In no limit I try not to play any small pocket pairs unless I’m sure I can get at least 12x (or better) back what I have to put in preflop. Thus with a 20x BB stack I would not call any raises preflop, unless my preflop odds contributed greatly to that 12x. An example of this would be a min raiser with several callers, and me in the BB, closing the action. With deeper stacks, I usually try to trail in and try for that set, hoping to stack someone after the flop.

Once I do flop a set, I more often than not bet out, hoping to get raised.

However, in your example, I might take a stab at it now and then, but usually would not bet 66 into a 5 2 K board unless I was second to act (if heads up), or if I sensed weakness for some reason. Whatever happens, I would not bet again if called for most instances like this one.

I don’t personally like to push with small pairs preflop in a no limit ring game, at least not very often. If you get called, it’s usually a gamble at best, but once in a while you’re beat by an overpair pretty bad. With a hand like 33 or 66 most any piece of garbage can call you and get the needed approximately 6:5 odds, as long as they don’t have an undercard or a match to your pair.

The above comments are not universal or locked in stone of course. Reading the table and players could change my plays. Also, in tournaments I would tend to be more aggressive.

PG

I’m curious about how you would play NL hold ‘em small/ mid pocket pairs.

Say you’re holding 66, preflop with 20BB in chips (early-mid game). Do you like to push at all preflop, or do you just trail in and hope to hit your set?

Flop comes out, 2 5 K. Should I push a little here, to see if someone hit their K?

Just curious in general for your strategy playing low pocket pairs (when you don’t hit your set on the flop).

Thanks!
Travis