pair or top pair. It's happened to me, got dealt A-K, flop came A-K-3, kept betting to the river, he showed pocket 3's, that hurt.

[mike4066]

I agree hitting a set with a pocket pair is the most difficult to read, and can easily trap a 2 pair or top pair. It's happened to me, got dealt A-K, flop came A-K-3, kept betting to the river, he showed pocket 3's, that hurt.

Been there done that