Playing medium PP's with 25-30bb stack in tournament

[pokeraussie]

Let's dedicate this thread to how you should play medium pocket pairs in tourneys.

I feel like a donk spewing off my chip stack with 77 but I am unsure of how else I could have played the hand.

Raising small seems like a consideration but I really didn't know much or anything at all of the other players tendencies so getting a few callers makes it tough to play post flop. I also have no idea where I am at if a player 3-bet shoves.

[Jeremy]

What position were you in?

I suck for the most part, but with 77 I would be trying to get in as cheap as I can looking for a set. If the set doesn't come I personally would probably fold to a raise. If the set does come, I'd probably be willing to get it in unless big cards are out there and I suspect a bigger set, I might fold there. If someone raises on a draw and catches, well that sucks and why I will never play professionally. I hate those hands when there's action.

[pokeraussie]

I was first to open and I likely would have been OOP in the hand post flop.

[zuutroy]

Set mining with 25bb is never going to show a profit. If you're in the mid to late stages just min-raise or 2.2x if you're first in and play the hand from there. If there's a raise in front of me I'd mostly be folding but if there's an opportunity to squeeze 2 or 3 players and the opener is loose and antes are in play then shipping it in is normally fine.

[pokeraussie]

What I don't like about the min-raise is that with 2 or more callers the majority of flop board textures I am not going to like unless I have a set compounded by the fact that I will be OOP in the hand.

[baldidiot]

How late in the tournament was it? How big are the other players stacks? How many players are on the table? How tight/loose is the table?

TBH, without taking into account any of that extra info I'd probably just fold in that position.

We talking live or online, btw?

[pokeraussie]

It was a $35 buy-in live tourney and I think there were 7 players on the table.

One player folded then the action was on me.

I can't really answer your other questions because I was quickly moved to this new table.

I'd assume I was one of the short stacked players because I registered a bit late to play.

Yeah I am starting to think folding here was the correct play. I spew shoved as my confidence was sky high after taking down another tournament the same night

[OnlinePokerReport]

Set mining with 25bb is never going to show a profit. If you're in the mid to late stages just min-raise or 2.2x if you're first in and play the hand from there. If there's a raise in front of me I'd mostly be folding but if there's an opportunity to squeeze 2 or 3 players and the opener is loose and antes are in play then shipping it in is normally fine.

Pretty much this. It's tough to play mid pairs with a 25BB stack unless you're restealing with them under good conditions.

It's ok to fold pairs.

[Matt Geer]

Set mining with 25bb is never going to show a profit. If you're in the mid to late stages just min-raise or 2.2x if you're first in and play the hand from there. If there's a raise in front of me I'd mostly be folding but if there's an opportunity to squeeze 2 or 3 players and the opener is loose and antes are in play then shipping it in is normally fine.

Pretty much this. It's tough to play mid pairs with a 25BB stack unless you're restealing with them under good conditions.

It's ok to fold pairs.

This.

The only thing I disagree with is shipping with 25bbs, even with antes. That's a little loose -- you can still open/raise, c-bet/fold flop and still have fold equity.

I start shipping with 15bbs (and that's still loose for me personally, as it was/is <10bbs in SNGs).

Keep in mind that's online too, and I have virtually no experience playing live.

[Prenut]

If you open shove 77 with 25/30 bbs in a tournament you should really should consider finding another hobby.