Pre-Flop Big Pairs In All Situations
Early Position Big Pairs
Big pairs are Aces, Kings Queens, Jacks, and possibly a pair of tens depending on how big the table size is. The strategy with Ace King can be somewhat similar to that of big pairs.
Understanding the notion that you want to take down the pot pre-flop with a big pair means playing a big pair slightly different in early position. A good strategy is to just limp in with a big pair in early position hoping to re-raise prelop if someone raises you.
If you just call and someone raises after you many times it will be a small raise and you will get a couple callers. Once it gets back to you it’s your time to go ahead and re-raise big.
How much should you raise?
You want to put out a very big raise. If you have aces or kings you want to bet the pot in hopes that only one person calls. Ideally if the pot is big enough you would want no callers. If your opponent flops a set or better you are committed to call with your large pair and you are busted out and have to re-buy which is no fun.
Big Pair Mid / Late Position
As we stated earlier you want to bet as big as you can to either take down the pot if it is a good size or raise just enough to only get 1 caller. In late or mid position there will be no slow playing hoping for a re-raise.
If you do decide to slow play hoping for a re-raise in mid position then it will be very risky. You should not become too attached to your hand if your plan backfires and 2 or 3 people are in after the flop. In general raise big in these positions with your big pairs.
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