How to play Pocket Queens QQ
Playing pocket queens should not be a difficult task for any player but without direction it can get you into unwanted trouble. So in this short guide I will walk you through the correct way to play pocket queens and how to avoid trouble.
Pocket queen QQ is a very good starting hand, it is one of the best. In fact it is the third best hand you can be dealt. One thing to keep in mind however, is just because you had a good hand before the flop does not always mean you have a good hand after the flop. By this what I mean is don’t get attached to your hand because it looks nice. Sometimes it is correct to fold a hand like this after the flop. One of the main reasons beginners lose money is they get attached to their big premium pairs and cannot fold them when they should after the flop. Don’t be stubborn and just call because you have a big pocket pair. Think about what your opponent may have.
In the case of pocket queens you should be raising preflop. If the pot is unopened then you should open to the standard raise of 3x the big blind. In the case that the pot has already been opened then you should put in a decent sized 3bet of 2.5x – 3.5x the open raise size. If there has been a 3bet in the pot already you need to analyze the player who made the 3bet. Are they very aggressive and been 3betting a lot? If so do they continue their aggression after the flop? If so maybe just calling and letting them bluff is a good play. If they are likely to shove it you 4bet then go ahead and 4bet as QQ vs an aggressive player is fine to get all the chips in with.
If the player that 3bet is very tight then you can just flat and try to hit a set if you both have deep stacks. If you have less than 100 big blinds and over 30 then folding is not a bad option. Yes I know folding a big pair preflop feels bad but it is sometimes the best play. If you have less than 30 big blinds then you should just go all in.
If you make it to a flop and there is no ace or a king then keep betting to get value and if there is an ace or a king then you should bet once and if you get called then proceed with caution and consider folding.
