Small Pocket Pairs Can Pay Big Dividends
Suppose you’re playing a no-limit hold’em tournament. It’s about the third or fourth level and you have a medium stack. You’re sitting on the button looking down at two deuces. Two players have limped into the pot and you limp also. The small blind completes his forced bet, and the big blind checks. You’re in a five-way pot and you can see the flop cheap. This is a great scenario when you have a small pocket pair — you couldn’t ask for anything better pre-flop.
But wait! It gets even better. The flop comes down with K-7-2 rainbow (three different suits). You’ve flopped bottom set and are thinking, “How sweet it is!” The blinds check and the first limper also checks. The second limper bets about half the size of the pot. Now the action is up to you. What’s your best play? Should you just call, raise, or fold?
If I were in this spot, I would just call. “But I’ve flopped a set,” you say. “Why wouldn’t I just go ahead and make at least a small raise on the flop?” Here’s why I believe just calling is your best option: The pot is still fairly small, and with this type of flop you should be in great shape. The only hands that can beat you are pocket kings or pocket 7s. You want to entice one or more of the other players into the pot. Moreover, you definitely don’t want to scare off the bettor. You want to try to win a much bigger pot, so I suggest waiting to bet or raise until a later street.