When to Call the Flop with Less Than Top Pair

Your Opponent

You have to study your opponent. Look at how often he continuation-bets on the flop. Look at how often he checks the flop and on what kinds of boards. Look at how often he double barrels the turn.

Pay attention to how often he plays pot control with showdown-value hands.

If he always checks back any non-top-pair hands, only bets top pair and bluffs on a J  7  3  board, you know when he’s betting he either has top pair or a bluff.

If that same opponent seldom double barrels the turn, you’ll also know that when he bets that turn again he has top pair or better.

A general rule is that you should be less inclined to call with a weak-ish second-pair-type hand if your opponent is likely to keep the heat up on the turn and river.

Example: You open-raise from the cutoff with 9 8 and your opponent on the button calls. The flop is K 9 4 . You continuation-bet, and your opponent raises. You have middle pair but no backdoor draws. If you know this particular opponent frequently raises the flop with only top pair or better, it becomes easier to lay down your 9 8 despite having a pair.

Board Texture

One of the most important factors when deciding to peel the turn with a second-pair-type hand is the board texture. There are just some boards that aren’t as likely to have hit your opponent.

For example, 8  7  is more likely to be good on a J  8  4  board than it is on a K  2  7  board. Thus you should be more inclined to call.

Get to know your opponent’s pre-flop raising range and every time you’re facing a bet gauge how likely it is to have hit his range.

Example: You defend your big blind with 7 6 against a late-position raise. The flop comes Q 7 2 . Your opponent bets. Since this board may not strongly connect with his broadway-heavy range and you have middle pair plus potential backdoor draws, calling can be profitable. Contrast this with a flop like K Q 7 , where your middle pair is far more vulnerable against a typical raiser’s range.

Outs and Equity

As with anything in Texas Hold’em you should be more inclined to call if you have additional outs. Outs add equity to your hand. You’re hoping your opponent will shut down when you call, but you want to have equity in case he chooses to continue.

There’s a Lot of Value in Worse Hands

There’s a lot of value in playing hands worse than top pair – especially against opponents that c-bet too often.

Get to know how your opponents play certain hands and pay attention to their barreling frequencies. Don’t just call and give up on the turn every single time.

Pay attention to how the board runs out and weigh that with how likely they are to double or triple barrel.

Folding every hand that isn’t top pair is essentially leaving money on the table. But if you start calling every hand without thinking, you’ll burn even more money.

Just think about how your hand stacks up vs. your opponent’s range and play poker. And remember that a potential Plan B really adds equity to your hand.

Balancing Your Range in Tough Spots

One core principle of advanced play is mixing in a balanced calling range in spots where you might otherwise fold too frequently. For instance, if you always fold second pair on coordinated flops against a single continuation-bet, observant opponents will exploit you by continuation-betting more often. Balancing your calls with certain hands that have backdoor potential or strong blockers keeps your flop strategy less predictable. It also helps you realize your equity when turn or river cards improve your hand. This approach leans heavily on GTO (Game Theory Optimal) ideas, aiming to make you tough to read and prevent glaring leaks.

Many professionals run situational simulations to see how certain ranges perform on various boards. By analyzing outcomes, they discover which second pairs and draws have sufficient equity to continue. This data-driven approach can help refine your intuition and guide difficult flop decisions where you hold less than top pair.

Adjusting to Opponents’ Post-Flop Tendencies

While GTO concepts guide you in a vacuum, real-world adjustments are often essential. If you face an opponent who rarely double barrels without a strong holding, calling the flop with second or even third pair can be profitable, anticipating a check on the turn. Conversely, if you know he aggressively barrels multiple streets, tighten your calling range with weak pairs and favor hands that have a clear path to improving. Use past showdowns and tracker data to identify these tendencies, and continually refine your strategy to stay one step ahead.