Online Poker Forum at Full Tilt Poker

BlowupPoker-com · Pair Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 21

I'm in the BB with QQK3 rainbow and get to see the flop for free with 5 to the flop in a $5 or $10 sng for example.

Flop: Qc 7d 8d

SB checks to me and I make it around 2-3 bets to go - to hopefully get multiple low chasers to add to 'my' pot if it finds a way to hold up.
How many of you check the flop? Playing soft by only drawing for the boat will basically guarantee you will split the pot with a low, and it allows the diamond and str8 draws to catch up without paying for it.
If you check the flop, do you reraise the bettor or flat call to see how bad the turn is?
There's only a few safe turn cards to hit, a 7, 8, or non-diamond K would be ideal (or the case Q), and a safe A keeps you at the nuts (most likely)but allows low to hit and freeroll a scoop.

What do you do on a range of turn cards since you are first to act?

CK

Zophar · Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject:

There are alot of variables determining my play here. Pot size, number of players in the hand and their stack sizes. Even though it appears you have the best hand, there are several hands you are actually a dog against and many that are still races.

Leading out here is bad IMO the majority of the time. Any 4 5 6 9 10 J or diamond falls on the turn, there's a good chance you fell behind on the whole pot or now half at best. A non diamond 2 is about the only baby you may want to see, but not so much that even. You do not want to be betting into this and will likely be check/calling or check/folding the turn.

If it gets checked around, you have given up free cards, but will also receive one. If the board pairs and your opponent has one of the pairing cards, you're going to stack them. It's a great concept to make people pay for their draws, but again, they may not be behind! Here all you end up doing is building a big pot OOP w/an extremely vulnerable hand.

I'm probably looking to check raise here if my opponent(s) have fairly small stacks, I for some reason have a small stack, or they are generally weak-tight. The key to the check raise is making sure it commits the majority of their effective stack. That's why them being short helps. If I'm against many players or several with large stacks, I'm probably just check calling here. If the action leads to me acting immediately after the post flop bettor, I might try to check/raise isolate if he's shorter(checked around to button, he bets, SB folds).

The only time I'm leading out here is against opponents that I know will raise me.

These are extremely troublesome hands in hi/lo, especially OOP, with this kind of board. I play them very cautiously. There will be many, better occasions to put the money in for more than likely half the pot.

	Full Tilt Poker is licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. © Copyright 2004 - 2005 FullTiltPoker.com., All Rights Reserved