Hand 1 - 10/20 NL

Hero - $3300
MP - $3700
LP - $2000

Hero is dealt OTB. MP, who has been playing very agressive and loose, open-raises to 80. LP calls, Hero re-raises to 300. Both call.

Flop

Both check, Hero???

Hand 2 - 10/20 NL

Hero $3000
MP $3500

Different table. Dealt OTB. MP, who has been loose and aggressive, raises to 70 in MP. Hero re-raises to 250. MP calls.

Flop .

MP bets $500. Hero???

What's my play in both hands?

Thanks

D

Hand 2 -

I laid it down - I think this is a pretty obvious AK, but I just wanted to make sure. I hate re-raising preflop and then folding for one bet. But I think it had to be done here.

In hand 1 -

I bet 600 (about what everyone said). MP calls, LP folds.

Turn -

MP checks, Hero ???????

D

Check behind and pray he doesnt bet the river. Hes probably going to bet anythign though..even a missed flush draw. You may have to call the river depending on what he bets.

Well... if you bet..you might get AA and QQ to fold. lol. check behind and pray for a river queen.

haven't read your results yet....and i am in no way qualified to offer opinions on stakes like 10/20NL. but here goes:

hand 1- i think you have to bet. LP could have a set....but just the pure odds of him setting combined with him not leading the flop...i think the context is very much in favor of him not having a set. from MP...on the flop you have to be somewhat afraid of KK or AA but he could just as easily have JJ or TT. besides...if you get check-raised, well..then you know where you stand.

hand 2- easy fold. at the stakes i play....and maybe even sometimes at the stakes you play...if it looks like AK, smells like AK, and talks like AK.....a large percentage of the time it is AK...and it especially sucks if its [Kc]. he could also potentially have AA (but he'd probably check-raise with that, i think?), 99, and if he's been very loose maybe even 55?


just read the results...with hand 1....i would check behind on the turn. call a reasonable (1/2 pot or less) bet on the river. and i would probably wimp out and check it down if he checks the river to me.

jon

Those boards are the real reason why I just can't bring myself to re-raise QQ unless I know there's some serious fold equity. I honestly don't think I'm leaving much, if any, money at the table this way either.

I agree pretty much with you, ice and kenny as to the play of the hands (I think I'd actually go with the full $900). I don't think a smallish probe bet will do the trick here. I think it's inviting trouble (that's the reason I use it--when I WANT to invite trouble).

I just find these flops much too difficult to play after a re-raise. There's no maneuvering room left, and letting go after putting in $300 is just deeply disturbing to me ...

I mean, in principle "correct" here is to bet the flop after your re-raise, then let it go to heat. But now you have $1,000 invested and may well have the best hand. I have no idea whether this LAG has a K or not. 88 wouldn't surprize me much either. Just the other day, I saw a LAG, against whom QQ re-raised, come over the top with 88 for $1,000.

My real problem here is that I can lay down QQ to 88 easily on that board after putting in $80. I can't after putting in that much.

I will say this on the hand: If this guy is a true LAG, he doesn't have a K with his check-call. He's hoping his JJ or such will hold up. At least with the players that I'm calling LAG, KQ would put you in on the flop, no questions asked, and would have bet it out, similarly with AA. So, if I really think about it (and this player resembles the LAGs I play), I'd go ahead and bet the turn--AND call an all-in if he makes it.

If you can't do that, I don't think you can re-raise your QQ. Two checks from a LAG is a sign of INCREDIBLE weaknes imo.

Two checks from a LAG is a sign of INCREDIBLE weaknes imo.

Ok, I play at the wuss stakes (NL$25), but down here, two checks from a LAG (or one check and a weaker than normal bet) is a good sign he's got a strong hand.

Alright, I check behind on the turn, and the river is the . He fires out $1,500. Can I call this?

D

Tough one. He knows you dont have a K, but your turn check opened the door for him to bet anything. He doesnt need a king to bet here.

Since you said hes LAG, I think I grit my teeth and call. Theres $3600 in the pot and its $1500 to you ...2 1/2 :1

I think you win 50% of the time.

I think I would call this. By this point you both know the other one probably doesn't have a K. If he has an A, what A could he have raised with? We said no AK, you have two Qs so AQ is unlikely. AJ/AT are the likely candidates...

I still think he has a smaller pair or had a good draw that's now busted. What is he putting you on? You reraised pfp indicating a pp, you don't raise the flop so he thinks no AA, you check the turn so he thinks no KK... He might have guessed you have QQ/JJ and try to use the A as a scare card.