[Takethepot25]

Playing pocket jacks has to be the hardest hand to deal with in poker. It looks so pretty when you get dealt it preflop but it really isnt that great a hand. Think of how you feel if you have J 9 and the flop comes J A 2. Thats how u have to think of pocket jacks. Play them but be careful. If you hit a set your looking good. But dont let them fool you. There not as strong a hand as u think. I used to lose so much money on this hand but i finally figured out how to play them.

[beriac]

I think with pocket JJ, you need to either try to sneak into the pot and hope for a set or at least an overpair, or bet them very aggressively and limit yourself to 1:1 play or getting your competition to fold. Anything in between is highly dangerous!

[burea1124]

I think I'd raise pretty big, about 3x 4x big blind, and limit competition. Trying to limp in with JJ, I think, doesn't get the respect it deserves. If the flop comes 7 5 T, you can take a nice pot by betting big right on the flop. Instead, if the flop comes A K Q, you can be fairly certain others probably called with one of these, and throw JJ away. I think definitely the best scenario will be flop A Q J, as long as K or T doesn't come up, you are in for a big pottt.

[ssmooth8]

For most freeroll players Jacks is definitely a call to an allin hand. Some players play aces to allin before a player raises which is very misleading. Because usually a player with aces want a caller or 2. And for a player with kq, ak, aq, ace of any high card would be liable to call for a lose. But if they get no callers and just the blind it is definitely a waste. People just need to be smarter with their cards. However when a player goes all in with AA one doesn't know that and they would definitely think J's are good so they'd call putting them on a small pair.

[karafran]

i agree they look great but they are nasty turncoats that bite u hard if your not careful, I hate them, and should fold them (but most times dont) whenever I get them....they sting me more times than not by a fair percentage.

[EnshrinedByGrace]

Hope for low cards or to hit trips.

[money_maker]

It also depends on how everyone else is playing. If they are playing very tight they will only call with a monster hand and it limits you on how you play. However, loose players could call a bet thats 4x the big blind. Therefore you can play the jacks freely and if you do get a set or a undercard board then you can punish the players.

Its a difficult hand to play if you dont know how the others at your table are playing.

[flaquitAA]

im totally agree is a very difficult hand to play, i by own expirience i play them like any other pair from 10 to 2s and whait the set or make an easy fold, i lose many times whit them even whit sets so for that reasoon i decide to play them very tight.
flaq

[dovla]

it's tough play.. all medium pocket pairs (from jacks to nines) are really hard to play from early position..

but JJ is definitely a raising hand.. from early position you must raise about 4-5 of big blind, jacks are too weak to stay in multi-way pot.. if there is lot of action in front of you on strong table (raises - reraises) i think you need to fold..

in middle or late position if everyone folds it's a monster hand.. there are only 3 pocket pairs stronger than you, and overcards where you are slightly favourite.. (if i'm short stacked and blinds are coming, i would go to the end with jackies or tens)

[123Law]

Trying to limp in with JJ, I think, doesn't get the respect it deserves.

I agree... JJ is a hand that is right at the cusp of being a power hand, or it could be a crap hand. By betting strong (albeit in position) you push JJ into the more likelihood of it being a power hand instead of crap hand. There are only 12 cards you dont want to see flopped if you get a caller, 4 queens, 4 kings and 4 aces. Bet it strong, and push those with A5, K9, etc., out of the pot early.

Double think it if not in great position and factor in stack size and players background.

just my .02