Originally Posted by
RegGaymer
The implied odds might be there against weaker players who will stack off with one pair hands, but good players will be more likely to get away when they see a guy like Druff making a move post. Also, there's reverse implied odds to consider: the fact that we're even thinking about putting more chips in on the flop means that we're open to losing more, when initially the idea was to call pre and lay it down if we miss our set.
FWIW, if we're on the button, or closing the action in the bb against a single raiser, then playing these small pocket pairs becomes much more viable.
Then perhaps the right move is just to be disciplined and refuse to invest another chip in the pot unless you flop a set or an open-ender. I've thought about that myself, as I have sometimes bled chips away when attempting to set mine, due to not wanting to fold when I think my pocket pair unassisted is possibly best.
You talk of good players being able to make laydowns, but you're forgetting how short MOST players are compared to the blinds at this point. I can't think of many players, for example, who would fold to my 52k stack all in if they have AK on a K93 board. If the board looks drawy, such as having two of one suit, or is something like KT3, then they are especially likely to stack off. We're not talking about trying to set-mine with a huge stack versus another huge stack. (In fact, I am usually reluctant to do that, fearing that I will get in a nightmarish set-over-set situation, and shoot off my entire huge stack in one hand, while not receiving the same level of upside when my set is the best hand.)
Truthfully, most players are going to (correctly) stack off against a 30-ish BB stack if they hold a good top pair or better, and sometimes with even worse if they suspect a move with a draw.
In a slower-moving structure, or at a stage where everyone is deeper, then I'm more inclined to fold the 33 pre. Not here.