How To Play Pocket Pairs

Playing pocket pairs, especially small pocket pairs, can be tricky. There is a lot of risk, but the upside of connecting with the board frequently makes it worth it. There are three main considerations I take into account when playing pocket pairs.
Big Pocket Pairs
Playing big pocket pairs is easy in the early rounds of betting, raise and re-raise. You want to narrow the field. If a scare card comes off (an Ace when you have KK) use good judgment and be prepared to let the hand go. Ask yourself if your opponent would have played the hand this way with an ace in the hole. If not, then that card is as scary to your opponent as it is to you. I will usually throw an additional bet out there to see where I stand, but lean towards folding if they come over the top with a re-raise. Don’t be concerned about everyone folding to your raises winning only a small pot. Winning a small one is better than losing a big one, and that’s what you’re in for if you slow play these hands.
Middle Pocket Pairs
With middle pocket pairs, before the flop you have the choice, call or raise. The theory that supports calling says try to get in cheap, if you connect you are fairly likely to win a decent sized pot, or if you miss the flop get out. Raising, on the other hand, is more risky because you’re throwing more money into the pot, but the additional betting can create opportunities to win the pot in other ways in addition to making the pot larger. I like to make my call/raise decision based upon my table image at that time. If I have shown some big hands and my raises are getting a lot of respect I will definitely raise. I can either win by having the best hand, or by betting after the flop when a scare card for my opponent hits the board. I will call when table image is a little weaker and my raises are getting any respect. In that case I generally fold if I miss the flop, and if I do connect, my raises were getting respect so I will have plenty of action. These hands like big multi-way pots, so don’t be afraid of calling a raise with a few people in the pot. The implied odds of set mining more than makes up for it.

Small Pocket Pairs
I usually play small pocket pairs, but there are some I fold. Pocket 2-5 in any position is very weak and should only be played in multi-way pots. Being trapped heads up with one of these hands is a big loser. I rarely enter the pot from early position with these hands, and fold in late position when there is only 1 early position player. You can have top pair with 8’s, but with 4’s it’s fairly unlikely, and if you’re up against another pocket pair it will probably be larger than yours.