How To Play Pocket Fives in Poker

Introduction

This article briefly describes how to effectively play “Pocket Fives” in a real-money poker game. Poker is a game of strategy, and when you are playing poker hands like Pocket fives, it becomes crucial to decide your poker actions (whether to call, raise or fold) depending on factors such as your position, board texture, quality of players on the table and various other factors. 

What are Pocket Fives?

Pocket fives refer to a starting poker hand where a player is dealt two fives. This specific pairing is also known as Presto in poker. The hand consisting of two fives holds a unique place in poker history. Over the past few decades, especially with the rise of online poker, a distinctive culture surrounding this hand has emerged, tracing its roots back to discussions on recorded gambling forums of the early 1990s. Since then, the growth of internet poker games and forums has entrenched the status of this hand within poker mythology.

How to play Pocket Fives in preflop 

• Against Unopened Pots:

If players are seated on a 6-player table, they must raise with pocket fives in the pre-flop stage when they are the first to act. However, on a table of 9 players, the most advisable approach is folding pocket fives when seated in the early positions, including UTG (under the gun), UTG+1, and UTG+2. But if the opponents are playing at your table are playing passively, you can play a bit lenient with Pocket fives.

• Against a Raise:

While playing against a raise with Pocket Fives hands, your game style should adapt based on your position. The image below shows the different table positions from early to late.

Small Blind Position: While sitting in the Small Blind position, your action depends on whom you are up against. If you are playing against the open made by earlier or middle positions, then you should fold the cards and protect your bankroll. On the other hand, only if you are playing against later positions like Cutoff or Button, then you should 3-bet.

Big Blind Position: While sitting in the Big Blind position, the raiser's position becomes critical in deciding what action to take. A raise from the early or middle position often indicates strength, as players tend to play tighter from these spots. Therefore, you should exercise caution here. On the other hand, a raise from late positions like Cutoff or button is expected to be more speculative and hence more playable.

Button Position: Being the last player to act post-flop gives this position unique advantages when playing pocket fives against a raise. However, the raiser's behaviour and position become important factors to consider when deciding whether to call or 3-bet.

Rest of the positions: Pocket fives are not that strong a hand that would survive 4-bet or higher bets. Hence, folding Pocket fives is recommended while sitting in any position other than the ones explained above.

• Against a 3-bet:

Your approach should be cautious and calculative when facing a 3-bet preflop with pocket fives. Against a 3-bet when out of position, minimising losses and waiting for more advantageous situations is often the best strategy with a speculative hand like pocket fives.

While sitting in the position, you can gather more information and decide to fold or call with these hands. In this scenario, your action can be skewed more towards calling.

• Against a 4-bet:

Facing a 4-bet preflop when holding pocket fives signals extreme caution because pocket fives are at a significant disadvantage against the narrow, substantial ranges generally associated with a 4-bet. Position, stack sizes, and the specific dynamics of the table should also influence your decision, but in most cases, the wisest course of action with pocket fives against a 4-bet is to fold. This approach avoids the pitfalls of committing significant portions of your stack with a hand that does not fare well in a deep stack, post-flop play without hitting a set, which only occurs roughly 12% of the time on the flop. Thus, folding Pocket Fives against 4-bet preserves your stack for more advantageous situations.

Pocket Fives Post Flop Strategy If you raised Preflop

• If the flop completes a Three-of-A-Kind or a set:

If you hit a set in the flop stage, play aggressively and start building the pot. Try to make your opponent all-in as early as the river stage. By ensuring this, you stand a chance to win a big pot. On the other hand, failing could lead to winning a small pot or losing to some backdoor straight draw, which could have been folded against earlier betting or check-raises.

• If you hold an Underpair:

Suppose a flop opens like K♠ T♠ 7♥, you have an underpair. With such low-value cards, it is advisable not to put any more money at risk as the probability is quite bleak. Hence, the best action you can take is to check back or just call if someone has made a bet.

Pocket Fives Post Flop Strategy If you called Preflop

• When sitting out of position:

These hands have always proven to be solid bluff catchers. In case a flop opens like A♠ T♠ 9♥ and you have already defended your Big Blind against the Button, then you should not let the opponent go away easily with a small bet. In this case, you should check and call. If the betting action falls on you again, then you can fold Pocket Fives. But you shouldn’t make it a cakewalk for your opponent to walk away with the pot with a mearge bet.

• If you hold an Underpair or Middle pair:

If your Pocket fives are an underpair or middle pair, as they are in cases like A♣ J♣ 3♦, then you should restrict your poker action to checking. For example, if you are positioned at Big Blind and Small Blind simply open-raises, then it is advisable to check back using Pocket Fives. If you don’t feel comfortable with the risk involved, then you need not add further money to the pot.

• Against low paired flops:

Pocket Fives's strength improves while playing against low and medium-paired flops on the table. Although Pocket Fives is quite a tricky and speculative hand, this can be used to slowly raise the bets, thereby making weaker overcards to folds and stronger overcards to get committed in the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are pocket fives?

Pocket fives refer to a starting poker hand where a player receives two fives. 

What are pocket fives known as?

Pocket fives are also known as Presto. 

How should you play pocket fives?

Playing pocket fives involves cautiously proceeding in early positions and becoming more aggressive in later positions, aiming for a set on the flop.

Are Pocket Fives worth playing?

Yes, Pocket Fives can be a profitable hand in many situations, particularly in late positions or when you can be the aggressor pre-flop. The potential to hit a set makes them valuable in specific contexts, but they should be played cautiously, considering the situation at the table and your position.

When should I fold Pocket Fives pre-flop?

Folding Pocket Fives pre-flop is generally recommended in early positions at a full table, against a 4-bet, or if the table dynamics and player tendencies indicate a raise wouldn't be profitable. Assessing the game's flow and your position can guide this decision.

Conclusion 

Mastering the art of playing Pocket Fives in cash poker games is based on strategic flexibility and situational awareness. Success with Pocket Fives demands a nuanced understanding of table dynamics, positional play, and the ability to read the texture of the board and opponents' actions. Preflop decisions vary significantly based on table positions and the actions of your opponents, highlighting the importance of adaptability. Post-flop, the strategy shifts dramatically based on the outcome of the flop. Aggressive play when hitting a set can lead to sizable pots, but caution is advised in less favourable situations. Playing Pocket Fives requires patience, aggression, and strategic foresight.