I've been trying to get better about folding my big pairs when it looks like I'm beat. This situation was a tough because I felt a laydown was a bit weak tight. For ONLY $25 I could see the next card...but after the raise and the cold call on the flop, I couldn't imagine a card I could POSSIBLY want to hit the turn EXCEPT for an A and even that might not be good on that board. Anyone raise here? Anyone call? Anyone lay it down? What's your play and why.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (6 max, 5 handed)

SB ($219.75)
BB ($293.15)
UTG ($268.05)
Hopy ($263.55)
Button ($171.35)

Preflop: Hopy is MP with , . SB posts a blind of $1.
1 fold, Hopy raises to $8, Button calls $8, 1 fold, BB calls $6.

Flop: ($25) , , (3 players)
BB checks, Hopy bets $25, Button raises to $50, BB calls $50, Hopy ???

Andy

I generally lead for the price I want to pay at the turn if a non-club hits, if I know the person is likely to min raise every street on a draw I bet half the pot, and may reraise the pot. He has position here and this looks like a free card play to me with the flush draw, or AJ, QJ KJ, maybe even QQ more than 9T or the set. You are likely to get paid off by the J if you maintain the pot and lose the least when you are wrong and he holds a monster by leading the turn if it blanks. If he goes ape at the turn I give up, QQ may go ape but a set or the straight definitely goes ape, the opponent would have to be known to make some really big plays for me to be tempted to call if he goes ape. QQ should be worried as the only pair he is beating is TT.

I think you have to have a VERY good read on the player to bet 1/2 the pot on this flop, knowing he's gonna minraise... Otherwise, I'd bet the pot, just like you did... Now's when it gets tricky... I'm starting to subscribe to Ice's "minraise=monster" theory, which in this case would scream fold... he could've easily called that raise w/ [10c] and has the straight w/ a monster draw to the SF and is minraising to make the pot a little juicier, since you've been screaming overpair since the hand started... Plus, you gotta worry about the BBs check-calling of a bet and a raise... If you call the bet, what possible turn and river cards could you want to see other than , and even then it may not help if one of them has the straight...? I would probably call heads up and play it, as rdale said, as long as he doesn't "go ape" ... But against 2, I'd fold... That may be weak/tight, but I think you'll have better opportunities later where you can be sure you're putting your money in w/ the best of it...

I think this is a fairly easy fold, once the BB cold-calls a pot-sized bet and a raise.

On a board like that, I make one bet, to try and take the pot down on the flop. If you can't even knock one opponent out, it's time to pull the ejector seat.

It would harder to play if BB folds. Without a read, I might call, and bet a safe turn (non-club, 4, 9, T).

I probably call this to see a turn. I think if someone had a set they'd have done more than min-raise with a board that coordinated. He's probably got AJ or something, and the other's got a flush draw, maybe along with a gutshot.

And I have to disagree about the min-raise = monster thing. Lots of people min-raise for the free card. Lots of people min-raise with top pair. I think using the min-raise = monster theory is a lot like assuming that every time someone lets the clock run down a bit before raising all in definately has the nuts. Sure, sometimes it's true, but a lot of the time it's not....

Results...

Call me weak-tight, but I folded here. I couldn't think of a single card, except for MAYBE the that I wanted to roll off on the turn. With the min raise and the COLD CALL of the min raise, I felt it was best if I actually laid this one down. I did and results-wise I was very happy.

BB has 7h 8h (two pair, jacks and eights).
Button has Tc 9d (straight, jack high).

Andy