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How To Play Middle Pocket Pairs
Middle pocket pairs are the 10-10, 9-9, 8-8, 7-7, 6-6 and while they give you favorable odds before the flop, after the flop you will find yourself falling behind to several over cards your opponents may have paired. For this reason it's important to play these middle pocket pairs effectively before the flop and follow through on the flop.
Playing Middle Pocket Pairs In Early Position
Because the odds are against you of hitting a set on the flop, approximately 8 to 1, you will need to eliminate as many players as possible before the flop to increase your odds of being up against opponents who did not connect with the flop.
If the flop brings all overcards you should make a small continuation bet as a way of gaining information on whether any other player connected with the flop. If you are faced with a raise, fold immediately, if a player just calls, depending on the type of player, you can make a significant bet on the turn to steal the pot.
The blinds are $100/$200
You have 8♦8♠ and you are third to act.
The SB and BB call the blinds
You raise to $600
Players 4,5, and 6 fold
The SB and BB call
Flop
5♣ 3♣ K♦
You bet $600 again just to see where your middle pair stands.
The SB call, the BB folds.
Turn
6♠
The only scare card at this point is the K♦. Remember that your opponent just called on the flop and you know that he is a loose player. It's easy to assume he called the initial raise with A-x and he was waiting for an A to peel off on the turn. Given his loose playing style it's hard to imagine he would have just called with a hand like A♣ K♠. It's safe to assume your middle pair is good and at this point you should raise all-in.
Playing Middle Pocket Pairs Pre-Flop In Middle/Late Position
As with any other two cards being in late position gives you the advantage of seeing how players before you act. If the action comes around to you and the pot is still unraised you should insta-raise the pot in a bid to steal the blinds and avoid going to a flop.
Middle pocket pairs are difficult to play because if you raise pre-flop and you are called, it's easy to assume that your opponents are holding an overcard (Ace, King, e.t.c) and if one of these cards hits the flop pushing your opponent off his hand can be challenging if he's already called a raise and now paired his card.
There some weight to the idea of just calling pre-flop with middle pocket pair, or checking the flop, and that's if you hit a set it will go completely unnoticed by the other players and you can slow play it to the river to extract more chips.
What's important to remember with middle pocket pairs is that if you feel resistance from another player, whether it's calling your raises on every street or re-raising, you should back down and lay the hand down. Don't become pot committed with middle pocket pairs.
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