NLHE:Preflop:Big pair

No strategy guide can give you a catch-all answer as to what to do with a specific hand at every instance you happen to hold it. A number of factors such as the opponents' ranges, your table image, the difference in stack sizes, etc. can and should influence your action. The overall idea should generally be to balance your range, and play hands differently on different occasions so as not to become predictable.

With all this in mind, big pair preflop strategy generally involves pumping up the pot to ensure maximum value. A 3x Big Blind raise or higher will achieve the following: It will thin the field in a full ring to minimise variance and maximise short term value and it will isolate speculative hands that big pairs will generally be ahead against. If the hand is a monster like pocket aces, kings or queens and the table seems tight, a call may also be wise.