Much like Ronnie Corbett’s tartan trews small pairs look attractive but can cost you a lot of money. So be careful. Are you a master of the twos and threes? Find out in the latest PokerPlayer Quiz…
PokerPlayer Quiz
Q1. Jam sandwich
Players: 9 Blinds: 300/600 Your stack: 6,000 Your hand: 4♣-4♥
Action
You’ve lost a few big pots and have 10BBs a few levels into a $20 online MTT. It’s folded to you in the cut-off with 4♣-4♥. The other players all cover you comfortably. What should you do here?
Decision
a) Fold
b) Limp in
c) Raise to 1,800
d) Move all-in
Q2. Small multiplex
Players: 6 Blinds: $0.50/$1 Your stack: $100 Your hand: 2♣-2♠
Action
You’re in a loose $100NL online cash game. A tight-passive player opens to $3, there are three callers and it’s on you in the big blind with 2-2. What should you do?
Decision
a) Fold
b) Call the $2 and see a flop
c) Squeeze to $15
d) Move all-in
Q3. The Set-up
Players: 6 Blinds: $0.50/$1 Your stack: $97 Your hand: 2♣-2♠
Action
It’s the same hand as before. You call and the flop has come 8♠-9♣-2♣. You’re first to act with four players behind you. The pot is $15. What should you do?
Decision
a) Check, planning to check-call
b) Check, planning to check-raise
c) Check-fold
d) Donk out $10
Q4. Gunning up
Players: 9 Blinds: 500/1,000/a50 Your stack: 26,000 Your hand: 5♠-5♦
Action
You’re approaching the bubble of an online $50 MTT. Under the gun you get dealt 5-5 with a stack of 26BBs. There are a variety of very short, medium and monster chip stacks on the table. What should you do?
Decision
a) Fold
b) Limp in
c) Raise to 2,500
d) Move all-in for 26,000
Q5. Value town
Players: 2 Blinds: $1/$2 Your stack: $460 Your hand: 3♣-3♠
Action
You’re playing an aggressive opponent heads-up who is known to spew off postflop. There’s an aggressive dynamic. He raises to $6, you call with 3♣-3♠ and the flop is Q♠-3♥-9♣. You check-call a bet of $8. The turn is K♥. What should your plan be?
Decision
a) Check-raise the turn and bet big on any river
b) Check-raise the turn and only bet on rivers that don’t complete draws
c) Check-call then donk out all rivers that don’t complete draws
d) Check-call the turn and check-raise all-in on any river
Answers
- d) Move all-in. Small pairs are great hands to shove when you are short in a tournament. If you win the blinds that’s a good addition to your stack and even when called you’ll be in a race much of the time against hands like A-K and A-Q.
- b) Call the $2 and see a flop. It’s the perfect situation to set mine. As the flop will be multi-way you have more chance of getting paid off if a deuce flops because at least one other player is likely to have also hit.
- d) Donk out $10. The major fear here is that the flop will be checked around and you’ll both miss out on value and allow one of the many draws to come in on the turn. If there was an Ace or King on the flop then looking for a check-raise would be best as it’s more likely someone will bet for you. However, on this type of board donking is best to attempt to build a pot and get value from draws and worse made hands.
- a) Fold. A 26BB stack is notoriously difficult to play. With 5-5 your stack is too large to simply shove all-in – yet if you raise and get three-bet you have to fold, giving away a precious portion of your stack. Limping is rarely a good option either as you’ll almost always be out of position postflop if you even get to see a flop.
- d) Check-call the turn and check-raise all-in on any river. Against an aggressive heads-up opponent you have to use their aggression against them. By check-raising this turn you may get value from overpairs and big draws but your hand will look also very strong to a perceptive opponent. It will also shut down his bluffs and semi-bluffs.
Your score
0-2 Small fry
Back of the class shorty. You’ve still got a lot to learn
3 Small steps
You’ll need to improve your small-stack play if you want to survive.
4-5 Small victory
Congratulations you’re a master of the small pair!
