TPIG

Top pair is one of the more difficult hands to play in a full ring game of Hold 'Em. Obviously it's a pretty good hand, much better than average, but every time you get a bunch of money in with it, doesn't it seem like things don't work out to well?

Most small-stakes full ring regulars resort to just folding top pair pretty much all the time to any pressure, regardless of the players or board texture involved. While that's probably not too costly a mistake vs. most players at those stakes, it's obviously massively exploitable. And it also misses out on a bunch of spots where top pair is truly golden, such as this one:

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/355876

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $113.40

SB: $100.00

Hero (BB): $100.00

UTG: $41.35

UTG+1: $82.60

MP1: $76.30

MP2: $73.50

CO: $37.00

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BB with 8s Kd

UTG calls $1, UTG+1 calls $1, 3 folds, BTN calls $1, 1 fold, Hero checks (UTG+1 is a 54/31 total fishcake)

Flop: ($4.50) 2c 2h 8d (4 players)

Hero checks (Top pair is absolute gold almost always here. It's possible that UTG limped a hand like 99-JJ, but he only has $40 so I'm not gonna hate stacking off against him too much. It is possible UTG+1 has a 2 just because he's playing so many hands, but even for him, he's not going to have a deuce that often limping in early position. If he had open limped I might worry about QQ+ a little bit, but limping behind a limper cuts down on that. But he's very likely to overvalue a worse one pair hand on this flop. If he has 55 or an 8 with a worse kicker, he's not going anywhere. I could lead and try to get him to call down three streets, but it allows him to control pot size somewhat by just calling, and plus by check/raising instead I can get at least one bet out of his total air hands, and it makes it a little more likely he'll spaz out with something completely random...)

UTG checks, UTG+1 bets $8, (He overbets the pot! I'd expect him to do this with a deuce approximately...never. And if he does, then he deserves my $80. He's more likely to do it with some hand he thinks is probably good, but is vulnerable, like a crappy one-pair. But since he thinks it's good, we know he's not folding!)

BTN folds, Hero raises to $24, UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to $40, Hero raises to $99 all in, UTG+1 calls $41.60 all in

Turn: ($167.70) Td (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($167.70) 4d (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $167.70

Hero shows 8s Kd (two pair, Eights and Twos)

UTG+1 shows 9d 8c (two pair, Eights and Twos)

Hero wins $164.70

(Rake: $3.00)

Valuetownd!!!

-BRUECHIPS