Tip #30 - Don't get married to overpairs
An overpair is when you hold a pocket pair that's higher than any card on the board. While these are often strong hands, many players lose significant money by refusing to fold them when faced with heavy action. Just because you started with the best hand doesn't mean you still have the best hand.
Warning signs that your overpair might be beat:
- Facing multiple bets or raises
- The board is coordinated (possible straights or flushes)
- A tight player suddenly showing aggression
- Multiple players willing to put money in
- Your opponent's line doesn't make sense for a weaker hand
Common scenarios where overpairs get into trouble:
- Holding JJ on a T-9-8 board
- Having QQ against multiple opponents on an A-high board
- Holding KK on a board with three suited cards
- Having a medium overpair against a player who rarely bluffs
- Facing a raise and a reraise from tight players
How to play overpairs correctly:
- Consider board texture before committing chips
- Pay attention to opponent tendencies
- Be willing to fold to heavy action
- Value bet against weaker ranges
- Don't stack off automatically just because you have an overpair
Remember that poker is a game of incomplete information, and your hand's strength is always relative to what your opponents might have. While overpairs are strong hands that should usually be played for value, they're not strong enough to call off your stack without careful consideration of the situation. As the saying goes, "There are no absolutes in poker."