Pocket pairs can be dangerous, especially for inexperienced players. That’s why in this latest hand analyzed by QuintAce, WPT Global Ambassador Patrick “Egption” Tardif takes a look at a tricky situation with J♦J♣.
“Players with less experience often think about the worst case scenario and try too hard to prevent it from happening,” says Tardif. “Sometimes the worst case scenario happens but you just have to deal with it, not be scared of letting it happen.”
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The Takeaway
Tardif joined WPT Global in 2024 and says he’s no stranger to the feeling of flopping an overpair.
“All undercards, no ace, no king, no queen, and for a split second you feel safe. Then the dread creeps in: that overcard is coming. So you jam for protection.”
“Jamming only gets called by the hands that have you crushed or the draws that flip with you”
“But jamming only gets called by the hands that have you crushed or the draws that flip with you. The fix is to check. The button c-bets almost his whole range, so instead of blasting into him, you let him barrel and you keep the pot small with a hand that wants to see a showdown. Take a breath, think about what actually calls, and don’t turn an overpair into a bluff. And don’t make a panic jam for protection like hero did.”
“Winning a pot in which you made a huge mistake makes it a lot harder to learn from,” says Tardif. “The bad plan worked, and you don’t have the negative emotions of losing the pot, so the mistake is more likely to happen again.”
Hand Study · By Tim Ulmer, with commentary from Patrick “Egption” Tardif · Analysis powered by the QuintAce solver.
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