Playing Split Tens

[PokerGob]

When do you raise a hand like split tens? Pretty much as many times as you can to try and limit the field. Here is a quick rule to avoid getting yourself into trouble.

:8h: :tc: :th:

You should raise this hand if one or no other cards are higher than your door card are acting behind you. If there are two one should limp and see what happens. I should add it is always nice to have a kicker that is higher than the higher cards to act behind you. The 10-10-8 is a borderline calling hand to a raise if the Queen or Jack flat call one or the other's raise. It should be instantly mucked if you see a completion and a raise and it is two bets to call.

You Hold:

:kc: :tc: :th:

and you see a Queen and Jack behind you. This is a much better hand to call a raise with than the tens with an eight. You can make straights and flushes with this hand too, but you can also beat a two pair if your opponent happens to make a two pair also (Kings & Tens vs. Queens and Sevens or something like that) This a hand that is a borderline call if the Queen or Jack flat call one or the other's raise and strong consideration of what they may have if there is a completion then a raise from either door card behind you. You will win more by starting with a good read based on the play behind you and limping in early position when you see big cards behind you.

Questions welcome.

[pokergobette]

You Hold:

:kc: :tc: :th:

and you see a Queen and Jack behind you. This is a much better hand to call a raise with than the tens with an eight.

Questions welcome.

In a situation where a Jack raises and there is one caller with an Eight in the door, is there any validity to raising again, if only to slow down your opponent on fourth street? He will probably be high and should check it to you, allowing you to draw out to that King or two pair more cheaply.

[PokerGob]

If you're going to make this raise, you have to bet 4th and bet 5th. It's not a play for the faint of heart. I would rather just call and hope I hit my kicker on 4th or 5th. Against a strong player or very aggressive, you may find yourself calling a 3 bets pre-drop. You don't want that.

If you King is in the Door you have a much better chance of slowing an opponent down, but technically you'll win more by call and banging them on the turn (5th) if they decide to keep betting and you hit the second pair higher than their door in the whole.

People get really nutty with their hidden pairs, I've seen people raise me with Queens in the hole when I clearly have Aces. If the play works and you beat your opponent, it looks really reckless to me. Who knows? Haha.