I think most people would agree with me when I say JJ is the toughest hand to play in NL. I have won and lost my fair share of large pots with JJ, and tonight I played a tough JJ hand that I want some thoughts on.

The game is 1/2NL at Stars as usual. I have just sat down at the table and am hitting my second SB. With a stack of just about $200, I find myself in SB with [Jh]. UTG, who is a regular 1/2 player, raises to $8 with a stack of ~$350. In my limited time playing with him, he has shown to be fairly aggressive but not all that good. A MP player calls and has $120 left. I call, and we take the flop 3-handed.

(3 players) Flop: [5c][5d] (Pot: $26)

I bet out $12, which was jsut about half the pot after they took the rake. UTG min raises to 24. MP smooth calls. I call.

(3 players) Turn: (Pot: $98)

I check, UTG bets $42, MP calls. I fold.

I personally don't like the way I played this hand. I think my call PF is okay, since re-raising would put me out of position against multiple players. The flop looked like a good one for me, but I was obviously scared of UTG. I knew that if he had QQ-AA he would raise me. If he had AK he would either call or fold, and I would be in control of the hand. I was personally not too worried about MP as he was fairly passive. I was contemplating either check-raising or betting out about $20, which I think are both better options than my weak $12 bet. When I was raised, I probably should have folded but if he indeed had AA-QQ, I was gonna get paid off if I hit my 2-outer, plus there was the slight chance he had TT, 99, or AK. MP really puzzled me, as he smooth called a bet and a raise. My instinct was to immediately put him on a flush draw. On the turn, I think my check-fold is clearly the right move.

I think there are a variety of ways to play the flop. I won't check fold that flop most of the time, especially against an aggressive player, but a check-raise might have been good. A bigger bet might also have been better. Is the $12 bet simply horrible, or is it a decent information bet that doesn't break my bankroll? Comments would be appreciated.

By the way, the river brought an offsuit 8. UTG put MP allin for his last $54. MP called. UTG had [Tc], and MP had [5s] for the flopped set and the rivered straight. Go figure. On a better note, I played another JJ hand later in the session that I played much better and won me a $200 pot. Looks like the JJ roller coaster will continue.

In hindsight you about lost the minimum I think. I know I seem to say this in every post but being in the SB you're out of position for the rest of the hand, if you raised UTG then the limper 'should' fold and you'd be in greater command on the flop.

Obviously, the way the hand played, it was the MP smooth caller that would be setting off those alarm bells, by the turn club you correctly knew you were toast.

To your last question, I think a $20 bet on the flop would have been better, less likely that big aces will be calling trying to hit, though in this hand the smallness of the $12 meant that UTG raises and MP gives the game away by calling a bet and a raise.

This brings me back to if you raised preflop, ejected MP limper, and the flop comes the same, you bet big and UTG will give you more respect and lessens the chance of a big reraise or all-in that could get you to fold (would you in this spot?).

Hindsight's 20/20 I know.

Molina

I guess for an information bet your $12 worked. I just don't like it. It looks so weak that even the 1010 pounded on it. If you $20 bet here and it gets raised and called, then I'm def through with the hand, as I'm sure you would be.

You played the rest of the hand just fine. I guess for me...on the flop...bigger is better