200NL over at Pacific.

I'm about to leave, and usually leave right before the BB gets to me. I get Pocket 9's UTG. I limp. Two middle position players also limp. The short stack on the button, who only has $42 (I have full stack of $200) raises to $12. So it's $10 for me to call.

What do you do here? When playing low to mid pocket pairs, you are usually playing set it or forget it. My implied odds are not good here considering I can only win another $30 from the Button.

But there are two limpers who may possibly call the raise too. And both of them had me covered. But it could be just as likely they have pocket pairs and are also playing set it or forget it.

Lets assume there is a 50% chance that at least one of the limpers will call (thats probably on the low end). Is it worth it to call the raise with pocket 9's?

Thanks

Oh, ick

if i think there is a really good chance one of the other guys comes along I call and play for a set if it i think the other limpers will fold I will fold and leave for the night

good question

When you figure out your implied odds on a pair, you can almost disregard people who have limped. Because even if you hit your set, you need them to hit something too. The value of playing for a set against a PF raise comes from the fact that the guy who raised liked his hand. The limper probably needs something to improve his hand. So even if you set with your nines, you need that guy to also make a hand, in this case probably a lower set or two pair with his connectors...the odds of you making a set and one of the limpers also making a hand is so slim that you should just let it go.

Unless you want to push against the short stack, which isn't an unreasonable play. But simply calling for set value is a -EV play.

I agree, if the guy raising (short stack or not) is pretty ABC and the flop comes out with no paint then I might attack the raiser anyway since you are a big fav over a missed AK or AQ.

Rich

I find myself playing these kind of hands just as I am about to leave the table and then losing money in this kind of situation, and feeling frustrated.

So I just fold and end my session there if that is what you were intending to do anyway..

As it is, pump it or dump it situation, either re-raise vs the shorty trying to rep a monster or fold, no implied odds and the limpers probably don't have much / need to hit the flop just as hard as you do in order to pay you off.

I think it's an easy call. You have to call $10 in a $9 pot. The only players left to act are players who limped after you did, so the chance of them sitting on a re-raising hand is extremely low.

If you do call and get one or both of them to come along, if you hit your set you can lead out with a bet about the size of the pot which would look suspiciously like you're trying to put the short stack to the test. If one of the other players actually hits something there is a good chance you'll get some action.

The pre-flop call is only about 1/20th of your stack, and assuming the other two limpers have decent stacks I like your implied odds.

Thanks for the replies folks. I definately learned something here.

I ended up folding with a heavy sigh, but I knew, I KNEW, that a nine would come on the flop.

One of the limpers called.

Flop came , ,

Some betting insued and the short stack was all-in.

Turn was the and river was the

So a pretty draw heavy board.

But limper showed pocket Tens, and shortie small stack showed pocket Jacks.

So I would have won a really nice pot to end the morning.

Oh well.

If I play this hand, I'm probably reraising to isolate. Like mike said, you don't really get good implied odds from other guys as they have to hit their hand two (where a pfr is assumed to have a hand).

For me, its a total read play. If the short stack has shown some donkish tendencies, I'll reraise and expect to be a 60/40 fav. However, if shortie has been rather tight most of the time, I'm not inclined to get involved with less than JJ.