How do you play pocket eights?
Pocket eights is a playable middle pair you open from every seat, winning small pots when it holds and big ones when it flops a set.
Pocket Eights
PlayableOpen it from anywhere and call a single raise when the stacks reward set-mining. It is a coin flip against two overcards and ahead of the smaller pairs and most unpaired hands, so it is rarely in terrible shape preflop. After the flop, the pair is good on low boards and a clear underdog when several bigger cards arrive.
This hand opens for a raise from every position, including under the gun.
Common mistake: Calling a raise and a re-raise to set-mine without the stacks to justify it. The set pays you off big, but only if there is enough money left behind to win.
Quick tip: A coin flip against two overcards, ahead of everything smaller. Set-mine when the stacks are deep.
All-in equity before the flop
How Pocket Eights runs against a few benchmark hands if all the money goes in preflop. Figures from the Poker Shark equity engine.
Pocket Eights on real flops
Precomputed equity vs a random hand once the flop is out. Each link jumps straight to the 88 row.
- 88 on T 9 8 rainbow : a middling board that hits this range
- 88 on K 9 5 two-tone : one high card with a flush draw live
- 88 on A 7 2 rainbow : the classic dry ace-high board
Know the hand? Now play it for real.
Practice these spots against opponents who punish the wrong move.
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