Online Poker Labs

The combinations AK, JJ and QQ have many similar features. That is why this article follows the previous article about an Ace-King combination. JJ and QQ hands have nearly the same strategy on the preflop. The single difference is that they are a little stronger than AK if there is no all-in on the preflop. Players will see only three cards of the flop but not all five cards. On the flop these pocket pairs are stronger than AK.

The features of these hands are the same as a hand with AK. See the article about the AK combination.

Here are a few examples of typical situations, which will help you better understand this strategy.

Example 1. You’re in a good position against an unknown contender who hasn’t shown an exact style of play or level of aggressiveness.

NL50. stacks: Hero - UTG($53.10), BB ($46.52)
Hero has QdQs, standard play on the preflop.

Preflop: 3 folds, Hero raises to $2, 1 folds, BB calls $1.50.

This is the most common raise from the button position when the button opens a game (all players before the button have folded).

Flop: 8s - 2h - 9h, pot ($3.50)
BB checks, Hero bets $3, BB raises to $6.5.

Ordinary cont bet of the Hero followed by the opponent’s flat raise. This situation occurs frequently. A raise like this could mean everything. He may be drawing a flush but weakly (usually in this situation the raise should be considerably higher, up to $10). Maybe the opponent is drawing TPTK (the hand is A9). He hopes you make the cont bet, but have nothing and play check-raise. He may also have a set. You are in a good position, which is why the best thing is to call on the flop and see how your opponent plays further.

Hero calls $3.50.

Turn: 6d, pot ($16.50)

BB bets $7, Hero?

The bank is $16.5. The contender bets only $7. If he had a set he should bet half a bank with this board, first, to prevent drawing a flush by the contenders and second, to earn more money. In most cases the contender will have a draw. The right decision in this situation is a big raise. The contender with TPTK will continue his attack to make his check-raise logical.

Hero raises $30, BB folds.

Example 2. The complexity of playing with an over pair in a bad position.

NL25. stacks: Hero - UTG($23.87), Button ($34.53)
Hero has JsJh.

Preflop: Hero raises to $0.75, 1 folds, Button calls $0.75, 2 folds.

Hero has raised on the preflop up to 3BB. Being in the position UTG, the best idea is to raise 3.5-4BB. With loose contenders the raise may be up to 5BB. A raise of 3BB is considered to be very small on NL25.

Flop: 9s-Ts-5c, pot ($1.50)

Standard play on the flop:

Hero bets $1.25, Button calls $1.25.

Turn: 8d, pot ($4)

The turn is rather safe. A spade which gives the possibility of a flush has not come. The eight may complete the straight but you shouldn’t be afraid much having pocket JJ. No matter what, you should continue the attack since there are many draws on the board.

Hero bets $3, Button raises to $9, Hero?

This is an important moment of play with an over pair. If you are in a good position with an over pair and have an open-ended straight, the best thing to do is just to call the raise, see the river and how your opponents play. But this situation is different because you don’t have a good position. If you call in this situation, you won’t gain a profit. If you will draw a straight, it will be difficult to get more money because the straight is obvious (see potential pot odds). There is no straight forward decision here. Calling is not profitable. Raising will reduce the amount of players and overpay strong hands. Folding is nonsense because you have an open-ended straight and an over pair. We would recommend folding the hand until you become experienced enough to observe your opponents’ actions and make the right decision. The hand was finished this way: Hero calls $6.

River: Аh, pot ($22)

Hero checks, Button bets $13, Hero folds.

The Ace on the river has taken away your last hope for a victory above hands like А9, АТ. The contender was kind enough to show his hand – KJ. He was bluffing. But bluffing in this situation is not common.

Example 3. Typical situation.

NL50. stacks: Hero - BB ($84.85), CO ($49.89)

Hero is BB and has QcQd.

Preflop: 2 folds, CO calls $0.50, BTN folds, SB calls $0.25, Hero raises to $2.50, CO calls $2.00, SB folds.

