Anticipating pocket pairs

OhPinchy

I'm fairly new to playing poker and have been playing a fair bit on the web (STTs on betfair.com but am open to recommendations for other sites) and with friends and am generally holding my own and coming out ahead live and just about level online which isnt bad for the learning period I suppose.

I try to play fairly tight and play nice and aggressive when I have something decent and play a few semi-bluffs and pure bluffs here and there to throw off any reads on me. Sometimes the concentration lapses and I make crazy decisions but with more discipline thatll go, but what I'm really struggling with is playing against low pocket pairs.

I've learned to drop AA, KK, and QQ when needed, and can generally get a decent enough read on a few players (online I rarely play the first five hands and just watch the maniacs go at it and generally therell be one or two gone within 5 minutes), but I find myself often holding two pair including top pair and getting nailed by a low pocket pair which has hit trips. I find it really hard to read someone for this hand....any advice on how to minimise my vulnerability to it?

Davey Devil

OhPinchy wrote:

any advice on how to minimise my vulnerability to it?

Stop playing on the Internet

It happens far more on the Internet because players a generally looser and will call decent raises with low PP's, hence more people trip up. It's almost impossible to spot, I'd only lay down 2 pair on an unpaired board if I know my opponent is a total rock.

Hectorjelly

Davey Devil wrote:

Stop playing on the Internet

It happens far more on the Internet because players a generally looser and will call decent raises with low PP's, hence more people trip up. It's almost impossible to spot, I'd only lay down 2 pair on an unpaired board if I know my opponent is a total rock.

The fitz pot limit game is the loosest $1 $2 game I have ever experienced. In general cash games will tend to be looser for similar stakes live than online. Spotting sets is one of the hardest things to do, and if you can manage that even some of the time you will be doing well.

Davey Devil

Sorry Hector, I promise to never again take the good name of online poker in vain

Hectorjelly wrote:

The fitz pot limit game is the loosest $1 $2 game I have ever experienced.

Apart from when I'm at the table, a 78 year old nun gets more action.

Lafortezza

You just have to get into the habit Davey.