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Is top two pair a "big" hand? Is top two pair a "big" hand?

03-31-2016 , 01:39 PM
Long time recreational player but beginner in ability. Just trying to learn to play solid, fundamental ABC poker.

Microstakes, 10H online. I have top two pair by the turn, rainbow-uncoordinated board. Villain (no read) limped early position preflop, but reraises on turn, and reraises all-in on the river.

I figure he has a set or a middle pair, A kicker (AXs), or a weaker two pair.

Is top two pair "big" enough to call all in here? With top two pair am I trying to build a big pot?
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
03-31-2016 , 02:23 PM
Top 2 is a good hand, and on the type of board you describe it is good most of the time. People do get sets, and sometimes you lose. I'm not sure why you figure him for a middle pair with an ace kicker - that seems pretty specific, and also hardly a hand someone wants to get all-in with.

There also is a bit of a problem with your use of "re-raise". It means to raise someone after they have already raised. So, on the turn or river he would be betting, you would be raising, and he would be re-raising. If this really happened then I'd say there is a pretty good chance he has a set. If, instead, you just mean that you bet and he raised the turn; then he shoved the river, there is less evidence of a monster hand.

He could have an overpair, top pair, two pair, a set and air. With no reads, your real decision is on the turn. Once you call there, if the river is a blank, you pretty much have to call the river.

Is the river bet a normal bet or a massive overbet? If he has anything less than a pot-sized bet left, the normal bet is to shove. It doesn't really mean any more than if he bet 1/2 the pot. On the other hand, if is 3 times the pot, it does mean something. Unfortunately what it means is very villain dependent, and since you have no read you really won't know what it means for him. Some people see it as the best way to get folds; other people see it as a way to get maximum value from a monster. Some people do it for both reasons.
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
03-31-2016 , 02:43 PM
it depends. on a A94 rainbow board it looks like of good, on a QJT monotone board, not so much
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
03-31-2016 , 02:51 PM
OTF it's much better than OTR
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
03-31-2016 , 04:36 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Onelastout
Is top two pair "big" enough to call all in here? With top two pair am I trying to build a big pot?
Depends on the board texture, stack sizes, the action sequence, positions etc.

AK on AK27r is a monster in most circumstances and you'd be going for 3 streets of value.
65 on 6532 is not a hand I want to play for stacks with if I just got raised on the turn.
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
03-31-2016 , 05:45 PM
How is top 2 pair doing vs. your opp. range? What does his range look like?

Difference between absolute hand strength vs. relative hand strength which is your hand relative to your opp. range of hands.
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
03-31-2016 , 06:06 PM
Against a villain that raises your bet on the turn and the river, two pair is a bluff catcher. It is nowhere near a big hand with that kind of action.
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
03-31-2016 , 07:36 PM
Top two is a big hand but hand strength is also relative not absolute.
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
04-02-2016 , 03:05 AM
depends. on some boards versus some Vs top 2 is an easy check fold. like against a nit who only raise qq+ and AK. if the board comes AKQ and you have AK with no type of FD you are a big dog. even if you do have a BDFD your EQ is only 23 percent. Or if the board is T97 and i get raised top 2 might as well be ace high

Last edited by grumpy64; 04-02-2016 at 03:13 AM.
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
04-02-2016 , 11:51 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by VBAces

There also is a bit of a problem with your use of "re-raise". It means to raise someone after they have already raised. So, on the turn or river he would be betting, you would be raising, and he would be re-raising. If this really happened then I'd say there is a pretty good chance he has a set. If, instead, you just mean that you bet and he raised the turn; then he shoved the river, there is less evidence of a monster hand.
Thanks for everyone's replies, appreciate it. And yes, I meant he just raises, not re-raises (sorry!).
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
04-02-2016 , 07:10 PM
all depends on the board but yes generally it is a really good hand if someone doesn't have a set
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote
04-03-2016 , 06:17 AM
all hands are really good hands until your opponent wakes up with something better...
Is top two pair a "big" hand? Quote

      
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