How To Play Pocket 8′s
April 7, 2009
Playing Pocket 8′s PreFlop is a situational decision that should be based on your position, your status at the table (a strong or weak player) and the type of opponent(s) you are up against. Pocket 8′s isn’t a bad hand to have PreFlop, but in certain scenarios, Folding really is the best option. We’ll go over the aspects of a poker hand that can make or break playing Pocket 8′s PreFlop.
How to Play Pocket 8′s PreFlop – Table Size
How many players are you up against? Is it a full table of 9 or 10, a short-handed table of no more than 6, or a heads-up game between you and one other competitor? Generally speaking, the fewer adversaries you have to contend with, the high the value of Pocket 8′s PreFlop becomes.
At a full table, playing Pocket 8′s PreFlop should only be considered from late position after a good number of players have already Folded , leaving only one or two limpers in the mix. There should be no known tight players in the pot. Make a moderate bet or raise and if the blinds are tight players, and don’t Fold, you can see if the Flop helps, but get out if it doesn’t.
A short handed table is better because there should be fewer opponents calling. Again, your aim is to knock as many draw hands out of the pot as possible and see if the Flop improves your hand.
Heads-up is the best possible situation for playing Pocket 8′s PreFlop. These hands are often won by high card or a single pair. Betting high out of the gate can easily cause a fold, drawing at least the Blinds into your stack. If it moves to the Flop, if there’s no improvement, either Fold out now and conserve your stack, or if a scare card hits – Ace, King or all same suits – try a high bet to bluff him out.
How to Play Pocket 8’s PreFlop – The Competition
what kind of players are you up against? This is a very important element to consider when deciding whether to play Pocket 8′s PreFlop. If you’re up against a table of loose players (or only the loose players are betting), your hand gains value. Loose players will move on with a wide range of hands. It’s hard to say whether they have you bested, but at least you can assume your Pocket 8′s are strong enough to move onto the Flop.
Competing against tight players is a whole other ballpark. A tight player is not going to move on without a great starting hand. If he chooses to move on, you can put him on a high pocket pair or high suited connectors. You should be able to accurately determine his strength after the Flop. Don;t call an expensive bet to see it, but if it’s decently cheap to do so, go to the Flop and see how he reacts. Beware the Check-Raise! If the Flop doesn’t improve your hand and he checks to you, do NOT fall into the trap of betting back to him. Simply check back through the hand and take what you can get from the pot. Tight players are shrewed and never stay in a pot they think they won’t win.
How to Play Pocket 8’s PreFlop – What’s Your Style?
Loose players will have no qualms about playing Pocket 8′s PreFlop. To a loose player, this a great hand to move on to the Flop. If the lop doesn’t help, a Loose player will determine his next move by the actions of his opponents, as we discussed above.
A tight player will most often Fold Pocket 8′s PreFlop, unless in late position. Tight players are generally very experienced in reading their opponents, not just quickly, but accurately. Don’t be too aggressive until the Flop comes down. Keep reading your opponents and play accordingly.
Other Texas Hold’em Related Articles
- How To Play Pocket 3’s
- How To Play Pocket 5’s
- How To Play Pocket 6’s
- How To Play Pocket 7’s
- How To Play Pocket 9’s
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