Small pocket pairs present an interesting problem for Texas holdem players. They look good enough to play, but most players end up losing money on them in the long run. Some of the best poker players in the world simply don’t play them. They’re dangerous.
- 9 Player Texas Holdem Hands Odds
- What Are The Odds Of Getting A Pair In Poker
- Odds Of Pocket Pair In Texas Holdem Game
- Texas Holdem Hand Odds Calculator
Yet some players can play small pocket pairs profitably, so they’re worth investigating.
Small pocket pairs are any pair below nines. I realize that this may seem odd, but there’s rarely a difference between a pair of twos and a pair of eights. Neither of them is strong enough to win a contested pot, so you should treat them the same.
The question is - what are the odds of flopping a set? When you hold a pocket pair, the odds of flopping a set are 7.5-1, or roughly 12%. It's important to know the odds, as many people will try to 'set mine' when playing Texas Hold'em. This means that you are calling pre-flop bets with your pocket pair, hoping to hit a.
Take it up a step to get a medium pocket pair. A medium pair is anything from a pair of nines to a pair of jacks. You might win a few pots with a pair of jacks, but they can be hard to play profitably.
- In Texas Hold'em, poker odds are THE probability tool you need as a poker player. In fact, you should always be thinking about poker odds - yours and your opponents' - when making decisions. In short, poker odds is the probability of you winning that hand, or the price it offers (pot odds).
- The chances of being dealt a pocket pair in Texas hold'em are 5.90%. If you hold a pocket pair, the probability of flopping exactly a set is 10.80%. The chances of flopping quads are.20%. Pocket, Overpair, Made Hand, Crack.
- I want to know the probability of getting a pair after all 5 cards are dealt on the table and assuming that I haven't got a pocket pair. Let's assume that I hold an ace and a king and 50 cards are left. So the probability of getting a pair is: P(getting an ace) + P(getting a king) + P(5 table cards having a pair of anything else than ace or king).
Before moving on, you need to understand one quirk about small pocket pairs. Their entire value is based on flopping a set. Regardless of what you think or feel, when you don’t flop a set, you must check and fold to any bet.
Never make the mistake of chasing a set to the turn or river unless everyone checks, and you get to see another card for free. A small pair really isn’t going to win a contested pot.
9 Player Texas Holdem Hands Odds
Playing No Limit Texas Holdem
Small pocket pairs that flop a set can be profitable in no limit Texas holdem. As a result, many players overvalue them, especially from early position. When you flop a set, you usually win a big pot. But when you lose, it’s always a big pot.
What Are The Odds Of Getting A Pair In Poker
You want to avoid this situation. The worst thing that happens when you flop a set is when an opponent flops a higher set. You end up with your entire stack in the pot and almost no chance to win.
I admit that in some games playing small pocket pairs from early and middle position can be profitable. Nonetheless, most players simply aren’t good enough to recognize these situations.
Therefore, my recommendation is to fold all small pocket pairs in no limit play from early and middle position.
You need to learn from the mistakes of others, and this is a big one to watch out for. The first time you get into a pot for cheap, flop a set, and stack an opponent, it’s going to be a great feeling. Every time this happens it reinforces that this is a great way to make money.
If you’re not careful, you’re going to start looking at small pocket pairs as a gold mine. After all, you either flop a set and keep pushing or miss your set and fold. This seems simple enough. So, why not play them from middle and early position?
Quit playing small pairs from early and middle positions. It may seem contradictory because all you remember is the times you stacked an opponent, but the odds are high that making this play isn’t profitable. Deviate from this advice at your own risk.
Late position and the blinds have some of the same dangers, like facing a higher set. But in the blinds, your added cost to see the flop is lower. When I face a raise in the blinds with a small set, I usually fold. The only time I don’t is when I know I can get the aggressor to go all in when I hit a set. If there’s any question about getting them all in, or if they have a small stack, I just fold.
From late position, you have the advantage of being able to control the pot size to some degree. This alone turns an unprofitable play from middle and early position to a profitable one.
Once you flop a set in no limit play, you must master ways to maximize the pot size. Sometimes you can let an opponent lead the way until the river, and other times you need to raise earlier.
Your decision changes from game to game. It’s one of the biggest reasons why you should always observe your opponents’ plays as much as possible.
Playing Limit Texas Holdem
The discussion in the last section was about playing small pocket pairs in no limit Texas holdem. But what about playing them in limit games?
Your basic goals are the same. The only way you can expect to win with a small pocket pair is to hit a set. You also need to ensure the possible reward when you win is high enough to cover all of the times that you don’t flop a set and need to fold.
