Poker blog

I used to believe that the primary reason to fold low pocket pairs from early position was to avoid the risk of losing in a set-over-set scenario. While that's definitely a valid concern, I've come to realize there's another factor to consider.

When we're holding the lowest pocket pairs, like pocket deuces or threes, we're essentially "blocking" a significant portion of our opponents' potential pre-flop folding range. In other words, by holding these hands, we reduce the likelihood that our opponents will have weak hands like A♦2♣, K♥3♠, or 7♦2♥. This increases the risk that opponents will call our raise, leaving us in a tricky spot where we have to play out-of-position with a hand that has poor post-flop playability. Even worse, we might face a 3-bet, and we'll be forced to fold without realizing the equity of our hand.

Compare this a hand like A♣5♣, which block potential ace-high hands from opponents, but it also unblocks weaker hands that might contain a deuce or three. Additionally, A♣5♣ has good post-flop potential, with chances to hit nut flush draws or both high and low straights, giving it much better playability compared to low pocket pairs.