How do you guys play pocket 10's or even 9's for that matter? I always like to limp to see the flop on small pairs then bet it out if I hit.
But should I limp with tens? Raise? Call a raise? Reraise? The problem with them is that if an overcard comes up it can be a tricky situation.
Any thoughts?
Obviously depends on the structure/limit of the game, and the type of players you are playing against...
I don't typically raise with mid pocket pairs (e.g., pocket 8s, 9s, or 10s) from early position because you are likely going to have to hit your set in order to make the best hand...you could, however, make the argument, that betting preflop helps you take down the pot after the flop if the flop comes all rags. This is a legitimate argument, but not the way you are expecting to make the bulk of your mone with this starting hand.
I might raise from mid or late position with these hands if no one else is in the pot yet, just to force marginal hands to fold or at least pay a bit more to see the flop.
I definitely do NOT raise preflop from late position with these hands if there are already several limpers in the pot. I would prefer to hit my hand before paying out any extra cash preflop. The exception to this might be in a family pot, where the odds would be correct to raise preflop here (but how likely is it that you have 7-8 other players already in the pot that are then likely to call your raise?)...
Whether you bet out strong, smooth call, or check-raise really just depends on the texture of the table. I typically like to come out strong since my hand is so well-hidden...it takes a pretty good player to lay down top pair top kicker or top two pair against a hidden set...I'll typically smooth call a player who raises me on the flop if I have position. Otherwise, I'll reraise the reraise on the flop if I think the player will not lay down the hand and has incorrect odds, or I'll just smoothcall, then bet strong on the turn if I believe that they would lay down the flop reraise but not a bet on the turn (some people might see this as your attempt to buy the pot on the turn...hopefully they do just that and reraise you so that you can get in a raising war with them)...
Good thread, as I've seen plenty of ways to play these mid pairs...I believe that they can be very good moneymakers, but I think too many people get overattached to them.
