As a result, middling pocket pairs tend to comprise a significant portion of our range that raises preflop and calls a 3-bet. These hands are usually too strong to fold versus a 3-bet while also being too weak to 4-bet. That said, “middling” can mean different things to different people, so it could be more like Pocket Nines through Fives depending on who you’re talking to. When poker players talk about middle pocket pairs, they are most likely referring to Pocket Tens through Pocket Sixes. Let’s start by making sure everyone is on the same page. This article includes tips for all kinds of different situations that arise when playing middle pocket pairs after you’ve called a 3-bet. While that is definitely the best and most profitable part of playing these hands, there are some nuances that come up the other 89.2% of the time. But that only happens about 10.8% of the time.

You call and hope to hit the jackpot (a set). Middle pocket pairs can feel like slot machines when you raise and someone 3-bets behind you.

Pocket play