I would appreciate some opinions on how to play high pocket pars preflop. I play .25/.50 NL (maimum $50 buyin).

I have generally been either betting or raising the pot by $2.50 preflop. The vast majority of the times I win the blinds and any preflop calls that have been made. I do not get any further action.

There must be a better way.

Thanks,

cat923

Generally raising A-A through Q-Q is fine, but you want to be a little more careful with J-J and especially 10-10. Jacks and 10s are usually considered medium pocket pairs.

You may want to consider raising to $2, or 4BB, instead of 5BB. Ideally you'd get 1 or 2 callers each time, so the amount you have to raise may vary from table to table. Most of the time you'll end up winning a small or medium sized pot with big pocket pairs anyway.

If you are very tight, you may want to consider raising more often (see Iceman's "Playing it Backwards" article). Being more aggressive will get you more action.

Finally, don't be afraid to switch tables if your table is too tight. Table selection is key -- find a table with loose players.

my standard is a raise to $2 on the 50c tables but it alters alot depending on who is in the pot with me and who is still to come..