When you play No-Limit Texas Holdem, two decisive moments dictate how you play your hand. The first moment of decision will come when you are dealt your hole cards. You’ll need to decide whether you want to participate in the hand. The next big moment of decision will come after the flop. After the flop, 71 percent of your hand will be on display (five cards will be on the board out the seven total cards you can use to form a hand). The flop is the make or break moment for your hand.

After the flop, you quickly need to decide whether your hand fits, or whether you need to fold. Sometimes this decision will be obvious, and other times it will be more difficult. When you’re holding middle pair in post-flop online poker, you need to proceed with caution.

Consider Your Position When Playing Middle Pair Post-Flop

When you’re holding middle pair after the flop, you need to think about your position at the table. If you are one of the first players to act, you need to be extra careful with your middle pair. You won’t have the benefit of watching other players respond to the flop. This is why you need to be cautious in early position.

In middle position, you can toss out a bet if no one has raised before you. Don’t bet too much with your middle pair, because your hand really isn’t that strong. Make a bet to project strength, but pay close attention to how the other players react to your modest raise.

If you are acting in late position and everyone checked to you after the flop, you have to raise. Your middle pair is likely the best hand (for the moment), and you want to win the pot right then and there before any more cards are put on the board. If you’re playing on or near the button, and someone raises you from early position, you have to think that your middle pair will not be strong enough to win a showdown. Respect early position raises, and just fold your hand.

Understand the Vulnerability of Middle Pair

When you have middle pair after the flop, you need to recognize that you’re holding a very fragile hand. A hand like middle pair can win plenty of pots, especially if the flop fails to help anyone else at the table, but it’s important that you understand how vulnerable this hand really is. Anyone holding a higher pair can ruin your day. If high cards show up on the turn or river, you could easily be beat by a bigger pair. Higher pocket pairs could also cause your demise. Low pocket pairs that turn into sets with help from the board can cause you grief, and it’s not the fault of Full Tilt Poker.

When you’re holding middle pair post-flop, carefully look at the texture of the board before you decide to make a raise. If you’re in early position, just check and see what happens. If you’re playing from a late spot, try to win the pot with a moderately sized bet. If there are suited cards or connectors on the board, be cautious. Base your actions on how your opponents respond to the flop. Don’t call big raises from early position players. If your modest bets get called quickly or reraised, be ready to throw your middle pair in the muck.

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