Problematic Pocket Jacks

My friend, "Douglas," has been experiencing no-limit hold'em tournament woes recently, and he came to me asking for some advice: "I feel like I've misplayed pocket jacks more than any other hand. I can't seem to get them to work for me, even when the situation seems perfect. Let's say I pick up J-J in late position. Everyone in front of me folds, I raise, and only the big blind calls. The flop comes 9-9-3 rainbow. It always seems like I make the wrong decision in those situations. I usually end up committing myself, because I don't want my opponent drawing out on me, but then I either win a small pot if I have the best hand or lose a big one if I don't. And then, sometimes I play too passively and let him catch up with the worst hand. What should I be doing differently?"


First of all, there's no question that Douglas has had more than his fair share of bad luck with J-J. With a 9-9-3flop and one opponent, jacks will be the best hand most of the time, but he's been running into hands like A-9 and K-9 far more often than chance would dictate. Nevertheless, he's doing the smart thing by not automatically assuming that bad luck is to blame. He is monitoring his play to see what he can do differently, which is a clear sign of a solid, up-and-coming player.


I told him that his dilemma is the perfect example of why there isn't only one right way to play a hand. The correct way to play the jacks depends heavily on the opponent in the big blind. Based on a combination of his action on the flop and his general playing style, you should be able to determine your best possible play. While that play won't be foolproof, it will give you your best chance for success.


STEP NO. 1 – DON'T PLAY SCARED.

There's always the chance that your lone opponent either flopped trips or has a higher pocket pair, but you cannot play in fear of those hands. You generally have to play your jacks as the best hand, since most of the time they will be. Unless your stacks are both extremely deep in relation to the blinds, I have no problem justifying going broke with J-J on a 9-9-3 flop against someone in the big blind who merely called a preflop raise. If he shows up with a 9, pocket threes, or a pocket pair bigger than jacks, what can you do? Just say, "Nice hand," and wait for your next tournament.


STEP NO. 2 – TRY TO IDENTIFY HIS HAND.

While you should treat J-J as the best hand, you also must do your best to determine how far ahead you are, since it will dictate how aggressive you should be. Assuming he is behind, here are the four basic types of hands your opponent can have, along with the number of outs he has to beat you:

1. Two overcards to jacks (six outs)
2. One overcard to jacks (three outs)
3. An X-3 hand, with X being anything (five or two outs, depending on whether X is higher than a jack)
4. A lower pocket pair (two outs)


So, at most, your opponent has six outs to beat you, but your correct play varies against the different types of hands. Against No. 1 and No. 2, you won't rate to get much action unless your opponent catches a card to beat you. Therefore, if you are up against a hand like K-Q, you should be perfectly happy to win the pot on a 9-9-3 flop. He will probably check and fold to a bet, and that creates the situation Douglasdescribed of winning small pots. Don't bemoan the fact that you won only a small pot. In that situation, it's the only type of pot you're going to win.



However, that's not the case with the other hands your opponent could have, especially No. 4. Your opponent won't often call a preflop raise in the big blind with X-3, but he certainly would call with hands such as 8-8 or 7-7. If a tight, solid player calls your preflop raise, and then comes out betting into the 9-9-3flop, there's a very good chance that he's in there with a medium pocket pair, and is betting with the hope that you have an A-K or A-Q type of hand. Now, not only does he have fewer outs to beat you than he did with K-Q, but you can get some decent action from him if you can make him believe he has the best hand. Therefore, your correct response is to merely call his bet. Your worst-case scenario is that you allow him


PROBLEMATIC POCKET JACKS

Playing pocket jacks in no-limit hold'em tournaments to spike a set on the turn, and then you'll probably go broke. Oh well, it happens. The upside is that he might believe he has the best hand, and that makes the flatcall a chance worth taking. If the turn card is an ace or king, it will probably kill the action. He will probably check and fold, figuring you had A-K and caught a lucky turn card. However, when the turn card is a baby, you have an opportunity to get paid off handsomely. He'll probably make another decent-sized bet, figuring that you called on the flop with overcards, and now he needs to bet to protect his pair. You can then put in a medium-sized raise and see what happens. Some players can get away from 8-8 or 7-7 when facing a board of 9-9-3-4, but others will pay you off, and that's what makes it worthwhile to call on the flop rather than try to take the pot right away.



SLOW PLAYS ARE ALL RELATIVE

Many players have the misconception that you need to flop a monster hand in order to slow-play. With J-J, they look for a flop of J-2-2 before they decide to trap an opponent, but they have it wrong. Slow-playing is not about flopping monster hands, it's about having a hand that dominates your opponent's. In the case of J-J against a lower pocket pair in no-limit hold'em with a 9-9-3 flop, you have an ideal scenario.



Douglas was often winning small pots because when his opponent bet the flop, he moved all in and blasted him off his small pair. By doing that, he was missing out on some golden opportunities. If you're up against a loose opponent who will call a preflop raise with anything, and then will come out betting with the hope that you don't like the flop, a raise on the flop makes more sense. But, if he is a sensible opponent who calls a preflop raise with only above-average hands (such as pocket pairs), and then bets the flop only when he likes his hand, you should use that information wisely. Let him think he has the best hand and commit himself, and then drop the hammer.



Every now and then, you will go broke with the jacks. Don't let that deter you. Sometimes you have to risk going broke to give yourself the chance to win a big pot. The opportunities to double up in no-limit hold'em don't come up all that often. Having J-J against a lower pocket pair is one of them. Do your best to identify and cultivate those situations, and you'll be on your way to the final table.



You can find other articles of Matt's in the Online Poker News, which is at www.CardPlayer.com.