Mister Holdem

Limit Holdem: Middle Pairs & Over Cards

The middle pairs and over cards in Limit Holdem are some of the most intricate, and also misplayed hands in the entire game. If you want to be a good player, it is critical that you understand the ways they must be played.

First of all, your Limit Holdem strategy must make sure that you know exactly what the middle pair is in your game. Usually however, it is between 55 to 77, although the nature of the Poker table will determine this.

If you are holding a middle pair with a high kicker, then you can consider making a call. If the pot odds are correct, you can also make a draw for the two pair or set, which can be formidable. If you get the set, your Limit Holdem option can be to bet hard and try to take the pot, or slow play to increase the money. Keep in mind that the fewer the opponents in the hand, the stronger your hand becomes.

If you are holding a middle pair with a weak kicker, then you must consider your options more carefully. You must consider the table and the players. If they are very tight and aggressive then you should consider folding your hand and moving on to the next hand.

As for over cards, they are also complex hands that require deep strategizing. If the flop has a lot of face cards, then your Limit Holdem strategy must be to fold. You should especially be careful if the hands involved are Ace/Queen and Queen/Jack and Jack/Ten. While they may look good, the fact is that they have little potential for big draws in Limit Holdem.

Even if you hit your over card in Limit Holdem, in all likelihood you will also give your opponent a stronger hand. The amount you bet to get that hand will just increase the pot that your opponent can win. The proper time to draw over cards in Limit Holdem is when the accompanying cards are not strong, and if your hand can make other combinations. Otherwise, fold. You will just end up making an expensive mistake.

There are other ways that you will be able to utilize middle pairs and over cards, but by knowing the basic ways that one can play these cards, the easier you will be able to make the proper fine tuning and modifications in your Limit Holdem game.