Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Articles
Playing Middle Pair Post Flop in No Limit Texas Hold'em
No limit Texas hold’em poker is a poker game fraught with danger. Around every corner is an opportunity to make a brilliant maneuver or a disastrous mistake. It is this very fact that makes no limit so exciting. In no limit hold’em, having the knowledge and courage to make the right play is what separates the winners from the losers. You can’t always expect to get the nuts (the best hand) in no limit Texas hold’em. Sometimes you will have to determine whether you can win the hand even when there are a lot of hands out there that can beat you. One situation that occurs frequently in no limit Texas hold’em is flopping middle pair.
Flopping Middle Pair: What Does it Mean?
Flopping middle pair simply means that one of your cards matches the card of middle value on the board. For example if you have A9 and the flop comes Q 9 7, you have middle pair. Since most flops miss most people, you may well have the best hand. However, if someone else is holding a Q, it will be difficult for you to catch up.
How Do You Handle Middle Pair in No Limit Hold’em Poker?
It most cases, your best bet is to keep the pot small. Making a small defensive bet or checking and calling a small bet will give you your best chance to get to a showdown and win the hand. If you make a large bet and are raised, you will often be forced to throw this hand away.
Example 1: Middle Pair on a Non-Threatening Board
You have As 5s in late position. A middle position player makes a small raise. You call, and everyone else folds. The flop comes 8d 5h 3c. This is actually a good situation for you. Even though your pair is relatively small, a pre-flop raiser is unlikely to have been holding an 8, since most people raise with big cards. However, your opponent may have raised with a pocket pair, which in most cases will have you in big trouble. This is often a good time to put in a small bet. If your opponent has an overpair, he will probably put in a big raise and you can safely get away from the hand, unless your read tells you he is bluffing. If he is on big cards, he will likely just call, and let you see a turn card. If non-threatening cards continue to come, you can continue to bet, and will often take the pot down.
Example 2: Middle Pair on a Threatening Board
You have 8d 9d in middle position. You limp, and see the flop with three other players. The flop comes Ah 9h 6s. This is an uncomfortable situation in a poker game. Since the pot was unraised, it is hard to know what opponents may have, but many opponents are willing to limp in with any ace. In addition, you could be facing a flush draw. If one player bets and everyone else folds, or if everyone checks to you, you may consider investing a small amount of money and attempting to outplay a single opponents. Against multiple opponents with a big over card and a draw against you however, you will usually help yourself by getting away from this hand as soon as possible. All poker decisions are situational. When you play poker, you need to depend on your observation of your opponents and your memory of past hands to decide what move will be most effective. Being aware when your middle pair is strong and when it is vulnerable is an important aspect of skilled poker play.
No limit Texas hold’em poker is a poker game fraught with danger. Around every corner is an opportunity to make a brilliant maneuver or a disastrous mistake. It is this very fact that makes no limit so exciting. In no limit hold’em, having the knowledge and courage to make the right play is what separates the winners from the losers. You can’t always expect to get the nuts (the best hand) in no limit Texas hold’em. Sometimes you will have to determine whether you can win the hand even when there are a lot of hands out there that can beat you. One situation that occurs frequently in no limit Texas hold’em is flopping middle pair.
Flopping Middle Pair: What Does it Mean?
Flopping middle pair simply means that one of your cards matches the card of middle value on the board. For example if you have A9 and the flop comes Q 9 7, you have middle pair. Since most flops miss most people, you may well have the best hand. However, if someone else is holding a Q, it will be difficult for you to catch up.
How Do You Handle Middle Pair in No Limit Hold’em Poker?It most cases, your best bet is to keep the pot small. Making a small defensive bet or checking and calling a small bet will give you your best chance to get to a showdown and win the hand. If you make a large bet and are raised, you will often be forced to throw this hand away.
Example 1: Middle Pair on a Non-Threatening Board
You have As 5s in late position. A middle position player makes a small raise. You call, and everyone else folds. The flop comes 8d 5h 3c. This is actually a good situation for you. Even though your pair is relatively small, a pre-flop raiser is unlikely to have been holding an 8, since most people raise with big cards. However, your opponent may have raised with a pocket pair, which in most cases will have you in big trouble. This is often a good time to put in a small bet. If your opponent has an overpair, he will probably put in a big raise and you can safely get away from the hand, unless your read tells you he is bluffing. If he is on big cards, he will likely just call, and let you see a turn card. If non-threatening cards continue to come, you can continue to bet, and will often take the pot down.
Example 2: Middle Pair on a Threatening Board
You have 8d 9d in middle position. You limp, and see the flop with three other players. The flop comes Ah 9h 6s. This is an uncomfortable situation in a poker game. Since the pot was unraised, it is hard to know what opponents may have, but many opponents are willing to limp in with any ace. In addition, you could be facing a flush draw. If one player bets and everyone else folds, or if everyone checks to you, you may consider investing a small amount of money and attempting to outplay a single opponents. Against multiple opponents with a big over card and a draw against you however, you will usually help yourself by getting away from this hand as soon as possible. All poker decisions are situational. When you play poker, you need to depend on your observation of your opponents and your memory of past hands to decide what move will be most effective. Being aware when your middle pair is strong and when it is vulnerable is an important aspect of skilled poker play.
Use this strategy at Full Tilt Poker 
to play against top pros with a $600 bonus or beat the most fish at Sportsbook Poker 
with a $1000 bonus.
Improve your poker game with free lessons at the Full Tilt Academy! Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, & others provide free video lessons.
More Poker Strategy Sections:
General Poker Texas Holdem Tournament Poker Stud Omaha Razz
Sportsbook Promo Code | VC Poker Promotion Code | Superbook Poker | Players Only Promo Code
Contact/About | Sitemap
Copyright 2006-10 RounderStaked.com. All rights reserved. RounderStaked is an independent informational site. Users of this site are responsible for determining if online gambling is legal in their area.