One of the most confusing hands to receive right off the bat in Texas Hold’Em poker is a pocket pair. Your first thought is probably, “That’s an automatic advantage,” but you could be terribly wrong. Let’s take a closer look at what makes the pocket pair such an unstable deal when gambling online.

Boon or Bust? The confusing thing about pocket pairs is that they can be both good and bad, which makes wagering on them a tricky exercise in skill and concentration. When gambling online on a pocket pair, players need to be very wary and sensitive to how others are playing. Although a strong pocket pair like A-A or K-K can ride a player to victory, it can easily be jilted by a simple 2-2-7-7 combination.

The best way to treat a pocket pair is by gambling online appropriately. Here’s some general gambling online advice for different pairs:

If you’ve got a strong pair, play aggressively from the start. Don’t let other players sneak into the Flop, Turn and River on low minimum bets to use the community cards against you. Eliminate weak players early on to ensure that your hand has the best chance of winning.

If you’ve got a weak pair, play cautiously. Remember that a Pair is just one rank above High Card in the poker hierarchy. If the community cards are indicating a Flush or Straight in the works and players are raising the bets, it’s better to bail.