When you take everything into account, it makes it somewhat easier to offer specific rules for playing small pocket pairs in limit Texas holdem.
Confirm there’s enough money in the pot for you to profit. While your chances of collecting more bets yields similar to those in a no limit game, the best are capped by the table limits.
Because you can’t accurately predict what’s going to happen behind you at the casinos, just fold all small pocket pairs in limit Texas holdem from early and middle position.
What about late position and the blinds?
From late position, I prefer at least four bets in the pot before I enter with a small pair. This relies heavily on my ability to extract more bets when I flop a set. Nonetheless, in most hands with at least four other players, I can do this.
I also generally won’t call a raise from late position with a small pair. Even if it looks like four opponents will remain to see the flop, the bets on the flop are still at the smaller limit, and this restricts my opportunity for profit. While this may seem strict, remember that you’re interested in profitability.
The blinds are slightly different with a small pair than most other hands. From the big blind, if the pot isn’t raised, you’re in a good situation. Your bet is already in the pot, and you basically get a free chance to flop a set.
From the small blind in an unraised pot, you only must add a half bet. If at least three other players are in the pot I complete the bet with a small air. Otherwise, I fold.
When you flop a small set from the blinds in limit Texas holdem you should start betting immediately and keep betting at every opportunity. Forget about trying to get an opponent to make a bet and then check raising or trapping them. You can’t afford to miss a single bet when you flop a set.
If you flop a set from late position in a limit game, you should also usually bet and raise at every opportunity.
If someone bets before you after you flop a set, you can flat call on the flop if you think it can keep more opponents in the hand for the higher betting rounds. But you should never do this with a dangerous board.
Odds Of Pocket Pair In Texas Holdem Game
If the flop offers a flush or straight draw, don’t wait to raise an earlier bet on the flop. Because there can be a fine line here, I always recommend that beginning and intermediate players simply always bet and raise in limit holdem when they flop a set. When you gain more experience, you might be able to see situations where calling on the flop is more profitable, but if you’re not sure the best way to play is to bet and raise at every opportunity.
Conclusion
Small pocket pairs are hard to play in Texas holdem. For this reason, your best bet may be to simply fold them at all times until you’re an experienced player. But you can play them in some situations. Make sure you always fold them when you don’t flop a set and can maximize your return when you do flop a set.
Poker can be a fun card game for the family, or a serious competitive game in which the steaks can be so enormous, even selling your house wouldn’t cover the costs.
There are many variations of poker, with Texas Hold ‘Em being the most popular worldwide.
Below are a whole bunch of poker facts and statistics which help you understand the chances of wining and the odds of getting the cards you want.
Did You Know?
A pocket pair is cards of the same rank, which means if your two cards have the same number, from 2-2 all the way up to A-A, this is called a pocket pair.
- The odds of receiving any pocket pair is 5.9% which is 16 to 1. These are also the same odds of receiving a pocket pair of 2’s.
- The odds of receiving a specific pocket pair: 0.45% or 220 to 1 These are the same odds for receiving a pocket pair of A’s.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of A’s twice in a row is 0.002047% or 48,840 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of K’s is 0.9% which is 220 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of Q’s is 1.4% which is 73 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of J’s is 1.8% which is 54 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 10’s is 2.3% which is 43 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 9’s is 2.7% which is 36 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 8’s is 3.2 which is 31 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 7’s is 3.6% which is 27 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 6’s is 4.1% which is 24 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 5’s is 4.5% which is 21 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 4’s is 5.0% which is 19 to 1.
- The odds of receiving a pocket pair of 3’s is 5.4% which is 17 to 1.
Texas Holdem Hand Odds Calculator
Poker Fast Facts
The total number of possible royal flush hands in a standard 52 card deck is 4.
And the odds of making a royal flush is 649,739 to 1.
This is correct assuming that every game plays to the river.
In poker terms, the river is the name for the fifth card dealt, face-up on the board.
In total, there are 2,598,960 possible poker hands with 52 cards.
The odds of getting four of a kind in Texas Hold ‘Em is 4164 to 1.
Casinos normally change decks after 15 minutes of steady play, so that the cards can always be fresh and unmarked, as many professional players would be able to remember the certain markings on cards and use that to their advantage.
This is only a basic overview of poker odds, there are many calculators online that can help solve the odds of getting certain hands, depending on what stage of the game you’re at, what cards you currently hold and how many people are playing.
Now you are familiar with these odds, you can use them to your advantage for a better poker strategy when you finally decided to play a tournament.
In Texas Hold-Em Poker the odds of making a royal flush hand is only 649,739 to 1.