Pocket Jacks, the “Hooks” is the hand that everyone struggles with. What is the RIGHT way to play it?
There's really only one way to play pocket Jacks and consistently rake in the pots. I mean the last thing you want to do is WASTE it, right?
You want to put down a rather large pre-flop raise for your table. If you make a whippy raise or just limp-in and you have more than two opponents, you ARE going to LOSE this hand.
When I'm playing in a SNG game and the big blind is $10. Most of players are throwing out raises like $25 or maybe $40 before the flop. So when I would grab pocket Jacks, I would throw out a raise of $50 or $60. Just enough to get most of the table to fold, but not enough that I feel pot-committed. Because if I get raised here, I mucking my hand. Now, sometimes, if have a decent chip stack, I'll call his raise in order to see the flop. Of course, I'm hoping to see another Jack or I'm folding.
After the flop, if you're first to act, you want to represent the flop and bet, larger than your pre-flop. So in my case, I would throw out a $75 bet.
If I am last to act, unless the flop helps my opponent, he's most likely to check to me because of my large pre-flop raise. So again I would throw out a $75 bet. You don't want to do anything crazy here, because he may be slow playing you. So if he comes back over the top of you, then I muck it and count my losses. But, this way you're still sitting at the table.
Your goal should be to create head-up action. If no one calls, rake in the blinds. If you do get a caller, bet again on the flop..regardless of what hits. Chances are you still have the best hand. You'll be amazed at how many pots you take down by following these simple two steps.
You can find more tips like these on my site
www.chi-townpoker.com
Joe "FlushNutz" Black
Who Hates Pocket Jacks?
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