Is A small pocket pair is a trap?

A small pocket pair is a trap hand that even the best players fall into. Most people will try to avoid this. First mistake, never, unless there is a very special situation, (short-handed, great read on the player, short last table, etc.) call a raise before the flop with a small pocket pair.

The second trap though "trips up" almost everyone at one time or another, and that's limping in with a small pocket pair. Players who would never play a flush draw will still limp in with the pocket pair when the actual odds are almost twice as bad as the flush draw.

To win with the small pocket pair you hope to flop a set, but the odds against flopping a set are approximately 8:1 and this doesn't guarantee a win. The flush draw is only 5:1 against. If your pocket pair doesn't hit, you lose, but all too often you hit your set, don't win and lose a bunch.

In tournament play, you are better off just mucking small pocket pairs. The only real discussion should be what is a small pocket pair? I spent a lot of time in Texas so I'll go with QQ. I might loosen up the special situations some with QQ, but I still think of it as a small pair.

Sarge