Flop: 7s-4h-2s, pot ($5.50)

Further you can see a standard game on a draw board:

Hero bets $4.00, CO calls $4.00

Turn: Th, pot ($13.50)

Hero bets $10.00, CO calls $10.00

River: 9h, pot ($33.50)

The contender’s stack is practically the same size as the bank. He just passively called all Hero bets. There was a flush draw on the flop but it was not completed on the river. A player with a set would play aggressively on the flop or at least on the turn. You can guess now that your contender has a flush draw. Your bet on the river under these circumstances doesn’t make any sense. The opponent who has not drawn a flush will fold. The best idea is to check and provoke the contender to bluff. It is important to remember, that if you were in your opponent’s shoes you should never bluff, because a bluff like that is often discovered. Hero was mistaken in this situation. He checked on the river but laid down his cards when the contender played all-in. This is a serious mistake.

Hero checks, CO bets all-in for $33.39, Hero folds.

Example 4. The way you shouldn’t play with QQ

NL50. Stacks: Hero – UTG($50), SB($57,7)

Preflop: Hero raises to $2.50, 3 folds, SB raises $7, Hero raises to $21, SB raises all-in ($50.45), Hero folds.

Call or fold with QQ and JJ if the contender bets 3BB. You should call 4BB if the contender is aggressive or inexperienced. If the bet was 4BB and the stacks are nearly 100ВВ, you can’t fold if the contender goes all-in. Hero made two mistakes in this situation: he called 4BB and folded when he saw the all-in from the contender.

What is the right way to play in this situation?

Hero raises to $2.50, 3 folds, SB raises $7, Hero calls $ 4,5. (!)

First, you have a good position on the post-flop, your contender has to make a decision earlier than you, and you showed the strength of your hand having called on the preflop. Second, you have an advantage because you can see the flop when you call 3BB, but not 4BB.

The suggested way to play in this situation against an unknown contender is a call on the preflop. If your hand has not improved and there is no A or K on the board, you should call the contender’s cont bet on the flop. If the opponent is not scared by your actions and he continues the attack on the turn, the best thing to do in this situation is to fold if there is any considerable bet. If your hand has improved up to a set, you already know what to do.

Example 5. The standard way of playing three bet pots in a bad position.

NL25. Stacks: 25Hero - MP($25,75), Button($32,4)

Hero has QcQs.

Preflop: 1 folds, Hero raises to $1, 1 folds, Button raises to $3, 2 folds, Hero ?

As mentioned earlier, if you have JJ-QQ, call 3BB on the preflop.

Hero calls $2.

Flop: 3h-9s-5c, pot ($6)

In this situation you were not a preflop aggressor. Usually it is not profitable to make a bet on the flop when you are not a preflop aggressor because a donkbet (a silly bet) is a bluff or half a bluff. This situation is an exception. Most players consider a donkbet to be the best idea in this situation when you play against an non-aggressive opponent. The opponent showed you the strength of his hand when he made the 3BB bet on the preflop. The possible range of 3BB bet for a non-aggressive game on NL25 is AJ+, but more often AQ+ and JJ+. By making a donkbet we are trying to scare AJ+, and find a stronger hand. You should bet a lot, approximately a bank size, in this situation not to lose more. If there is a re-raise after your bet, the best thing to do is to give up the game because your hand is just stronger JJ and TT.

In this situation, Hero played check/raise up to the river and lost his stack.

Example 6. The game against a Calling Station.

NL50. Stacks: Hero - UTG($50.00), SB ($71.70)

Hero has QQ of red suits.

Preflop: Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, Hero calls $ 1,75, 1 folds.

Flop: 6h-2c-7h, pot ($4.50)

Hero’s contender is a “calling station”. He passively calls bets and rarely plays raise/re-raise. It is difficult to guess his hand and you should play close attention when playing against him. Such opponents are very profitable. The best bet against this type of player is 2/3 of the bank, if the board is safe. Be careful if he plays raise/re-raise.

Hero played right up to the river.

SB checks, Hero bets $3.5, SB calls $3.50.

Turn: 6d, pot ($11.50)

SB checks, Hero bets $7, SB calls $7.

River: Jd

SB checks, Hero bets $12, SB raises to $40, Hero ?

At this moment the Hero was mistaken and called. Such players will often call with a weak or medium hand. Quite often they are cowardly and need a good hand to raise.

Hero calls $25.50 (All-In).

The contender showed Q6 and took the bank.

Conclusion

Preflop-flop is extremely important when you have strong pocket pairs. Try to find out the strength of your opponents’ hands as early as possible. Play aggressively with these pairs but carefully to make them profitable starting combinations. It is extremely important to fold this hand when it is necessary. A good fold is a strong weapon in experienced hands.

Good luck!