JJ....how do you play them

[thenutzaa1]

I have been in some tough situations with pocket jacks lately. I am so furstated with them i just want to fold but i know i cant do that. here is one example: I am in a shootout tourney and top three move on to the next round, I am sitting 2nd in chips and blinds are 40, 80 and first to act this guy makes it 240 to go. I look down at pocket jj for me and i ask the guy if he has a pocket pair and he mumbles yes and i looked at him and said you have a strong ace. and he laugh and gave me a smile and i knew at that time he didnt have a pocket pair. after getting this info i made the call and make sure high cards did not come out. the flop was 10,7 2 nice flop for me and i went all in knowing he did not hit his ace. well he snapped call with A10 fine by me i am still ahead. next card out ACE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was a little mad!!!!!! and i did not move to the next round..............please help me and give me advice about playing JJ.......i am usually aggressive with them but i cant seem to win at all.

[esmordan]

in this situation you made the right move.....even if he has 2 overs its a terrible call for him.....as long as you are getting your money in good its the right move....rather not be in race siruations but in this case you wern't.....JJ is the hardest hand to play preflop......i have almost been gining into the samw this with my KK and QQ haha they person calls an all in with thier weak ace and hits that 3 outer like its garenteed to hit

[ffcowboy76]

I'm gonna disagree with es here. While he didn't say how much was in the pot or how much he bet, I'm pretty sure he overbet the pot by at least 2x the pot. Now, with that information and his pre-flop talk, I might make that call, thinking he has AK or AQ. That has become a common play with the rash of over aggressive online players running around. He probably figured that he was ahead when he called and that he was dodging only 3 outs.

For the next time, try just betting pot. It's a hell of a lot scarier than an all in over pot push. It will really make the player wonder what you could have that you just bet pot. He's more apt to put you on an over pair and lay the hand down.

[kingsnthahole]

either way here it sounds like he's a donkey, you may have made the right play, but if he raised w AT, hes gonna call an all-in w top pair all day so yea he hit a 7 outer on you, but if your planning on getting your money in with this hand, just shove preflop, and make him make a bad decision...keep in mind your only a 75ish% fav to win the hand...

[thenutzaa1]

If i bet pot it was for basically all my chips and his. I just knew he had ace weak and if that board came low i was shoving. and it did and he called.

[acesup1984]

I think jacks are one of the worst hands they always and i repeat always seem to get drawn out on no matter what i do how do you all play them any info would be greatly appreciated

[eejit101]

JJ is basically 75% vs random hands. Theres normally one overcard when you push, its likely there is 2, and there are 3 overpairs.

I still never fold it unless i get a reason to (i.e reraises) but mostly nowadays ill limp or raise to 3-4x BB and see.

[kingsnthahole]

i agree, but if you take the flop with two people...lets say one has KJ and one has AQ, your no longer a favorite to win the hand
JJ=37.26%
AQ=39.11%
KJ=22.14%

i dont necessarily agree with shoving preflop with JJ all the time, but if you got a read on your opponent, and you want to either A) isolate or B)take down the pot preflop, then by all means, do what you gotta do...i find more often than not, when i play my jacks, and i play them properly, i come out on the winning edge now...

early position at the table, i usually make a small bet, like 2.5-3 times the BB, and im looking for action or tells on opponents...you have to know your player...if you get 2 people behind you calling, your obviously not ahead preflop, and you need to flop a J to take this pot down, or win a big one. If the flop comes all low, dont be so sure that you have the hand...make a bet anywhere from 1/2-2/3 the pot, see what happens, if you get reraised, proceed cautiously, and see the turn or river at your own risk...if you think hes got a set or even QQ or better, let it go...its not worth all your chips with JJ, ALWAYS REMEBER that an ace can fall on the river...and thats what people do, they chase and play aggressively with AK...

middle position i like to isolate the blinds and actually take over position, on the rest of the table so i usually make a large bet, about 4.5-5, maybe even 6 times the BB, same deal, proceed cautiously and if the flop isnt that bad for you, maybe one over, still bet at it...(keep in mind, my style of play is this same preflop betting pattern, whether i have AK, AA, JJ, 9Toffsuit, or even 56 suited) so yes, it seems like its an easy read from any standpoint at the table, but not when i show down 94suited in the same situation...
anyways, if you get one caller to the turn, and the texture of the flop was As 5s 8d...turn 2c

You have to decipher whether or not your opponent has either a weak/or possibly strong ace, or if hes just got the flush draw...in this situation i like to bet about 1/3-1/2 the pot, almost an underbet, but more of a value bet...if he insta calls, you know hes got the ace, if he thinks about it, he most likely has the flush draw...if he thinks about it and smooth calls and the flush doesn't hit, and he still bets out on the river, think back to what you know about this opponent, is he aggressive, or is he passive...and make an educated guess...

late position is the same as middle, but to an unopened pot, i only raise about 4x bb...i generally reraise if theres a single raiser, if theres a raiser and a snap call, i'll just smooth call it and see a flop...all the same rules apply to late position as in middle...also, Tread cautiously on the turn if someone behind you calls, even tho your in late position...ive noticed about 50% of my big hands are getting floated on to the river and someone trys a big bluff on the river, obviously know your player, if they are aggressive and they bet big, theyre trying to tell you something (DONT CALL MY RERAISE) so what do you do, you call that shiite all day long and take his money for floating on you, if he value bets, make a judgement call if you think he has it, fold...if you think he doesn;t, then call and see what garbage he turns up...he may have the flush or straight...you never know, but you can make educated guesses on the type of hands your opponents play by what they show you....

cheers and good lucks with the captain hooks!